The initiation of long electrical discharges

Abstract
The glow-arc transition theory of the first leader stroke of a lightning flash is further considered, and shown to be in accord with all the observations available, whereas the recombination theory is not considered to be. The greatly reduced potentials already indicated to be adequate to cause flashes, of the order of only 1% of those required in a homogeneous field, and the corona currents from the leader stroke channel, are confirmed by a discussion of the records of the currents in, and electrostatic field changes caused by, the first leader, which further indicates that formulae derived from laboratory studies of corona currents from wires and from pointed conductors can be extrapolated to lightning voltages, i.e. over a range of about 1000 to 1.

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