Abstract
We have obtained the electric current, electric field change, and optical image data or several tens of lightning that hit on a wind turbine and its lightning-protection tower during the past6 non-stop winter seasons from 2005 to 2010. By analyzing the data, we found that the upward lightning hitting on the high structures can be classified into self-initiated and other-triggered types according to whether there is a discharge activity prior to the upward lightning. We also found that although other-triggered upward lightning can start at a relatively lower wind speed, self-initiated upward lightning always started either from the stationary tower under a larger wind speed or from a rotating wind turbine blade. It appears that the wind and by inference the corona discharge shielding do have considerable effect in the initiation of an upward leader. Regarding the initial progression of a positive leader, we found a systematic difference in the speeds of the leaders from the structures that have remarkably different heights. Finally, we discussed the pulse discharges observed in the very initial stages of positive upward leaders and also how to forecast direct strike of upward lightning.
