Noise Radiation from Tropical Thunderstorms in the Standard Broadcast Band

Abstract

AN objective method of measuring atmospheric noise interference to broadcasting based on subjective observations and statistical considerations has been reported¹. Results of systematic measurements by the method in the 3 and 5 Mc./s. bands have been published^{2 3}. It has been shown that these results can be satisfactorily explained on the basis of the available data on lightning discharges⁴, the distribution of thunderstorm days⁵, the growth and decay of thunderstorms⁶, and the laws of propagation. For this purpose, the available data on lightning discharges have been utilized to deduce an idealized statistically valid representation of a typical flash as it occurs in a tropical thunderstorm⁴. It is found that where P is the power in watts and f is the frequency in Mc./s.