[Vwdiesel] Lightning Was: Re: Cheap fuel

[Val Christian]

I know I'm off topic, but the energy captured and released by the typical
thunderstorm is tremendous.  The equivalent of several nuke bombs.
Ben Franklin had the right idea.

Further off topic...GE Labs near Albany studied lightning and the effects of
it, particularily on power transmission equipment.  In this part of the world,
most storms top out at 35,000 feet, with some of them to 50,000 feet.

After the development of airconditioning equipment, Flordia became more
developed, and it was found that the power transmission equipment started
having very high failure rates in Flordia, and also in Central America.
It turns out that the tops of storms are higher in the lower latitudes
(we'll skip the science here), and therefore the energy released was greater.

Want to have western NY fun watching lightning storms?  Go to Weathersfield
NY, where there's 10 or so hilltop turbines, and watch the lightning hit the 
blades.

Oh, many newer transport aircraft provide a slight skin charge to deter 
lightning strikes.  A check list item is to deactivate the skin charger
prior to ground servicing (including fueling).


Now, if I could just get my 03 Jetta to start like lightning....


Val





> 
> Lightning is solar powered, in a round about way.. in that
> the heat of the sun drives the weather systems.
> 
> The friction of wind moving builds up the static charge 
> which is disapated in the spark you see when the voltage
> overcomes the insulating properties of the  
> air/ground/or whatever it ends up hitting!
>  
> 
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> 
> Message: 10
> Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 09:31:37 EDT
> From: Libbybapa at wmconnect.com
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] Cheap fuel
> To: vwdiesel at audifans.com
> Message-ID: <c8.5f3d9204.2fbc9db9 at wmconnect.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> 
> While on the subject, where does the energy that causes lightning come from?  
> Is it from plants moving the electrons? Static? Magnetic field of the earth?
> Andrew
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