lightninginduced

Lightning-induced describes effects that arise from lightning discharges, either directly striking an object or inducing currents and voltages in nearby conductors due to the rapidly changing electromagnetic field. The term is used across electrical engineering, infrastructure protection, and atmospheric science.

Direct strikes deposit large currents into exposed conductors, but many observed effects come from indirect coupling. Electromagnetic induction from the stroke's changing magnetic field can drive transient currents along long conductors such as power lines, pipelines, antenna masts, and rails. Capacitive and inductive coupling to nearby equipment, ground potential rise, and resonant interaction with conductors can produce voltage spikes and surges.

Commonly addressed in buildings, substations, and outdoor infrastructure. Lightning-induced surges can cause insulation breakdown, equipment damage, nuisance tripping of protective devices, data errors, and failures of sensing or control systems.

Mitigation includes robust grounding and bonding, routing conductors away from each other to avoid parallelism in high fields, shielding, surge protection devices, isolation transformers, proper lightning protection systems, and maintenance. Codes and standards provide criteria for allowable surge levels and testing.

Researchers study lightning-induced phenomena using field measurements, transient simulations, and laboratory surge tests. Data from lightning detection networks help map strike locations and timing for infrastructure protection planning.

See also: lightning protection, surge protection, electromagnetic compatibility, grounding.