Thunderstorm electricity

Well, the great German writer was not wrong about the peculiar smell from the private thunderstorm (electrical discharge). But his mistake was in identifying the cause. Oxygen, as already mentioned, has no smell and is continuously present in the air. It is ozone that is responsible for the impleasantries. Incidentally, too much... 

Workman, E. J. and S. E. Reynolds. Electrical phenomena occurring during the freezing of dilute aqueous solutions and their possible relationship to thunderstorm electricity. Phys. Rev. 78, 254-259, 1950. 

Most electrical failures are caused by external problems, such as a malfunctioning transformer, a thunderstorm, or a car hitting a power pole. Gas and water pressure failures are often caused by problems within the building itself, such as somebody shutting off a valve in order to make a repair without notifying those concerned. A system must be established whereby all affected by such a shut-down will be informed well in advance. 

Fig. 6.4. Statistical confidence level associated with the electric events synchronized with the laser pulses during a thunderstorm. The color scale is transparent below 98% (i.e., for error risks above 2%), leaving the topographical background uncovered. Arrowhead location of the laser-induced plasma channel Arrow tail laser emitter. Topographic background courtesy of US Geological Survey [31]...

Similar results have been obtained during the second thunderstorm [31]. In contrast, no effect was observed when the electric field was low or negative. Therefore, these results suggest that a small fraction (0.24% of the laser pulses, i.e., d event/minute) of the plasma filaments have initiated electric events in a strong positive (upward pointing) electric field [31]. 

L6. Latham, J., and Mason, B. J., Generation of electric charge associated with the formation of soft hail in thunderstorms, Proc. Roy. Soc. London), Ser. A 260, 537 (1961). 

The plant shutdown (which distracted the operators and made the electric fire water pump unavailable) was caused by a thunderstorm that tripped the primary feeder and no backup feeder was installed. The unit should be designed to shutdown safely on loss of power. (Process hazards analysis)... 

The device was developed and is distributed by Nitro Nobel, Sweden. Its application is of interest in electrically endangered (by thunderstorms, stray currents, etc) areas... 

Nitrogen compounds are also usually present in rain water in the form of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, the two latter particularly during and after a thunderstorm owing to the combination of oxygen and nitrogen induced by the lightning and electric disturbances generally. 

The device is distributed by NITRO NOBEL, Sweden and DYNO, Norway. Its applications are of interest in electrically endangered areas (e.g., by thunderstorms and stray currents). 

Cavendish was fascinated by such stories. He read also about Franklin s experiments with atmospheric electricity—how he had flown a kite in the summer of 1752 and felt the electric shock of the thunderstorm. This force must be a powerful weapon, thought Cavendish, for a year later Dr. Georg Rich-mann who tried the same experiment had been killed. Here was a potent instrument which the chemist might use to solve great mysteries. 

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