The interference environment of radio Noise froh4 lightning

The paper furnishes a review and air ovendepr "f radio noise *om lightning as rr so~irce of interference to analogue and digital Corn?tunicatioiz. The parameters of fhe different fornls < f, noise necessary .for pssessigth e interfering effect of the rloise are described. 4railublr irfjrncroiun thrr tndevstor71zs, thunder-clouds, convecrion cells and lightning are er ieveadn d their liizitatimsp ointed oui. Thew fol101r.s a descripiicn of how the source, popugafiona nd receiver chaacteristidse termine the sfrticture qf a/rnosplro.ic noise as receiwd at a point of observation. The tratrrral unit for this noise i.s the mise burst rtrising from o w complete lightning.flas4. The pmuneters of the nrise birrst as a 11.hole and its structure ctetennine the inrqfflrrence enrirnniient. A hisforic reriel$. qf t2sophericii oke .studies sho1(5 that it i. wrreirt(v of importance oldy in thc ropicarl egions of' the wr ldf i>rs hichf hc neailable data are wry defective. New data are ficnrished. The contribution of atmospheric noise for backgrouzd interference even in remote places ,for r.adicj astronomy at VHF is firrnished. The imporlance of aimcspizeric nctise cceurring ;vporadiea@ in high values fur slzort inier.als at VHF and higher frequencies in the tropics is brought out.