The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 20, 1990
Filed:
Nov. 02, 1987
Earle R Williams, Brookline, MA (US);
Ralph J Markson, Weston, MA (US);
Other;
Abstract
An array of sensors responsive to atmospheric electrostatic fields is deployed, preferably with the sensors elevated above the ground. Suitable sensors are corona point sensors having a stainless steel needle. The corona current signals from the sensors are digitized and processed to determine the peak in the rate of sharp discontinuities in the electrostatic field. The peak in the rate of sharp discontinuities precedes a thunderstorm microburst by several minutes. The signal processing apparatus also generates equipotential contour maps of electrostatic field for spatially locating a microburst. The latter signal may also serve as a predictor for windshear since anomalous electric fields caused by charge carrying downdrafts may occur without lightning.