A powerful laser in the sky helps divert lightning strike

Subject: Science &Tech

Section: Solar energy

Context:

A powerful laser can grab hold of a lightning bolt and reroute its path through the sky.

How does it work?

A powerful laser aimed at the sky can create a virtual lightning rod and divert the path of lightning strikes.
Acting as a virtual, movable rod, a laser beam directed at the sky could offer an alternative. The idea of using intense laser pulses to guide lightning strikes has been previously explored in laboratory conditions. However, no field result previously exists that experimentally demonstrates lightning guiding by lasers.
The researchers’ observations were corroborated using high-frequency electromagnetic waves generated by lightning to locate the strikes. Increased detection of X-ray bursts at the time of the strikes also confirmed successful guiding.
- One of the strikes was directly recorded by high-speed cameras and shown to follow the laser path for over 50 metres.
The findings may pave the way for better lightning protection methods for critical infrastructure, such as power stations, airports and launchpads.