Branching Patterns and Stepped Leaders in an Electric-Circuit Model for Creeping Discharge

TL;DR

This paper presents a 2D electric circuit model for creeping discharge, capturing branching patterns and stepped leader growth similar to lightning, with analysis of pattern fractality under varying conditions.

Contribution

Introduces a novel electric circuit model that reproduces branching and stepped leader phenomena in creeping discharge, aligning with observed lightning behavior.

Findings

Branched discharge patterns are simulated and analyzed.

Fractal dimension varies with voltage and capacitance.

Surface leaders grow stepwise, mimicking lightning leaders.

Abstract

We construct a two-dimensional electric circuit model for creeping discharge. Two types of discharge, surface corona and surface leader, are modeled by a two-step function of conductance. Branched patterns of surface leaders surrounded by the surface corona appear in numerical simulation. The fractal dimension of branched discharge patterns is calculated by changing voltage and capacitance. We find that surface leaders often grow stepwise in time, as is observed in lightning leaders of thunder.