On presentation of lightning flash in thundercloud as collective spontaneous radiation (superradiation) pulse

TL;DR

This paper proposes that lightning flashes originate from collective spontaneous radiation emitted by excited oxygen molecules in thunderclouds, modeled as a quantum two-level system, offering a novel quantum perspective on lightning initiation.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum two-level system model for oxygen molecules in thunderclouds, linking micro-discharges to collective radiation pulses as a new explanation for lightning initiation.

Findings

Lightning corresponds to collective spontaneous radiation pulses.

Oxygen molecules act as a quantum two-level system.

Micro-discharges excite oxygen molecules leading to lightning.

Abstract

In this paper we conjecture that some specific properties of an electroactive region of thunderclouds play the major role in an initiation of a lightning flash. The electroactive region is modeled here as a quantum two-level system of oxygen molecules which are assumed to have two (ground and excited) states, where transitions from ground to excited states come as a result of micro-discharges between ice particles. In this case lightning flash corresponds to the pulse of collective spontaneous radiation caused by the deexcitations of excited oxygen molecules from metastable state into ground state.