Rocket Triggered Lightning Research

http://www.lightning.ece.ufl.edu/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Rocket
• Triggered
• Lightning
• Research
• University
• Florida
• Storm
• Thunder

[BrunsAce]

I saw a special about this a while back. There is a wire attached to the rocket to the ground. The rockets are triggered by a hose connected to a switch. You blow in the hose to launch so there is no conductive path back to the launch control. They also have equipment on hand to measure the cloud's electrical potential and launch only when a strike in imminent.

[Rikus84]

@UltraBibendum : are you a physicist specialize in lightning)

Have you ever read one of their publication?

lightning.ece.ufl.edu/general.­html#2

[zizwop]

This is like Benjamin Franklin stuff for modern times, and a hell of a lot safer. How can I get a job there?

[VWFringe]

I'm having fun imagining a car powered by this, and how it would prolly leave divets in the asphalt wherever you fire off a rocket to juice up, hehe.

[TheUtahraptor1]

I think its copper they are using, you can tell by the green glow as it vapourises and combusts

[davidls11]

@coldlogic1 So if I were to tie some grounded balloons to my boss' car during a thunderstorm...

[coldlogic1]

@davidls11 helium balloons would take to long to get up there, but you tottally could.

[davidls11]

I always wondered if you could do the same thing with helium filled balloons.

[WhefXLR]

It's tempting to dislike this video for the lulz.

[elpazo100]

nice