Re: Uman's book (was:The Electrum Project)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Jim Lux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

At 07:42 PM 9/1/2005, Tesla list wrote:
> Original poster: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Boris and all,
>
> I do have all of them. A couple are more "popular" and entertaining 
> than others, but all are quite good. The best for scholarly 
> lightning researchers are "The Lightning Discharge" (1987) and 
> "Lightning: Physics and Effects" (2003). While the former book is a 
> bit dated, the latter book is quite up to date. Dover has reprinted 
> The Lightning Discharge in a paperback version that sells for ~$12.00.
>
> There's no doubt that the most thorough, up to date, and scholarly 
> treatment is the later book which is coauthored by Vladimir A. Rakov.

And Dr. Rakov is Uman's former student (Former Prof. Uman is now Dean 
Uman, and doesn't teach as much, and no doubt wishes that he could 
study electrical lightning instead of the personnel and 
administrative version he no doubt has to deal with).

No question these guys really know their stuff.  I haven't read 
Rakov's book, but I've read some of his papers.  Uman was really, 
really good at writing for a multilevel audience.. equations for 
those that want them, but not needed to understand the text. 
Lightning (the '67 book in the list below, but I think my version is 
newer) is my pick for a "first (and possibly only) book on lightning" 
for that reason.

The problem would be is that I suspect that even in a new version it 
doesn't cover the latest research on lightning development. In the 
last few years, the technology for observing the growth of cloud to 
cloud lightning has advanced so that you can actually "see" the 
stroke developing and spreading out (in two directions) from a 
central starting point.  Isn't GPS wonderful?(that's how they do the 
accurate timing at the receiver stations).

OTOH, this is so new, that even Rakov's tome may not cover it.

Another very useful resource (and remarkably readable) is the various 
Proceedings of the Conferences on Atmospheric Electricity and/or 
Severe Storms.  They're published by the American Meteorological Society.

> This is truly a monster of a book measuring 9" x 11" x 1.5" and 687 
> pages. Although it's relatively expensive, it can be found on the 
> used book market for $150.00 - $175. It is also available at many 
> university libraries and local interlibrary loan systems. The 
> following is a more detailed description of the book