Extreme hydroxyl amounts generated by thunderstorm-induced corona on grounded metal objects

W.H. Brune, J.M. Jenkins, G.A. Olson, P.J. McFarland, D.O. Miller, J. Mao & X. Ren
It has now been established that atmospheric electrical discharges generate unexpectedly large amounts of the atmosphere’s primary oxidant, hydroxyl (OH) in thunderstorm anvils, where lightning and weak electrical discharges are caused by atmospheric charge separation. The question is “Do other atmospheric electrical discharges also generate large amounts of oxidants?’ In this paper, we demonstrate that coronas formed on grounded metal objects produce extreme amounts of hydroxyl (OH), hydroperoxyl (HO2), and ozone (O3) when thunderstorms are...