Lightning diversion strips for aircraft

Abstract

An apparatus provides lightning protection for the radome of an aircraft, or the like, by providing an electrically discontinuous path having a plurality of separated electrically conductive segments that upon exposure to a high voltage field, form an inonization channel in the air above the segments. The conductive segments are so formed that the gap separating adjacent segments is narrower along the outer, exposed surfaces of the segments than is the case between surfaces of the adjacent segments anchored to a dielectric material. Such a design ensures the electrical separation of adjoining segments while permitting the breakdown voltage between adjacent exposed surfaces to be minimized. Additionally lowering of the breakdown voltage can be obtained by providing a sequence of parallel secondary conductive segments that are separated from the primary conductive segments by a dielectric material and are so positioned as to underlie the gaps between primary segments, with an electrical connection through the separating dielectric material connecting each of the primary segments to its corresponding secondary segment.