Recovery curves of the surface electric field after lightning discharges occurring between the positive charge pocket and negative charge centre in a thundercloud

Abstract

Surface observations of the electric field recovery curves of the lightning discharges occurring between the positive charge pocket and negative main charge centre in an overhead thundercloud are reported. Such recovery curves are observed to have an additional step of very slow field‐change observed at an after‐discharge value of electric field equal to 5–6 kV m−1. The behavior of recovery curves is explained in terms of the coronae charge and the relative efficiencies of the charge generating processes responsible for growth of positive charge pocket and main negative charge centre in the thundercloud. The charging currents responsible for the growth of charge in positive charge pockets is computed to be 2–4 times larger than that for the growth of the main negative charge. However, the charge destroyed in such a discharge is found to be comparable to that in a discharge between the main charge centres of the thundercloud.