"Green lightning protection" is perhaps the most unusual lightning protection system. Its history began at the end of the 20th century, when an engineer from the U.S., Roy Carpenter, proposed a design made of thousands of sharp needles assembled into a sort of metallic umbrella. According to the inventor, such an "umbrella" could neutralize lightning while still in the air. However, calculations by atmospheric electricity specialists showed that it’s not so simple.
When a team of Russian specialists joined the analysis, their research helped understand how the system truly affects the interaction of lightning with tall structures.
The main point is that "green lightning protection" is not a lightning rod. It works differently: it doesn't intercept the discharge but instead uniquely conceals the object beneath it, reducing the likelihood of a strike.
In Professor Eduard Meerovich Bazelyan's article "Green Lightning Protection for Tall Structures" the following are discussed in detail:
- the history of "green lightning protection"
- its operating principle and distinction from traditional protection
- features of its application for tall structures
How exactly the device "conceals" the protected object from lightning — read in the article (RU).