High-Powered Lasers May Be Used To Guide Lightning Across Large Areas

Nearly every building has its own lightning rod, helping safely guide any strikes to the ground. However, the long-standing solution isn’t perfect, as the rod’s unimpressive height, which translates to its range, and it being fixed in one location doesn’t allow it to protect larger areas.

Now, there may be another option that could expand the capabilities of lightning rods for good: high-powered lasers. According to a report in Nature Photonics, researchers in Europe have trialed a system that successfully uses terawatt-level lasers to steer lightning. 

In the test, laser pulses were able to steer lighting nearly 197 feet toward a 26-foot rod to be led into the ground. Unlike metal rods, lasers aren’t limited by physical height, and covered a much wider area of 590 feet while cutting through clouds and fog. 

While firing an estimated 1,000 pulses per second, the laser ionizes nitrogen and oxygen molecules, releasing electrons and ultimately creating a plasma that can conduct electricity. Previous iterations of laser lightning guides have typically failed, but this time, the faster pulses and shorter distances trialed have allowed the lasers to intercept lightning more easily. 

The one factor preventing lasers from being adopted in the real world is their cost. The University of Glasgow’s Matteo Clerici told The Journal that the laser used in the experiment cost a whopping US$2.17 billion dollars. 

Going forward, the scientists plan to extend the range of the lasers—allowing for a 33-foot rod to have an effective coverage of over 1,600 feet of space. If they succeed, this method of lightning protection could be used to safeguard highly-valuable areas, such as rocket launchpads, airports, or power plants. 

[via Engadget and Interesting Engineering, cover image via Université de Genève]