Engineering Physics Annotation << Back DISCHARGE PROCESSES IN STRATOSPHERE AND MESOSPHERE DURING A THUNDER-STORM K.V. KHODATAEV The work is devoted to the further theory development of the discharge phenomena called elves and sprites in a stratosphere and mesosphere initiated by tropospheric storm processes. At a quantitative level the process of redistribution of charges in an atmosphere at altitudes up to 150 km during charging and discharging of a storm cloud is investigated. An important role of the small electric conductivity of the stratosphere and mesosphere is shown. The account of the small electric conductivity of the atmosphere between the troposphere and the ionosphere has allowed to explain a long duration of discharge processes developing under the ionosphere, basically, in the residual electrostatic polarization field. Key words: elves, sprites, streamer, ionization avalanche, thunderstorm, clouds, lightning. Contacts: E-mail: k.v.k@home.ptt.ru Pp. 6-19.