Extreme oxidant amounts produced by lightning in storm clouds.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 33927054.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/science.abg0492.
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Abstract
Lightning increases the atmosphere's ability to cleanse itself by producing nitric oxide (NO), leading to atmospheric chemistry that forms ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) and the atmosphere's primary oxidant, the hydroxyl radical (OH). Our analysis of a 2012 airborne study of deep convection and chemistry demonstrates that lightning also directly generates the oxidants OH and the hydroperoxyl radical (HO<sub>2</sub>). Extreme amounts of OH and HO<sub>2</sub> were discovered and linked to visible flashes occurring in front of the aircraft and to subvisible discharges in electrified anvil regions. This enhanced OH and HO<sub>2</sub> is orders of magnitude greater than any previous atmospheric observation. Lightning-generated OH in all storms happening at the same time globally can be responsible for a highly uncertain, but substantial, 2 to 16% of global atmospheric OH oxidation.