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Re: [Phys-l] cell phone lightning hazard?



I would also question this. The explanation that cell users tend to talk
outdoors is probably a reasonable one. Actually cell users may be more
inattentive so they miss the signs that they need to take cover. There
certainly is a correlation between auto accidents and cell phone usage. I
have not seen the article, so where was it published, and is it online?
There is little sense debating an article that we have not seen and can not
trace back to the actual research. It certainly does not sound reasonable
that cell phones cause the problem.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX



Why should holding a cell-phone shaped bit of metal hear you head
have any effect? I'd have thought that the difference in conductivity
between the metal and the human body would not matter at the field
strengths and PD's that prevail in a thunderstorm. Sticking an
umbrella or a golf club up skywards, sure, would alter the field
above you significantly, but it's more a matter of geometry than
conductivity.

Mark


At 17:12 23/06/2006, Chuck Britton wrote:

I strongly suspect that this 'news' report is absolutely true (and
damn near irrelevant yellow journalism)

Holding ANY piece of conductive material up-side your head during a
thunderstorm will increase your chance of being struck by lightning.
I doubt that any thinking person can refute this claim.
But - scare tactics will always work on the great masses of people.

Bottomline - pure bullshit 'research', but perfectly true result.

Was someone paid big-bucks to reach this conclusion?
Or is someone trying to sell 'protection' or just trying to sell
newspapers?

(Follow the Money - seems to still be relevant advice for many scenarios)



At 12:05 PM +0200 6/23/06, Mark Sylvester wrote:
News item yesterday: using a cell phone during a thunderstorm
increases risk of being struck by lightning.

Any thoughts about possible mechanism? Will a source of GHz
oscillations enhance ionization possibilities?