Date: 4/12/2022 08:36:40
From: buffy
ID: 1963072
Subject: Lightning strikes less often at sea

Another short read from SciAm that I found interesting.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/salty-sea-spray-keeps-lightning-strikes-away/

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Date: 4/12/2022 10:11:09
From: mollwollfumble
ID: 1963127
Subject: re: Lightning strikes less often at sea

buffy said:


Another short read from SciAm that I found interesting.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/salty-sea-spray-keeps-lightning-strikes-away/

Lightning map.

or …

No topography means fewer storms mean less lightning.

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Date: 4/12/2022 11:54:10
From: AussieDJ
ID: 1963188
Subject: re: Lightning strikes less often at sea

mollwollfumble said:


buffy said:

Another short read from SciAm that I found interesting.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/salty-sea-spray-keeps-lightning-strikes-away/

Lightning map.

or …

No topography means fewer storms mean less lightning.

Or fewer observers and/or observation points?

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Date: 4/12/2022 11:57:13
From: party_pants
ID: 1963191
Subject: re: Lightning strikes less often at sea

mollwollfumble said:


buffy said:

Another short read from SciAm that I found interesting.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/salty-sea-spray-keeps-lightning-strikes-away/

Lightning map.

or …

No topography means fewer storms mean less lightning.

Interesting that there are more purple patches deep inland than along the coasts. The opposite of what I was expecting.

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Date: 5/12/2022 19:47:14
From: mollwollfumble
ID: 1963704
Subject: re: Lightning strikes less often at sea

party_pants said:


mollwollfumble said:

buffy said:

Another short read from SciAm that I found interesting.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/salty-sea-spray-keeps-lightning-strikes-away/

Lightning map.

or …

No topography means fewer storms mean less lightning.

Interesting that there are more purple patches deep inland than along the coasts. The opposite of what I was expecting.

Agree.

At sea, I had been expecting more west of Morocco, more over coral reefs, less adjacent to South America and Africa.
At land I’d been expecting more over mountain chains and near the coast.

I note that the USA’s tornado alley shows up prominently.

Hold on a moment. Are these air to air lightning or air to ground lightning? Air to air lightning is more common. Air to ground lightning is more dangerous.

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Date: 5/12/2022 20:41:25
From: Spiny Norman
ID: 1963723
Subject: re: Lightning strikes less often at sea

On the ground there’s quite a lot more point-type structures where the electrical charge can start/finish from. There’s basically none in the middle of the ocean.

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