"I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less."
31 August 2006Or wait for the trees to catch fireA University of Oklahoma professor of meteorology and an Arizona lightning expert have come up with a a gizmo that can predict lightning strikes by scanning the atmosphere for electrical discharges. The concept resembles the electric field detection used by NASA in Florida, says Professor William Beasley:
They use a network of electric field meters. If the electric field is greater than 1,000 volts per meter anywhere on the place, you can't fuel a car, you can't launch a rocket, you can't do anything because there's a charge overhead and it could lead to lightning.
However, this version doesn't cost space-shuttle prices: the production model from Campbell Scientific sells for about $3500, plus power source (solar cell) and mounting. Posted at 7:13 AM to Entirely Too Cool , Weather or Not |