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Observations of narrow bipolar events reveal how lightning is initiated in thunderstorms

Author

Listed:
  • William Rison

    (Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Geophysical Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology)

  • Paul R. Krehbiel

    (Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Geophysical Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology)

  • Michael G. Stock

    (Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Geophysical Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
    Present address: Division of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.)

  • Harald E. Edens

    (Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Geophysical Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology)

  • Xuan-Min Shao

    (Space and Remote Sensing Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • Ronald J. Thomas

    (Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Geophysical Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology)

  • Mark A. Stanley

    (Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, Geophysical Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology)

  • Yang Zhang

    (Laboratory of Lightning Physics and Protection Engineering, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences)

Abstract

A long-standing but fundamental question in lightning studies concerns how lightning is initiated inside storms, given the absence of physical conductors. The issue has revolved around the question of whether the discharges are initiated solely by conventional dielectric breakdown or involve relativistic runaway electron processes. Here we report observations of a relatively unknown type of discharge, called fast positive breakdown, that is the cause of high-power discharges known as narrow bipolar events. The breakdown is found to have a wide range of strengths and is the initiating event of numerous lightning discharges. It appears to be purely dielectric in nature and to consist of a system of positive streamers in a locally intense electric field region. It initiates negative breakdown at the starting location of the streamers, which leads to the ensuing flash. The observations show that many or possibly all lightning flashes are initiated by fast positive breakdown.

Suggested Citation

  • William Rison & Paul R. Krehbiel & Michael G. Stock & Harald E. Edens & Xuan-Min Shao & Ronald J. Thomas & Mark A. Stanley & Yang Zhang, 2016. "Observations of narrow bipolar events reveal how lightning is initiated in thunderstorms," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10721
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10721
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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Lingxiao & Hare, Brian M. & Zhou, Kai & Stöcker, Horst & Scholten, Olaf, 2023. "Identifying lightning structures via machine learning," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    2. Feifan Liu & Gaopeng Lu & Torsten Neubert & Jiuhou Lei & Oliver Chanrion & Nikolai Østgaard & Dongshuai Li & Alejandro Luque & Francisco J. Gordillo-Vázquez & Victor Reglero & Weitao Lyu & Baoyou Zhu, 2021. "Optical emissions associated with narrow bipolar events from thunderstorm clouds penetrating into the stratosphere," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.

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