Re: Lightning Protectors using Th-232

["William Kolb" <William_Kolb_at_SETA@mail.hq.faa.gov>]

For what it's worth:  The only current U.S. manufacturer of such devices uses
1.4 ęCi of thorium as the source material. The company does not sell the rods
per se but rather leases them to maintain control of the source material. Their
claim is that tests with these rods show the addition of thorium may extend the
protective field by as much as 15 percent. I'm a little suspicious of the
numbers they've provided because I've been told different things depending on
which of the owners I talk to. There is scant evidence in the industry, however,
that radiation improves the performance of lightning rods and most U.S.
manufacturers discredit the concept. I was told a few months ago by another
manufacturer that the Th rods are no longer being made. 

bill
bkolb@arinc.com
_______________________________________________________________________________
Subject: Lightning Protectors using Th-232
From:    radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at smtpgate
Date:    5/3/96  8:13 AM

 A little while back there was a thread on radioactive Lightning Protectors. 
one of
 ourt facilities has a severe lightning strike problem. A salesman has
approached
 them and proposed using the "Lightning Protector" which has about 13 uCi of
 Th-232. 
  Question 1. Do these things really work?

  Question 2. If so, how?  The saleman talked about a Franklin Cone versus a
Faraday cage type lightning protection system, and about the ions 'streaming'
from the
source to prevent the discharge of lightning from occurring.  There may be
something to these as the company is offerring a 6 million dollar bond on their
performance..

 Question 3. Does anyone have any experience with these?

As this is a little off topic for Radsafe, please respond directly to 
Luke McCormick c0etxlim@mrd42.mrd.usace.army.mil (2nd Char. is a zero)

Thanks in advance.