Simulation and analysis of electromagnetic fields resulting from lightning in the proximity of watercraft using Maxwell v.15 software

Strike of lightnings with sea, due to the high conductivity of salty water creates more extreme electromagnetic fields in comparison with lightnings in land. This paper deals with analysis and simulation of electromagnetic fields resulting from lightning in the proximity of a watercraft in sea and its effect on the equipment on the watercraft. The magnitude of electric and magnetic fields is first calculated using Uman integral equations to calculate the electric field resulting from a limited current channel on a perfect conductor. To solve the field integrals, dual precision exponential model was used for the lightning’s current. Due to limitations of the solution of field integrals, parametric analysis is difficult. For this reason, the lightning channel and watercraft model was simulated in Maxwell software and the obtained fields were compared with the results of integral solution. Considering the closeness of integral and simulation results, with alteration of the peak lightning current and its distance off the watercraft, the field sensitivity to these variables was measured and the results of parametric analysis have been presented for different parts of the watercraft.