[TowerTalk] lightning and insulated elements..

[Jim Lux]

For some interesting discussion of the current "state of the art" in 
lightning causation and the big problems lightning physicists are thinking 
about:

On "runaway phenomenon" with an emphasis on their role (or not) in sprites 
in Physics Today:
http://www.physicstoday.org/pt/vol-54/iss-11/p41.html

here's a power point presentation by Earle Williams at MIT

http://www.lc.leidenuniv.nl/lc/web/2005/20050509/presentations/Earl%20Williams.ppt

there's some very nice images in there showing the dendritic development of 
lightning, as measured by the RF direction finding system near Huntsville 
Alabama.  I've seen some animations of the data from this system, and it is 
very, very impressive.  Amazing what can be done with some fairly simple 
receivers with a precision GPS timing clock connected.