Home › Analytical Chem › Method for Recording Broadband High Resolution Emission Spectra of Laboratory Lightning Arcs
Analytical Chem JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Method for Recording Broadband High Resolution Emission Spectra of Laboratory Lightning Arcs

DOI: 10.3791/56336-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Set up reproducible laboratory lightning arc generation equipment
  • ✓ Calibrate broadband emission spectrograph for arc spectroscopy
  • ✓ Identify chemical elements from lightning arc emission spectra
  • ✓ Record and analyze high-resolution spectral data from controlled arcs
Protocol

Emission spectroscopy techniques have traditionally been used to analyze inherently random lightning arcs occurring in nature. In this paper, a method developed to obtain the emission spectroscopy from reproducible lightning arcs generated within a laboratory environment is described.

Difficulty
advanced
Total time
~2–4 hours per experimental session (setup, electrode preparation, spectrograph calibration, multiple arc recordings)

Steps

1
Assemble laboratory lightning arc apparatus

Construct the experimental setup for generating reproducible lightning arcs in a controlled laboratory environment. This includes power supply, electrode chamber, and optical alignment.

▶ 00:35
2
Prepare and position electrodes for arc generation

Clean, align, and prepare electrodes to precise specifications for consistent lightning arc initiation and reproducibility across experiments.

▶ 02:13
3
Calibrate spectrograph for broadband emission analysis

Configure the emission spectrograph optics, wavelength calibration, and detector settings to capture high-resolution spectral data across the desired wavelength range.

▶ 03:32
4
Execute controlled lightning arc recordings

Initiate reproducible lightning arcs and simultaneously record broadband emission spectra using the calibrated spectrograph system.

▶ 04:51
5
Identify chemical elements from spectral signatures

Analyze recorded emission spectra to identify atomic and ionic emission lines and determine elemental composition of the arc plasma.

▶ 06:39
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