Scientists Capture Mysterious Treetop Glows During Thunderstorms

5 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Apr 21

Scientists have, for the first time, captured faint electrical glows—known as corona discharges—shimmering from treetops during thunderstorms.
Using a UV-sensitive telescope system, researchers recorded hundreds of these near-invisible flashes on multiple tree species across several storms.
These corona discharges may help clean the air by breaking down pollutants, raising questions about their impact on forests and atmospheric chemistry.

Are thunderstorms drawing energy from the very forests they loom over?

Do these treetop sparks create other undiscovered chemicals in the atmosphere?

What is the hidden cost of these electrical glows to the long-term health of our forests?

Could this 'forest glow' be the key to Earth's atmospheric self-cleaning system?

How much air pollution can a forest scrub from the atmosphere during a single thunderstorm?

Could we design city parks to maximize this natural air-purifying effect during storms?