Intro; Preface; Acknowledgements; Contents; About the Author; Acronyms; High Conductivity Channels for a Laser Lightning-Protection System; 1 Electric-Discharge Guiding by a Continuous Laser-Induced Spark; 1.1 Introduction; 1.2 Experimental Setup; 1.3 Experimental Results and Discussion; 1.4 Conclusions; References; 2 Experimental Simulation of a Laser Lightning-Protection System; 2.1 Introduction; 2.2 Experimental Setup; 2.3 Experimental Results and Analysis; 2.4 Conclusions; References; 3 Lightning and Ecology of Atmosphere; 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 Power of Lightning

3.3 Lightning in the Natural Capacitor "Earth-Cloud"3.4 Lightning in the Natural Capacitor "Cloud-Ionosphere"; 3.5 Orbital Electrical Socket; 3.6 Conclusions; Reference; «Impulsar» as a Background for High Conductivity Channels Realization; 4 Interaction of an OPD with a Gas; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 Conditions of Stable SW Generation; 4.3 Experimental Setup; 4.4 Combination of OPD-Generated SW; 4.5 Conclusions; References; 5 Mechanism of SW Merging in a LJE; 5.1 Introduction; 5.2 Efficient Laser Jet Engine; 5.3 Conclusions; References; 6 LJE Based on the Resonance Merging of SW

6.1 Introduction6.2 Parameters of a Spark in the LJE; 6.3 Mechanism of the Resonance Merging of SW in a LJE; 6.4 Spherical OPD; 6.5 LJE Parameters in the Monoreflector Scheme; 6.6 Array Reflector; 6.7 LJE Based on the Resonance Merging of SW; 6.7.1 Mechanism and Scheme of Acceleration; 6.7.2 Advantages of the Method; 6.7.3 The LJE Parameters (Initial Data); 6.7.3.1 Monoreflector; 6.7.3.2 Array Reflector; 6.8 Conclusions; References; 7 LJE: The Action of SW at Low Laser Pulse Repetition Rates; 7.1 Introduction; 7.2 LJE Parameters; 7.3 Conclusions; References

8 Simulation of High Conductivity Channels in Space8.1 Introduction; 8.2 Lasers for Producing Sparks in the Atmosphere; 8.3 Use of a Pulse-Periodic Laser; 8.4 Formation of a Current-Conducting Channel According to the "Impulsar" Program; 8.5 Formation of an Electrical Breakdown in the Channel Formed by an Exploding Thin Wire; 8.6 Formation of Electrical Discharges in a Plasma Channel Produced by a Solid-State Laser; 8.7 Experimental Results; 8.8 Conclusions; References; 9 High Conductivity Channel Expansion Rate Measurements; 9.1 Introduction

9.2 Formation of Controlled Electrical Discharges in a Channel Produced by the Explosion of a Wire9.3 Conclusions; References; 10 «Impulsar»: New Application for High Power/Energy High Repetition Rate Pulse-Periodic Lasers; 10.1 Introduction; 10.2 Experimental Setup; 10.3 Results of Measurements; 10.3.1 Control Measurements; 10.3.2 Stationary Regime; 10.3.3 Pulsed Regime; 10.4 The Impact of Thermal Action; 10.5 The Dynamic Resonance Loads; 10.6 Matrix of Reflectors; 10.7 Super Long Conductive Channel for Energy Transfer; 10.8 Conclusions; References