1990 Sandia Rocket-Triggered Lightning Field Tests at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5938334· OSTI ID:5938334

Fisher, Richard J. ^[1]; Schnetzer, George H. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

During 1990, the Sandia Transportable Triggered Lightning Instrumentation Facility (SATTLIF) was designed, fabricated, and fielded at the Kentucky Space Center (KSC) rocket-triggered lighting test range in Florida. In preparation for lighting tests of a specially fitted munitions storage bunker during 1991, instrumentation for directly measuring lightning channel currents and response currents in structures was evaluated and demonstrated to function well. A set of 77-mil-thick 2024-T3 aluminum and 35-mil-thick 4130 steel metallic samples was exposed to measured triggered lighting flash currents. The resultant damage spots on these specimens represent the first such data points produced by known lighting currents. They are intended for use as benchmarks against which to improve and quantify the fidelity of laboratory simulations of lightning penetration. Two particularly significant results were obtained. In the first, a damage spot of approximately 0.3-inch diameter and >0.01-inch depth was produced by a continuing current of well less than median-level severity that transferred less than 13.6 coulombs of charge. In the second case, one of the steel samples was virtually burned through under a return-stroke/continuing current combination transferring an eightieth percentile charge of approximately 49 coulombs. Photographic evidence of upward-going streamers preceding return strokes initiated by dart leaders was also obtained and is presented.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5938334
• Report Number(s): SAND--90-2926; ON: DE91011263
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420205 -- Engineering-- Transport & Storage Facilities-- (1980-)
420500* -- Engineering-- Materials Testing
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM
CONTAINERS
DAMAGE
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FIELD TESTS
HOPPERS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
LIGHTNING
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
MILITARY EQUIPMENT
ORDNANCE
ROCKETS
STEELS
TESTING