Abstract:
The effect of artificial clouds of strongly charged aqueous aerosol on model aircraft radomes has been experimentally studied. It is established that the character of discharge development in the “charged aerosol cloud-inner electrode under model radome” gap significantly differs from that observed in the absence of the model radome. The presence of the dielectric radome in the gap between charged cloud and ground can lead to the phenomenon of reversal of the polarity of discharge current from the electrode (modeling antenna). Dependence of the discharge development and its characteristics on the size (volume) of space under radome has been studied. Possible physical mechanisms involved in the interaction of lightning discharges and thunderstorm clouds with radiotrasparent aircraft radomes and equipment arranged inside are considered.