MARTIN A. UMAN
Distinguished Professor

Education:

PhD, Princeton University, 1961
MA, Princeton University, 1959
BSEE, Princeton University, 1957

Contact Information:

Email: uman@ece.ufl.edu
Phone: 352-392-4038
Office: 311 Larsen Hall
Homepage: www.uman.ece.ufl.edu

Program Affiliation:

Area: Electromagnetics and Energy Systems
Lab: Lightning Research Laboratory

Fields of Interest:

• Lightning Physics
• Lightning Protection
• Electromagnetic Field Theory

Employment:

2003 - Distinguished Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida
1991 - Professor and Chair, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida
1971 - Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida

Refereed Journals in the Last 3 Years:

2009
Lightning Currents Flowing in the Soil and Entering a Test Power Distribution Line via its Grounding, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol. 24, No. 3, July 2009,  doi:10.1109/TPWRD.2009.2014031, J. Schoene, M.A. Uman, V.A. Rakov, J. Jerauld, K. J.Rambo, D. M. Jordan, G. H. Schnetzer, M. Paolone, C.A. Nucci, E. Petrache, and F. Rachidi

Characterization of Return Stroke Currents in Rocket-Triggered Lightning, J. Geophys. Res.Vol. 14, D03106, doi.10.1029/2008JD009873. 2009, J. Schoene, M. A. Uman, V. A. Rakov, K. J. Rambo, J. Jerauld, C. T. Mata, A. G. Mata, D. M. Jordan, G. H. Schnetzer

2008
Testing of Lightning Protective System of a Residential Structure: Comparison of Data Obtained in Rocket-Triggered Lightning and Current Surge Generator Experiments, High Voltage Engineering, Vol. 34, No. 12, December, 2008, G. Maslowski, V. A. Rakov, S. Wyderka, J. Bajorek, B. A. DeCarlo, J. Jerauld, G.H. Schnetzer, J. Schoene, M. A. Uman, K. J. Rambo, D. M. Jordan and W. Krata

A study of X-ray emission from laboratory sparks in air at atmospheric pressure, J. Geophys. Res. Vol. 113, D23207, doi:10.1029/2008JD010315, 2008, J.R. Dwyer, Z. Saleh, H.K. Rassoul, D. Concha, M.Rahman, V. Cooray, J. Jerauld, M.A. Uman, and V.A. Rakov

Characteristics of the Optical Pulses Associated with a Downward Branched Stepped Leader, J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 113, D21206, doi:10.1029/2008JD010231, 2008, W. Lu, D. Wang, N. Takagi, V. Rakov, M. Uman, and M. Miki

Co-location of Lightning Leader X-ray and Electric Field Change Sources, Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol. 35, L13817, doi:10.1029/2008GL034134, 2008, J. Howard, M. A. Uman, J. R. Dwyer, D. Hill, C. Biagi, Z. Saleh, J. Jerauld, H. K. Rassoul

Electric and Magnetic Fields and Field Derivatives from Lightning Stepped Leaders and First Return Strokes Measured at Distances from 100 to 1000 m, J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 113, doi:10.1029/2008JD010171, 2008, J. Jerauld, M. A. Uman, V. A. Rakov, K.J. Rambo, D.M. Jordan, and G.H. Schnetzer

Distribution of Currents in the Lightning Protective System of a Residential Building: 1. Triggered Lightning Experiments, IEEE Trans.on Power Delivery, Vol. 23, No. 4, Oct. 2008, doi:10.1109/TPWRD.2008.917894, B.A. DeCarlo,V.A. Rakov, J.E. Jerauld, G.H. Schnetzer, J. Schoene, M.A. Uman, K.J. Rambo, V. Kodali, D.M. Jordan, G. Maxwell, S. Humeniuk, and M. Morgan

Experimental Study of Lightning-Induced Currents in a Buried Loop Conductor and a Grounded  Vertical Conductor, IEEE Trans. on Electromagnetic Compatibility, Vol. 50, No. 1, Feb. 2008, doi:10.1109/TEMC.2007.911927, J. Schoene, M.A. Uman, V.A. Rakov, J. Jerauld, B.D. Hanley, K.J. Rambo, J. Howard, and B.DeCarlo

2007
V.B. Lebedev, G.G. Feldman, B.N. Gorin, V.A. Rakov, M.A. Uman, and R.C. Olsen, "Test of Russian K004M and K008 image converter cameras when recording triggered lightning in Florida", Proc. of SPIE, Vol. 6279, paper 62790D, 11 p., 2007, doi:10.1117/12.725078

J. Jerauld, M.A. Uman, V. A. Rakov, K.J. Rambo, and G. H. Schnetzer, "Insights into the ground attachment process of natural lightning gained from an unusual triggered lightning stroke," J. Geophys. Res.,112, D13113, doi:10.1029/2006JD007682, (2007)

J. Schoene, M.A. Uman, V.A. Rakov, A. G. Mata, C.T. Mata, K.J. Rambo, J.Jerauld, D.M. Jordan and G.H. SchnetzerDirect "Lightning Strikes to Test Power Distribution Lines – Part 2: Measured and Modeled Current Division among Multiple Arrestors and Grounds," IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery, Vol. 22, No. 4, 0885-8977, doi:10.1109./TPWRD.2007.905399, 2007

J. Schoene, M.A. Uman, V.A. Rakov, A.G. Mata, C.T. Mata, K.J.Rambo, J. Jerauld, D.M. Jordan, and G.H. Schnetzer, "Direct Lightning Strikes to Test Power Distribution Lines – Part 1: Experiment and Overall Results, IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery," Vol. 22, No. 4, 0885-8977, doi:10.1109/TPWRD.2007.905378, 2007

M. Rahman, V. Cooray, V.A.Rakov, M.A. Uman, P. Liyanage, B. A. DeCarlo and J. Jerauld, and R. C. Olsen III, "Measurements of NOx produced by rocket-triggered lightning," Geophys. Res. Lett. 34, L03816, doi:10.1029/2006GL027956 (2007)

E. Petrache, M. Paolone, F. Rachidi, C.A. Nucci, V. Rakov, M. Uman, D. Jordan, K. Rambo, J. Jerauld, M. Nyffeler, and J. Schoene, "Lightning-Induced Currents in Buried Coaxial Cables: A Frequency-Domain Approach and its Validation using Rocket-Triggered Lightning," J. Electrostatics 65 322-328, (2007) doi:10.1016/j.elstat.2006.09.015

Contracts and Grants:

• Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, "A Characterization of the Close Electric and Magnetic Fields and Thunder of Lightning from the UF Multiple Station Experiment "
• Air Force Research Laboratory, "Potential Generation and Study of Ball Lightning Using Triggered-Lightning to Earth Soils "
• Florida Institute of Technology, "Runaway Discharges and Their Roles in Atmospheric Processes"
• Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, "Direct-Strike Lightning Environment for Stockpile-to-Target Sequence"
• Florida Institute of Technology subcontract from NSF, "TERA: Thunderstorm Energetic Radiation Array"

Honors and Awards:

2001 - American Geophysical Union John Adam Fleming Medal
2001 - IEEE Power Engineering Society Surge Protective Devices Committee Prize Paper Award
1999 - IEEE Power Engineering Society Working Group Award for Standard or Guide
1998 - University of Florida, Professorial Excellence Program Award
1996 - IEEE Heinrich Hertz Medal, Gold
1990 - Florida Academy of Sciences, Outstanding Florida Scientist, Gold Medal
1988 - UF Teacher-Scholar of the Year
Fellow, American Meteorological Society
Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Who's Who in America

Patents:

• U.S. Provisional Patent Application #US60/635,100, Lightning Detector and Related Systems, with J. Dwyer, J. Jerauld, D. Jordan, V. Rakov, K. Rambo, and M. Rossoul. December 10, 2004.
• U.S. Patent #1,126,819 - Gated Lightning Detection System, with E. P. Krider, R. C. Noggle, Canada, June 1982
• U.S. Patent #4,276,576 - Lightning Activated Relay, with R. B. Standler, June 1981
• U.S. Patent #4,245,190 - Lightning Detection System Utilizing Triangulation and Field Amplitude Comparison Techniques, with E. P. Krider and R. C. Noggle, January 1981
• U.S. Patent #4,115,732 - A Detection System for Lightning, with E. P. Krider, R. C. Noggle, September 1978
• U.S. Patent #3,544,843 - High-voltge Direct Current Circuit Interrupter, with A. M. Sletten, R. E. Orville, and A. J. Venturino, December 1970