Rotating Electric Dipole Positive Feedback Model: A New Mechanism for Thunderstorm Cloud Lightning Genesis and Methane Energy Amplification

Rotating Electric Dipole Positive Feedback Model: A New Mechanism for Thunderstorm Cloud Lightning Genesis and Methane Energy Amplification | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Rotating Electric Dipole Positive Feedback Model: A New Mechanism for Thunderstorm Cloud Lightning Genesis and Methane Energy Amplification Pan Xian-guang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9451607/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Traditional ice crystal-graupel collision electrification theory has limitations in explaining lightning energy sources, discharge phenomena, seasonal and regional disparities in lightning activity, and the coupling between atmospheric electric fields and cloud-top rotational dynamics. This study, based on cumulonimbus electrical characteristics and strong convective processes with new data, proposes a rotating electric dipole positive feedback model, elucidating the complete physical chain of lightning energy from solar energy to triggering. It explains how fair-weather atmospheric electric fields create a near-surface negative charge environment through electrode effects. Strong updrafts carry water vapor and ions into the cloud-top vortex, forming a rotating electric dipole with positive charges inside and negative charges outside under centrifugal force. After vertical separation of the charge regions, the dipole continuously contracts, leading to nonlinear growth of the electric field. Ultimately, impurity-laden water vapor flow undergoes surface flashover breakdown, triggering lightning and igniting methane microbubbles. Results show methane micro-deflagration significantly enhances lightning energy, promotes carbon cycle closure, and lightning spatiotemporal distribution aligns with model predictions. This model addresses classical theory shortcomings, providing a new framework for atmospheric lightning physics with significant implications for improving lightning forecasting and protection. Atmospheric Sciences Atmospheric science causes of lightning rotating electric dipoles ammonium ion clouds sulfate ion clouds micro-deflagration of methane surface flashover cloud-top vortex dynamics Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9451607","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":625177220,"identity":"86bd1e25-2faa-4e88-befa-f0f23796fc1c","order_by":0,"name":"Pan Xian-guang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAxElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACfvb2Awc/VPyT42dmPvyAKC2SPWcSD0ucOWAs2c6WZkCUFoMbCcYHeNsOJG44z6MgQaQtBxIOSLbdMTY+zMNgwFBjE01QCz9744EDBeeeyZkd5j3wgOFYWm4DUbZIlDEbmx3mSzBgbDhMWAvQLwYHeNiYEzc38xhIkKCl7XDiBmZitQADOQEYyGnGEoeBgZxAjF+AUXn444cKGzn+/sOHH3yosSGsBRUkkKZ8FIyCUTAKRgEuAADly0hSIvKBRAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Independent Researcher","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Pan","middleName":"","lastName":"Xian-guang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-17 17:13:10","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9451607/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9451607/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107490101,"identity":"fa1e2ac0-4e93-46ee-b977-b3a6ce07b1c5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 02:50:09","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4422559,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"17BENGLISHpreprintstemplate2.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9451607/v1_covered_cb7c9dbe-a796-4738-94f2-530703c40eee.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eRotating Electric Dipole Positive Feedback Model: A New Mechanism for Thunderstorm Cloud Lightning Genesis and Methane Energy Amplification\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"Qingdao University","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Atmospheric science, causes of lightning, rotating electric dipoles, ammonium ion clouds, sulfate ion clouds, micro-deflagration of methane, surface flashover, cloud-top vortex dynamics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9451607/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9451607/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eTraditional ice crystal-graupel collision electrification theory has limitations in explaining lightning energy sources, discharge phenomena, seasonal and regional disparities in lightning activity, and the coupling between atmospheric electric fields and cloud-top rotational dynamics. This study, based on cumulonimbus electrical characteristics and strong convective processes with new data, proposes a rotating electric dipole positive feedback model, elucidating the complete physical chain of lightning energy from solar energy to triggering. It explains how fair-weather atmospheric electric fields create a near-surface negative charge environment through electrode effects. Strong updrafts carry water vapor and ions into the cloud-top vortex, forming a rotating electric dipole with positive charges inside and negative charges outside under centrifugal force. After vertical separation of the charge regions, the dipole continuously contracts, leading to nonlinear growth of the electric field. Ultimately, impurity-laden water vapor flow undergoes surface flashover breakdown, triggering lightning and igniting methane microbubbles. Results show methane micro-deflagration significantly enhances lightning energy, promotes carbon cycle closure, and lightning spatiotemporal distribution aligns with model predictions. This model addresses classical theory shortcomings, providing a new framework for atmospheric lightning physics with significant implications for improving lightning forecasting and protection.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Rotating Electric Dipole Positive Feedback Model: A New Mechanism for Thunderstorm Cloud Lightning Genesis and Methane Energy Amplification","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-21 07:13:03","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9451607/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"b75c5b6c-4e16-4136-9d27-2f03a226a834","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 21st, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":66546521,"name":"Atmospheric Sciences"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-08T15:30:56+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-21 07:13:03","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9451607","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9451607","identity":"rs-9451607","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}