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From: kgreer@mcnc.org (Ken Greer)
Newsgroups: rec.boats,sci.physics,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: St Elmo's Fire (was Re: Lightning)
Keywords: Induction, space charge, capacitance, and bulldrops ?
Message-ID: <2438@speedy.mcnc.org>
Date: 20 Jul 90 17:45:03 GMT
References: <1990Jul18.111525.5749@ioe.lon.ac.uk> <2436@speedy.mcnc.org> <1990Jul19.210925.165@mlb.semi.harris.com>
Reply-To: kgreer@mcnc.org.UUCP (Ken Greer)
Organization: MCNC; RTP, NC
Lines: 46

In article <1990Jul19.210925.165@mlb.semi.harris.com> sjohnson@gumbee.mlb.semi.harris.com (Scott Johnson) writes:
>In article <2436@speedy.mcnc.org> kgreer@mcnc.org.UUCP (Ken Greer) writes:
>>In article <1990Jul18.111525.5749@ioe.lon.ac.uk> teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore) writes:
>>+++ [other stuff about a corona discharge (St. Elmo's Fire)]
>>+++
>>++I know this is the commonly accepted idea behind lightning rods, but as I
>>++learned in my college physics class, lightning rods actually REPEL lightning,
>>---------- stuff deleted -----------
>
>>  Ok, so "knowing" all this, as I understand it to be said, one should be
>>safer standing on the roof next to a lightning rod, instead of somewhere
>>else?  Or do I completely miss the point?
>>-- 
>
>Kim, I think they would tell you that this is a bad idea  [....]

   My (not quite sarcastic enough) point also.  (See question below).

>	The earth is round.
>	Rock n Roll is best loud.
>	Sailing is expensive,
>	and lightning STRIKES lightning rods!
>        Thats how they protect a house, they deflect the current!
>	Come on guys!

Agreed - (except for the part about R&R).

  My only question now to those who *seem* to be saying it deflects
lightning (assuming "deflecting" means away from the lightning rod):

	Would you hold an umbrella (which is a lightning rod connected to
	ground by the person holding it) up during a lightning storm?  I
	think not.

  I seem to remember some time back hearing (radio/tv?) that "protection" by
lighting rods was just a hoax to con people into buying them - sort of like
a vigilant pet rock - in years past.  "Well, you mean you had lightning hit
your barn and you *had* lightning rods??? Well, you must not have had enough
of them up there".  Yeah, right.  I wish I had a reference for this.

 
-- 
Kim L. Greer			       try: klg@orion.mc.duke.edu
Duke University Medical Center		    kgreer@mcnc.org
Div. Nuclear Medicine  POB 3949             klg@dukeac.ac.duke.edu
Durham, NC 27710  919-660-2711x5223       fax: 919-681-5636