Topic: Environment

Scientists from Penn State captured trees glowing with electricity during thunderstorms. They observed this phenomenon for the first time in a natural setting.

A team of researchers from Penn State's meteorology and atmospheric science department set out on a road trip to track down Florida's summer thunderstorms. Their goal was to observe a phenomenon called corona discharge, which involves tiny bursts of electricity forming at the tips of leaves. These electrical pulses can cause treetops to emit a subtle glow in the ultraviolet range.

The team included William Brune, a distinguished professor; Patrick McFarland, a doctoral student; Jena Jenkins, an assistant research professor; and David Miller, a former associate research professor. They chose Florida because of its frequent thunderstorms, which seemed ideal for their study.

However, the weather did not cooperate as expected. For three weeks, they followed short-lived storms that dissipated quickly, leaving them without useful data. But then, conditions changed. Large, long-lasting storms developed just west of Interstate 95. The researchers seized the opportunity and set up their equipment in a parking lot at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

They aimed their instruments at the upper branches of a sweetgum tree located about 100 feet from their van. A thunderstorm persisted for nearly two hours, bringing heavy rain and frequent lightning. During this time, they recorded corona discharges on the sweetgum tree and also observed similar activity on a nearby long needle loblolly pine as the storm weakened.

These observations marked the first confirmed detection of corona discharges in a natural setting. The findings were later published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Why It Matters

This discovery can help us understand how forests clean the air and remove pollutants. It also shows that there is still more to learn about our planet's weather patterns.

Key Facts

• A team of researchers from Penn State captured trees glowing with electricity during thunderstorms for the first time in a natural setting.
• The phenomenon is called corona discharge, which involves tiny bursts of electricity forming at the tips of leaves.
• Corona discharges can cause treetops to emit a subtle glow in the ultraviolet range.
• The researchers chose Florida because of its frequent thunderstorms, which seemed ideal for their study.
• They recorded corona discharges on a sweetgum tree and also observed similar activity on a nearby long needle loblolly pine.

Key Terms

Corona discharge

A phenomenon where tiny bursts of electricity form at the tips of leaves, causing treetops to emit a subtle glow in the ultraviolet range.

Implications

This discovery can help us understand how forests clean the air and remove pollutants. It also shows that there is still more to learn about our planet's weather patterns.