Height of Lightning Channel on EM-Fields: Comparison of
1&%&ZLWK+HLGOHUV)XQFWLRQ
Shakthi Prasad D., Chandrasekaran K. and Gururaj S. Punekar
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal
Karnataka, India 575-025
Abstract Lightning electromagnetic (EM) fields
for two base current functions, for different channel
heights over a perfect ground are computed. Typical
subsequent return stroke (12 kA peak and 40 kA/s
maximum time derivative) channel base current
obtaiQHG XVLQJ +HLGOHUV DQG 1&%& 1HZ &KDQQHO
Base Current) functions are employed in field
calculation. EM fields are computed as a function of
radial distance and height of the lightning channel.
The engineering return stroke model namely MTLE
(Modified Transmission Line with Exponential
current decay) is adopted to simulate the fields. The
results are computed for typical channel height of
2.5, 5 and 8 km with the observation at radial
distance of 5 km away from the lightning channel. It
shows that the NCBC function performs equally well
when FRPSDUHG ZLWK +HLGOHUV IXQFWLRQ $ W\SLFDO
dunk in the tail portion of the far field wave pattern
is observed in both the cases which is attributed to
the finite length of the lightning channel.
Index TermsEM fields, +HLGOHUVV IXQFWLRQ
Lightning, NCBC function.
I. INTRODUCTION
Knowledge about the lightning phenomenon and
its effects become important in designing a proper
protection system for the electric and electronic
equipments. EM fields generated by the lightning
current which couples with power system
equipments and induce the overvoltage in it, are the
possible cause for their failure. Thus many research
activities are centered around the indirect effects of
lightning. Proper modeling of lightning could help
in estimating possible damages due to it. Detailed
issues on modeling of lightning return strokes can
be found in the literature [1], [2]. As discussed in
[1], engineering model is the one which is widely
used in lightning return stroke modeling because of
its simplicity. The engineering model begins by
defining a proper mathematical function which will
account for the spatial and temporal variation of the
current through the lightning channel.
Conference Proceedings INCEMIC 2012
Many analytical functions are proposed in the
literature to represent the channel base lightning
current. Prominent amongst them are:
a. Double-Exponential function [3]
E+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQ [4]
c. New Channel Base Current (NCBC) function [5]
Double-Exponential function (DEXP) function is
given by Bruce and Golde [3]. Though the function
is simple, it gives an unrealistic convex wave front
indicated by a high value of current steepness at
t =0+. +HLGOHUV function proposed by the Heidler,
could overcome the problem associated with DEXP
as it can reproduce more realistic concave wave
front with zero current steepness at t = 0+. IEC
62305-1 [6] has adopted this function for channel
base current representation. This function although
has some advantages, it is not time integrable.
Graphical means of REWDLQLQJ WKH +HLGOHUV
function parameters can be found in [4]. Recent
addition to this group of functions to represent
channel base current is the New Channel Base
Current (NCBC) function [7]-[10]. NCBC is a time
normalized function hence the adjustment of peak
current and time to peak current are straight
forward. Also it gives the realistic concave
wavefront. Provision is also available in the
function to adjust it for the given maximum time
rate of change of current , Application
of NCBC in representing the channel-base currents
given in the IEC 62305-1 [6] is clearly
demonstrated in [5]. Because of its flexibility in
adjustment of parameters for desired wave-shape,
NCBC function has shown some promising results.
The present work focuses on comparison of EM
fields due to typical lightning subsequent strokes
using +HLGOHUVDQG1&%&IXQFWLRQEDVHG07/(
models with channel height as the parameter.
II. MODELLING
A. Return stroke current model
A typical lightning subsequent return stroke (peak
375
 current 12 kA, the maximum steepness of 40 current ), Maximum current steepness
kA/s) LV UHSURGXFHG E\ PHDQV RI ERWK +HLGOHUV , Time to peak ( ) [13]-[16] (which
function [4] and NCBC function [5] as given by the are the practically measurable lightning quantities).
following expressions, This advantage offered by NCBC is due to its
normalization.
a) 6XPRIWZR+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQ
Table 1 Channel Base Current Function Parameters

to Reproduce the Typical Subsequent Lightning
Return Stroke Wave Shape

+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQSDUDPHWHUV>@ [12]




10.7 0.25 2.50 6.50 2.10 230 2.00

  NCBC function parameters



(1) 12.00 0.840 14.50 0.350 0.003 0.405 2.000
where, Note: All the currents are in kA and time in s
represents the amplitude of the channel base
current, are the time constants determining B. Return stroke current model
current rise and current decay-time, respectively.
is the current steepness factor For the ease of electromagnetic field computation
is the current peak correction factor given by from the lightning current, lightning return stroke
channel is often considered as the vertical antenna

above the perfectly conducting ground [11], [12],
  [17], [18]. At a point of observation (field

computation) in free space, the expressions for the
 vertical electric field and the azimuthal magnetic
field components from the vertical dipole of

differential length dz are given by,



(3)

b) NCBC function  








   

(4) 

where,
are the function parameters,
are the weighing coefficients such that  

 is the normalized time

variable and is the chosen set of expressions in   

the wave-tail portion.

The function parameters to produce the required
subsequent return current waveshape is presented in which r,,z are the cylindrical coordinates of the
in the Table I. It can be seen from the NCBC observation point, R is the distance between the
function definition (4) that, parameter adjustment dipole and the observation point

of the NCBC function is much easier for a given ,  is the dipole current, c is
current quantities like Charge (), Peak

Conference Proceedings INCEMIC 2012 376

 speed of light and 0 is the permittivity of free
space.
In equation (5), the first term is the electrostatic
field, the second the electric induction or
intermediated field, and the third the electric
radiation field. In (6), the first term is the magnetic
induction and second the radiation field. Total
electromagnetic fields generated by the lightning
current is obtained by integrating the expressions
(5) and (6) along the lightning channel height.
Influence of the channel height on the computed
HOHFWURPDJQHWLFILHOGVXVLQJERWK+HLGOHUVDVZHOO
as the NCBC functions are discussed in the
following section.

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ON COMPUTED

EM FIELDS Fig. 2. Azimuthal magnetic field at 5 km away from
the lightning channel with NCBC function.
EM fields originated by the lightning return stroke
at the ground level is computed. These fields are
calculated at a observation point 5 km (r=5 km)
away from the lightning striking point. Velocity of
the lightning return stroke is taken to be 1.9
m/s. The ground is assumed to be perfect, as a
result the horizontal component of the E-field
originated by the lightning stroke at ground level
will be nullified. Figures 1 and 2 show the
azimuthal magnetic field computed at a distance 5
NP IURP OLJKWQLQJ FKDQQHO XVLQJ +HLGOHUV and
NCBC function, respectively; where as Figs. 3 and
4 show the vertical electric field computed at a
distance 5 km from lightning channel using
+HLGOHUVDQG1&%& function, respectively. Fields
are computed for different lightning channel Fig. 3. Vertical electric field at 5 km away from the
heights (H) such that OLJKWQLQJFKDQQHOZLWK+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQ.
case . H (2.5 km) < r (5 km)
case . H (5.0 km) = r (5 km)
case . H (8.0 km) > r (5 km)

Fig. 4. Vertical electric field at 5 km away from the

lightning channel with NCBC function.
Fig. 1. Azimuthal magnetic field at 5 km away from
WKHOLJKWQLQJFKDQQHOZLWK+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQ

Conference Proceedings INCEMIC 2012 377


Fig. 5. Azimuthal magnetic field components at 5 km
DZD\IURPWKHOLJKWQLQJFKDQQHOLQ+HLGOHUVfunction
based computation.
Fig. 6. Vertical electric field components at 5 km
DZD\IURPWKHOLJKWQLQJFKDQQHOLQ+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQ
based computation.
From the computed EM field results following
observations are made.
1. Computed fields from +HLGOHUV DV ZHOO DV
the NCBC function are identical. Thus the
performance of NCBC is equally good when
FRPSDUHGWRWKH+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQ
2. For the case and case , a clear dunk is
found in the tail portion of the vertical
electric field as well as the azimuthal
magnetic field pattern, which is not seen for
the case of c. It is to be noted that, for case ,
KHLJKW RI WKH OLJKWQLQJ FKDQQHO + LV
Conference Proceedings INCEMIC 2012
UHODWLYHO\ODUJHUWKDQWKHUDGLDOGLVWDQFHURI
the observation point.
The possible reasons for this discontinuity can be
attributed to the finite height of the lightning
channel. This kink and its location depends on the
height, velocity of the lightning return stroke and
also on the current decay constant ) chosen in the
MTLE model. Thus approximate time at which
dunk appears, for the cases where height of the
lightning channel is approximately equal or less
than the point of observation can be given by,


Further this discontinuity is seem to reflect in the
total EM field due to its appearance in radiation
component of the total field. This behaviour can be
seen from the Figs.5 and 6, which show the total
magnetic and electric fields respectively, along
with its constituent components.
IV. SUMMARY
The present work tries to bring out the effect of
lightning channel height on the EM fields
generated by it, considering a typical point of
observation. The field pattern generated by the both
current functions namely, +HLGOHUV DQG 1&%&
function, identically resembles each other. Thus
NCBC function performs equally well in
FRPSDULVRQ ZLWK+HLGOHUVIXQFWLRQDOWKRXJKERWK
show a discontinuity due to the finite length of the
lightning channel.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the
Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering, National Institute of Technology
Karnataka and MHRD India, for the support.
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He is MIEEE, MIE, LM-ISTE, LM-SSI, LMNSC.
Email: gsp652000@yahoo.com

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