Channeling of an Ionizing Electrical Streamer by a Laser Beam

Abstract

Long electrical spark discharges have been directed through air along predetermined paths defined by a concentrated laser beam. At apparent optical power densities of 50–100 giga W/cm2, 35-nsec half-width laser pulses at 10 600 Å have been effective in channeling streamer discharges from a 350-kV positively charged electrode for distances up to 28 cm in a total streamer length of 71 cm. The average E field required to obtain a discharge between electrodes was reduced from 7.3 to 5.5 kV/cm with the laser powers employed.

Physics and applications of atmospheric nonlinear optics and filamentation

“…But the number of rockets available for a given storm is limited. Therefore, the idea emerged to apply lasers to control lightning by ionizing the air along the beam, and forming a conducting plasma "wire," The first attempts, in the 1970's and 1980's, used nanosecond pulses [202,203,204]. They were unsuccessful, because such lasers cannot produce continuously ionized plasma channels because of the laser absorption by inverse Bermsstrahlung in the plasma generated at the leading front of the pulse.…”

Laser femtoseconde, filamentation, nuage et orage

“…L'idée de contrôler ou d'assister le déclenchement de la foudreà l'aide de lasers est presque aussi ancienne que le laser lui-même [1]. Cette technique permettrait de protéger des sites sensibles tels que des installationsélectriques ou des aéroports des dégâts directs et indirects causés par la foudre, en particulier les perturbationsélectromagnétiques.…”

Shockwave-assisted laser filament conductivity

“…The interaction of high-power lasers with electric fields has attracted much attention since the 1970's, with the aim of controlling lightning [1][2][3] and/or triggering and guiding high-voltage discharges [4,5]. These early experiments implied laser pulses carrying Joules to kilojoules, and essentially relied on the local heating of the air at the laser focus.…”