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

William Rison (), Paul R. Krehbiel (), Michael G. Stock, Harald E. Edens, Xuan-Min Shao, Ronald J. Thomas, Mark A. Stanley and Yang Zhang
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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
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

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10721

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