It might be the energy dissipated in air by the arc. Once the arc is struck,
the voltage drop (per meter) is relatively low, MUCH less than the initial
brekdown voltage.
From: Stanislav Jakuba <jakub...@gmail.com>
To: U.S. Metric Association <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, August 3, 2016 2:56 PM
Subject: [USMA 286] Puzzled
Below is a quote from a scientific paper about measurements of energy in an
average lighting strike. My question: What's MJ/m? Stan"The energy released by
lightning is measured in megajoules, also expressed as MJ/m."“For example a
single megajoule is equivalent to about 200 food calories, or the energy from
leaving a microwave on for 20 minutes to cook food,” he explains. “It can also
be compared to a 60 watt lightbulb’s energy use if left on for about four
hours. It’s also the same as the kinetic energy a car has traveling about 60
mph.” Their research found that the energy produced by a lightning strike
peaked at greater than 20MJ/m.
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