A contribution to the electrostatic theory of a lightning discharge

Abstract

The electrostatic treatment of the field and charge distribution of a lightning discharge leads to the result that the charge distribution of a lightning stroke is composed of (1) the influence charges induced by the electric field of the thundercloud with the net charge zero, and (2) the net charge, which results from the potential difference of the lightning stroke and the ground before the lightning hits the ground. The first kind of charge distribu- tion is that of a cloud discharge and that of the first leader of a ground discharge. The second kind of charge distribution is a feature of the main or return stroke of a ground discharge only. It is the charge distribution of a charged body and independent of the field distribution in the thundercloud. We can therefore apply to the return stroke the well-known electrody- namic theory of transients on a transmission line.