On the nature of bipolar flashes that share the same channel to ground

Abstract

The paper examines the relationship between sequential events in bipolar flashes of two groups sharing the same channel to ground: one initiated by an upward positive leader, the other by a natural flash. Two quite different mechanisms are involved in the occurrence of the bipolar flashes of each group: The bipolar events that start as a natural flash are results of recoil leaders sharing parts of the initial branching structure; the bipolar events that start as upward positive leaders are the result of the interaction between these leaders' initial branching structures and the branches of the intracloud flashes they triggered.