País dos Raios - Fantástico - Ep. 03/03

Summary

The script discusses the challenges of lightning in Brazil, focusing on construction safety during the 2014 World Cup preparations and the high incidence of lightning in São Paulo's Zona Leste. It highlights the IMP's advanced lightning detection system and the impact of deforestation on increasing lightning intensity. The script also touches on the economic losses caused by lightning, the precautions taken in aviation, and historical accounts of lightning in Brazil, including the first recorded lightning strike in 1885. It concludes with the idea that harnessing lightning energy remains a challenge, and the importance of improving protection against it.

Takeaways

• 🗓️ The script discusses a construction project with a deadline of December 30, 2013, and the challenges of weather conditions on its progress.
• ⚠️ There is an emphasis on safety, especially during thunderstorms, with workers on high alert and a complete shutdown in case of lightning.
• 🏟️ The Arena Corinthians is highlighted as a major construction site for the 2014 World Cup, with 2200 workers laboring 22 hours a day to meet deadlines.
• ⛈️ The script mentions the high risk of lightning strikes in São Paulo's eastern zone, which is the region with the highest lightning index in Southeast Brazil.
• 🌡️ The Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) is involved in monitoring weather conditions and has a network of high-tech sensors for early lightning detection.
• 🌐 The INPE's lightning monitoring system is expanding and aims to cover the northern region of Brazil, which is more affected by lightning.
• 🌳 The Amazon region is experiencing an increase in lightning strikes, possibly due to deforestation making the area drier and storms more intense.
• 💡 The script discusses the challenges of protecting energy transmission towers in the Amazon and the potential for increased lightning activity due to human-made structures.
• ✈️ Aviation safety is also a concern, with commercial aircraft being struck by lightning on average once to three times a year, requiring maintenance post-incident.
• 🛳️ The maritime sector is not exempt from lightning risks, with the script mentioning the first ship to have a lightning rod, the Beagle, which carried Charles Darwin.
• 🌆 The script concludes with a reflection on the increasing frequency of thunderstorms in Brazil, the economic impact of lightning, and the need for better protection against it.

Q & A

What was the scheduled completion date for the Arena Corinthians construction project mentioned in the script?

The Arena Corinthians was scheduled to be completed by December 30, 2013.

How many hours a day were the workers at the Arena Corinthians construction site working to meet the deadlines?

The workers were working 22 hours a day.

What is the role of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) in the script's context?

INPE is responsible for the alert system that triggers alarms for lightning, which is connected to the Arena Corinthians construction project.

How many lightning sensors does INPE have installed in Brazil, according to the script?

INPE had 60 lightning sensors installed in Brazil, with plans to expand to 100 by the end of the year.

What is the significance of the lightning sensors installed by INPE?

The sensors are high-tech devices that can detect not only ground strikes but also intra-cloud and cloud-to-cloud lightning discharges.

What is the average number of lightning strikes per year in the eastern part of São Paulo, as mentioned in the script?

The eastern part of São Paulo experiences the highest rate of lightning strikes in the Southeast region of Brazil, with 17,000 strikes per year.

What is the potential impact of the transmission towers on lightning activity in the Amazon region?

The transmission towers, which are meant to improve energy distribution, could potentially cause the opposite effect by attracting and producing more lightning strikes, known as upward lightning.

What is the economic impact of lightning strikes in Brazil, as estimated by INPE?

INPE estimates that lightning strikes cause a loss of 1 billion reais to the Brazilian economy annually.

How does deforestation affect the frequency and intensity of storms in the Amazon region, according to the script?

Deforestation is making the Amazon region drier, which may lead to fewer but more intense storms with more lightning, potentially causing more fires.

What measures are taken to ensure the safety of aircraft from lightning strikes, as discussed in the script?

Aircraft are designed with a metallic fuselage that isolates electrical currents from lightning strikes, similar to a car. Modern aircraft, even those made with carbon fiber, have a metallic mesh layer for lightning strike protection.

Why is it not feasible to harness the energy from lightning strikes for electricity, as mentioned in the script?

The energy from a single lightning strike is not substantial because it lasts for an extremely short fraction of time. Additionally, science has not yet developed a way to capture the electricity from atmospheric discharges.

What is the historical significance of the first lightning strike recorded in Brazil, as described in the script?

The first lightning strike in Brazil was recorded on November 9, 1885, by Moriz, a scientist who also worked as an astronomer and topographer, and later became the director of the National Observatory created by Dom Pedro I in 1827.

How has the number of stormy days per year changed in São Paulo from the end of the 19th century to the present, according to the script?

At the end of the 19th century, São Paulo had 60 stormy days per year, which has increased to 90 days per year, a 50% increase attributed to urbanization and potentially worsening climate change.