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Measurement of vertical Electric fields from


lightning flashes using parallel plate antenna

Conference Paper · June 2011


DOI: 10.1109/INECCE.2011.5953927

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International Conference on Electrical, Control and Computer Engineering
Pahang, Malaysia, June 21-22, 2011

Measurement of Vertical Electric Fields from


Lightning Flashes using Parallel Plate Antenna

W.I.Ibrahim, M.R. Ghazali, S.A. Ghani Zulkurnain Abdul Malek


Faculty of Electrical & Electronics Engineering Institute of High Voltage & High Current
Universiti Malaysia Pahang Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
26600 Pekan, Pahang Skudai, Malaysia
wismail@ump.edu.my, riduwan@ump.edu.my, zulkurnain@utm.my
suliana@ump.edu.my

Abstract— Lightning is the transfer of significant charge


between two charged object, it can occur between cloud to
cloud, cloud to air and cloud to ground. Lightning strikes
can kill people, knock out radio communication, electrical
power devices, and destroy houses, trees as well as animals.
The lightning strike hazards may be properly managed by
using a lightning detector system. The detection concepts
can be based on Electromagnetic Field or Electric field . In
this paper, the characteristics of the flat plate antenna in
measuring the electric field has been reviewed and
analysed. The experiment using parallel plate antenna has
been setup to detect the E field during the thunderstorm
days. The E- field data has been collected and used for
data manipulation or others application.
Figure 1. Illustration of lightning operating frequency[1]
Keywords—Electric field, lightning, flat metallic plate
antenna, parallel plate antenna.
Lightning sensors were used to detect and locate electrical
activity in thunderstorms using a number of different
I. INTRODUCTION methodologies. These include direction finding (DF) [2], time-
Lightning is an electrical discharge either within the clouds of-arrival (TOA) techniques [3], a combination of these two
(intra-cloud), between the clouds (inter-cloud) and cloud to the [4], and interferometry methods [5]. All techniques need a
ground (CG). The fast acceleration of charge during the number of sensors within a network to get reliable data on the
lightning flash generates electrostatic and electromagnetic location of a lightning flash. The DF method basically uses
radiation in all frequency bands. Radio waves from lightning two orthogonal magnetic loop antennas, where the azimuth
can propagate around the globe over thousands of kilometers, angle to the flash is obtained by simple trigonometry. The
and further within the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. The TOA method uses the small differences in the arrival times of
attenuation of these radio waves depends on the frequency of the radio wave at different stations to determine the optimum
the radiation. Fig.1 [1] shows the differences in the rates and distance to the flash from a network of synchronized stations.
amplitudes of the electric field and electromagnetic radiation The stations can be located between several kilometers until
at the different frequencies. The different techniques are better hundred kilometers in range. Today with GPS timing, the
suited for detecting various processes in cloud and CG flashes. TOA method supplies more accurate locations compared with
the DF methods. However, today combinations of both
methods are often used to enhance the accuracy of lightning
detection networks.
In order the measure the lightning electric field intensity,
several types of sensors have been developed. These sensors
can be a vertical whip antenna, field mill and flat plate
antenna. The vertical whip antenna [6] is a metal object
connected to the ground through electric circuitry. On the
thunderstorm day, when the E-Field varies in time, the charge

978-1-61284-230-1/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE 466


induced on the antenna also varies in time. Hence, it will In the case of lightning E- field [9] measurements by using
generate the current in the electric circuitry. The field mills [7] plat antenna (Fig.3) , consider the plate is over ground level in
is a device to measure the electric field strength on earth due a time varying and also the wavelength of the E- Field is much
to the static E-field and the charge of clouds passing overhead. larger than the size of the metallic plate. Then, the concept of
It consists of one or two electrodes which either rotate in an the E-Field is defined as the force per unit charge for each
electrostatic field or become periodically exposed to a field by point in a region of charges,
rotating vanes. The simplify version of fill mills [8] is shown
in Fig.2. In this paper the plat plate antenna and the parallel
plate antenna were discussed for the lightning electric field F Q
measurements. The analysis of the measuring system was E= = (1)
derived and discussed. Q 4πε D ε r r 2

Where Q represent the charge, r the distance, ε D and ε r the


absolute and relative permitivities respectively.

The term Eε D ε r is a density measure and is called electric


flux density. This is a measure of the electric field flowing out
of the sphere. Mathematically expresses as,

D = Eε D ε r (2)

By referred to the Gauss`s law; the electric flux flowing out of


a closed surface is equal to the charge enclosed, and it is
mathematically expressed as

∫ D.ds = Q
s
(3)

Figure 2. Shutter type electric field mill for measurement of the polarity and
magnitude of an electrostatic field. When the charge is uniformly distributed within the region, it
is better to use a charge density per unit volume ρ instead of
charge enclosed by a surface. Hence, integrate over the
II. THEORY volume v , Gauss`s Law become

A. Voltage in a Metallic Plate


∫ D.ds = ∫ pdv
s v
(4)

In this case, consider a flat plate over ground level in a


time varying electric field and the wavelength of the E-field is
much larger than the size of the plate. In the moment, a
charge Q is induced when the E field appears on that plate.
Therefore, equation (4) becomes,

Electric Flux Density X Area of plate= Charge on plate

And it is mathematically expressed as,

D.S = Q (5)

From equation (2), the normal electric field becomes

Q
En = (6)
ε oε r S
Figure 3. Flat metallic plate above ground level

467
Then the voltage between the flat –metallic plate and ground ε Dε r S
is; Vg = En (11)
d d C1
Q Q.d

V g = − E n dx = −
0
ε o .ε r .S ∫ (− 1)dx = ε
0 o .ε r .S
(7) Where V g is the voltage measured through the capacitance C1
, S is surface of the metallic plate and E n is the normal
electric field.
If substitute equation (6) into (7), therefore;
If the resistor R has been used between the metallic plate
V g = E n .d (8) and ground to measure the voltage, the current through will
be;
Equation (8) indicates that the voltage between the metallic
plate and ground is directly proportional to the electric field dQ
i= (12)
normal to the plate and it height respect to the ground. dt
Suppose the electric element was attached to the antenna as
shown in Fig.4.
And the voltage is;

V g = Ri (13)

Therefore, substituting (12) and (13) in the derivative of (6);

dE n
V g = ε D ε r RS (14)
dt

Equation (14) clearly shown that the voltage depends on the


derivative of the E-field.

Now, supposed that the element of resistance and capacitance


was attached to the antenna (in Fig5). The measured voltage
Vm became less than V g due to RC effect.

Figure 4. Electric Element attached the antenna

The E-field can be found by measuring the varying-time


current flowing through the electric element connected
between the metallic plate and ground. But, the current totally
depend on what type of electric element has been used. The
measurement current could be the normal E-Field or the
derivative of the E-field.
If the capacitance has been used as the electric element
between the metallic plate and ground to measure the voltage,
then by integrating the current;

Q = V g .C1 (9)

Q = ∫ idt (10)

Figure 5. RC circuit attach to antenna


Therefore, substituting (9) in (6)

468
Assuming the impedance of the R is very large compared to C. the interfacing between the software and hardware equipments.
By neglecting R, the amplitude voltage Vm is equal to; The parallel plate antenna was connected to the digital signal
oscilloscope (DSO) by coaxial cable. The system interface,
Cg Cg hardware and software development has been explained in [10]
Vm = E n d = Vg (15) and [11].
Cg + C Cg + C

The equation (15) showed that the measured voltage Vm is the


voltage V g times the capacitive divider composed by the
capacitance C and the capacitance of the antenna with respect
to the ground C g .

B. Measuring System
In the experiments, the parallel plate antenna was used to
measure the E-field of lightning phenomena. The antenna
composed by two (2) metallic and parallel plates. It was
separated by a certain distance and the bottom plate is
connected to the ground. Under this condition, the height d in
equation (15) has to be modified to effective height. Fig.6 has
shown the equivalent of the parallel plate antenna to measure
the voltage. C c Is the capacitance of the coaxial cable to link
the antenna and equipment. Hence, the measured voltage is;
Cg
Vm = E n d eff (16)
C g + Cc + C
Figure 7. Parallel plate antenna to measure the E-field.

Figure 6. Equivalent circuit of the parallel plate antenna

III. EXPERIMENT

The experiment was conducted and the lightning data has Figure 8. Parallel plate antenna at the top of IVAT building.
successfully captured during the thunderstorm days. Fig.7 Fig.8 showed the parallel plate antenna that has been used to
showed the arrangement of the experiment setup consists of measure the E-field. The antenna was placed at the top of

469
Institute of High Voltage & High Current (IVAT), UTM. The
application of the antenna has been explained in [10] - [13]
.The antenna has been used to determine the distance [10], [11]
of the lightning from the point where the strike occurred. In
[12], the signatures of the electric pulses generated from cloud
flash have been analyzed for different parameter.

IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The lightning data was captured during January 2010 to


March 2010 using the parallel plate antenna. Fig. 9 showed
one of the E-field signals has successfully captured by the
system. The measured voltage Vm , had a peak magnitude of
0.12V.
Figure 11. Measurement Snapshot DSO TDS 5104B
Electric Field Signal
Fig.10 showed the highest E- Field Signal captured by the
digital signal oscilloscope (DSO) and Fig.11 showed the data
measurement from that signal. The max Vm is 1.44 and 12.535
MHz frequency has been recorded. It proved that parallel plate
antenna was used to capture VHF signal during the
Voltage (V)

thunderstorm days. Table1 below showed the total of lightning


strokes that successfully captured by the parallel plate antenna
by online system monitoring.

TABLE1. THE QUANTITY OF STROKES


Date Time Quantity E = Vm / m
Time (s)
strokes
Figure 9. Electric Field Transducer Voltage Signal (15 March 2010, 15:19) 2 January 2010 1615-1650 7 0.16
Obviously, the magnitude of the signal is dependent on the 3 January 2010 1650-1725 6 0.08
lightning strike intensity, and the lightning strike distance 5 January 2010 1720-1800 8 0.12
from the measuring antenna. On average, most of the captured 6 January 2010 1615-1635 9 1.44
electric field signals had a peak magnitude of 0.14V or greater.
26 February 2010 1740-1750 4 0.5
Electric Field Signal 28 February 2010 1720-1830 15 0.22
2 March 1700-1720 4 0.2
3 March 1810-1830 5 0.21
15 March 1455-1530 4 0.15
16 March 1350-1420 2 0.2
Voltage (V)

21 March 1545-1650 10 0.12


24 March 1700-1745 8 0.15
25 March 1600-1650 9 0.14
26 March 1500-1550 15 0.36
29 March 1600-1850 23 0.51

Time (uS) V. CONCLUSION


Figure 10. Ref1, Electric Field Transducer Voltage Signal (6 Jan 2010, 17:05)
The parallel plate antenna has been used to detect the
electric field signal during the thunderstorm days. The most
important aspects in the lightning electric field intensity
measurement are the operation of the measuring system. The

470
operative characteristic of the parallel plate antenna has been National Lightning Detection Network. J. Geophys. Res. 1998, 103 D8,
9035-9044.
derived and reviewed. It shows that, the characteristics of the
[5] Hayenga, C.O.; Warwick, J.W. Two-dimensional interferometric
antenna are most important as the first step in designing the positions of VHF lightning sources. J. Geophys. Res. 1981, 86, 7451-
measuring system for the E-field. 7462.
[6] Vernon Cooray, The Lightning Flash, IEE Power & Energy Series 34,
ACKNOWLEDGMENT 2003.
[7] John N. Chubb, Two New Designs of “Field Mill” Type Fieldmeters not
The Authors wish to thank for the support of this research Requiring Earthing of Rotating Chopper, IEEE Transaction on Industry
Application Vol. 26, Nov 1990.
to the Institute of High Voltage & High Current (IVAT),
[8] David A. Hill, Motohisa kanda ,Electric Field Strength ,CRC Press LLC
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia that made this collaborative ,2000.
work possible. [9] Artura Galvan, Mahendra Fernando, Operative characteristic of a
parallel plate antenna to measure vertical electric field from lightning
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