Phys.org January 16, 2023
An international team of researchers (France, Switzerland, Germany, USA – New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Sweden) conducted the first field-result that experimentally demonstrated lightning guided by lasers. They conducted an experimental campaign on the Säntis mountain in north-eastern Switzerland during the summer of 2021 with a high-repetition-rate terawatt laser. The guiding of an upward negative lightning leader over a distance of 50 m was recorded by two separate high-speed cameras. It was corroborated in three other instances by very-high-frequency interferometric measurements, and the number of X-ray bursts detected during guided lightning events greatly increased. According to the researchers their work paves the way for new atmospheric applications of ultrashort lasers and represents an important step forward in the development of a laser based lightning protection for airports, launchpads or large infrastructures…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Snapshots of the lightning event of 24 July 2021 (L2) recorded in the presence of the laser. Credit: Nature Photonics (2023)Â