Conceptual Model of Lightning Charge Distribution Within a Thunderstorm

For many years, scientists have thought thunderstorms contain three charges, called a tripole. A new conceptual model of electrical charge distribution inside deep convection (thunderstorms), developed by NSSL and university scientists, could change that thinking. In the main updraft (in and above the red arrow), there are four main charge regions. In the convective region but outside the outdraft (in and above the blue arrow), there are more than four charge regions.

Schematic of a thunderstorm showing regions of positive and negative charge, and the updraft and downdraft

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