Blitztrichter

English translation: ground current / radial ground current

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Blitztrichter
English translation:ground current / radial ground current
Entered by: Kieran Sheehan

10:58 Mar 26, 2014
German to English translations [PRO]
Meteorology / Lightning protection
German term or phrase: Blitztrichter
Blitze erzeugen bei ihrem Einschlag einen Blitztrichter.
Kieran Sheehan
Germany
Local time: 12:48
ground current / radial ground current
Explanation:
If Blitztrichter is meant in this context:
"Es entsteht am Einschlagsort ein sogenannter Blitztrichter der sich wellenmäßig ausbreitet,ähnlich einem Stein der ins Wasser geworfen wird.Heißt also, daß die vom Einschlagsort ausgehenden hohen Spannungen und Ströme sich wellenartig ausbreiten,und somit auch noch in 1-2 Kilometer Entfernung erheblichen Schaden an elektronischen Geräten wie TV,Rechnern usw. anrichten können.",

then I would suggest "ground current" or "radial ground current".

This is form the second link "clearing up" lightning myths
"When lightning hits the ground nearby, it is 'grounded ' and I am safe."

"Totally and absolutely FALSE. Despite the fact that we call the earth a "ground," it is very difficult to pump electricity into the ground. Most "earth" is a very good insulator. When lightning hits the ground, it spreads out along the surface and first few inches of the ground in increasing circles of energy called "ground current." If it contacts a fence or a water pipe or wire entering a house it can be transmitted for quite a distance and cause injury to persons near these paths. People, being bags of electrolytes, are better transmitters of electrical current than most ground is, and many are injured by ground current effect each year as the lightning energy surges up one leg that is closer to the strike and down the one further away."


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 53 mins (2014-03-26 11:52:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This citation also uses radial ground current:
"When lightning strikes the ground radial currents spread out from the site of the strike causing damage to anything nearby."

http://www.aharfield.co.uk/lightning-protection-services/abo...
Selected response from:

Berit Kostka, PhD
Türkiye
Local time: 14:48
Grading comment
Thanks Berit!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4ground current / radial ground current
Berit Kostka, PhD
3lightning crater
Thomas Pfann


  

Answers


22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
lightning crater


Explanation:
Examples:

"Lightning crater
A superbolt, more powerful than an ordinary lightning bolt, struck a cornfield near Leland, Illinois, leaving a crater one foot deep, and breaking windows in homes almost a mile away
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Crater_astronomy#Lightning_cr...

"Intense lightning strikes can carve out craters in earth"
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/20100...

Thomas Pfann
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:48
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
ground current / radial ground current


Explanation:
If Blitztrichter is meant in this context:
"Es entsteht am Einschlagsort ein sogenannter Blitztrichter der sich wellenmäßig ausbreitet,ähnlich einem Stein der ins Wasser geworfen wird.Heißt also, daß die vom Einschlagsort ausgehenden hohen Spannungen und Ströme sich wellenartig ausbreiten,und somit auch noch in 1-2 Kilometer Entfernung erheblichen Schaden an elektronischen Geräten wie TV,Rechnern usw. anrichten können.",

then I would suggest "ground current" or "radial ground current".

This is form the second link "clearing up" lightning myths
"When lightning hits the ground nearby, it is 'grounded ' and I am safe."

"Totally and absolutely FALSE. Despite the fact that we call the earth a "ground," it is very difficult to pump electricity into the ground. Most "earth" is a very good insulator. When lightning hits the ground, it spreads out along the surface and first few inches of the ground in increasing circles of energy called "ground current." If it contacts a fence or a water pipe or wire entering a house it can be transmitted for quite a distance and cause injury to persons near these paths. People, being bags of electrolytes, are better transmitters of electrical current than most ground is, and many are injured by ground current effect each year as the lightning energy surges up one leg that is closer to the strike and down the one further away."


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 53 mins (2014-03-26 11:52:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This citation also uses radial ground current:
"When lightning strikes the ground radial currents spread out from the site of the strike causing damage to anything nearby."

http://www.aharfield.co.uk/lightning-protection-services/abo...


    Reference: http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/science_ground_currents....
    Reference: http://www.uic.edu/labs/lightninginjury/ltnfacts.htm
Berit Kostka, PhD
Türkiye
Local time: 14:48
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks Berit!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Thomas Pfann: That actually makes a lot more sense than my suggestion. :-) And a bit more context from the asker would, of course, help.
5 mins
  -> Hi Thomas, I guess both would be possible, but as usual: without context, no good translation... Thanks :o)

agree  Coqueiro: Im Zusammenhang mit lightning protection dürfte dies gemeint sein.
1 hr
  -> Thanks Coqueiro :o)

agree  philgoddard
2 hrs
  -> Thanks Phil :o)

agree  Dhananjay Rau: Beautifully explained Berit. Agree. We lost a cow once during a thunder storm because of a lightning strike, but nothing happened to me standing close to it. The cow had a larger "Radstand"!,
3 hrs
  -> Thank you Dhananjay :o) And so sorry to hear about your cow, but glad nothing happened to you.
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