Self-consistent development and fractal structure of leader discharges along a water surface

Ideas regarding the development of single- and multichannel leader discharges over water surfaces are generalized on the basis of experimental data.(1,2) The Ohmic conductivity of water is found to be manifested in the self consistency of their dynamics and fractal structure. The fractal dimensionality of a single- channel leader discharge is found to be 0.96+/-0.05 and that of a multichannel discharge to be 1.85+/-0.05. Mechanisms are proposed for the branching of leader discharge channels and for the development of bifurcations from branches and channels. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7842(99)00604-2].