Scientists in Siberia invented the lightning rod

Scientists from the Russian city of Irkutsk in eastern Siberia have invented a lightning detector.

This breakthrough will allow scientists to find wildfires caused by hurricanes.

Researchers at the Russian Scientific Research University “Irkutsk” have developed a lightning detector within the framework of the project “Digital Baikal”, which aims to establish a joint center in cooperation with the Institute of Solar and Earth Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences . System for environmental monitoring of Lake Baikal and its surrounding areas.

This was reported by the IrkutskMedia news agency, referring to the press service of the local government.

Eduard Filippov, Acting Minister of Forestry of the Irkutsk state government, said: “The activation of this particular system for recording lightning will allow the rapid detection of forest fires caused by the outbreak of storms and the determination of their origin. This information will allow air patrol routes to detect fires. “The forests are at an early stage and urgent measures must be taken to neutralize and kill them.”

A lightning detection system records the electromagnetic radiation of lightning charges. Currently, a network of stations with receivers has been created at 4 points near Lake Baikal: the Geophysical Observatory of the Institute of Solar and Earth Physics in the village of (Turi) in the Russian Republic of Buryatia, the village of Baikal Astrophysical Observatory (Listvyanka), the magnetic observatory on the island (Olkhon) and the city of Bratsk.

At the recording points, the direction of the lightning, its duration and the nature of the signal are measured. The measurement results for each category are sent to the data collection and processing center, where their coordinates and properties are calculated. As a result, the time of lightning occurrence, its geographical coordinates, possible errors in the calculation of coordinates and the density of the electrical component of the field (strength and direction of the electric current) are determined.

Source: TASS