Measuring Streamer characteristics

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Bob (R.A.) Jones" <a1accounting-at-bellsouth-dot-net> 

Hi all,

It would be nice to be able to visually monitor how a streamer grows  but 
what we really need is its electrical characteristics.

Suppose we took a toroid  and drilled a hole in its outer edge then mounted 
a round ended metal rod  in the hole such that it protruded an adjustable 
distance from the toroid surface and insulated from it.

Next we add a fiber optic current probe between the rod and toroid to 
monitor the current and add an antenna to monitor the toroid voltage. 
Perhaps if the antenna is mounted on the opposite side to the break out 
point it would only be weakly effected by the streamer

Using this set up it should be possible to monitor the current flow in to 
the streamer directly and adjust the break voltage.

Perhaps a target can also be set up and its current flow to ground 
monitored to check that a strike has occurred.

Bob