The Electric Fields of Lightning Clouds in Atmospheres of Different Properties

Abstract

In this work, we concentrate on the electric fields produced by any distribution or structure of electric charges in clouds, these quantities are, for the most part, unknowns, and still we extract valuable information from their vectorial properties and working within close distances, especially on the structures that produce pronounced sinks/sources with large divergences of E → and focusing on observation points close to them. We introduce the concept of “at the verge of discharge electric field,” Ę → produced by two specific charge configurations. We detail the role the dielectric character of the cloud plays in allowing/not allowing discharge. We profile the conditions to be met by Ę → to appear and to be sustained for at least a few milliseconds. One objective of this work is to calculate some relevant quantities for a typical thundercloud modeled just at the verge of discharging. A simple electrified cloud model containing many of the features widely reported in the literature is constructed and described with some detail. The charge structures possible are delineated and the electric fields produced described. A few basic calculations are carried out for a thought experiment, moving charges around, we calculate some velocities and accelerations and analyze what we learn from it.