Correlation between the spectral features and electric field changes for natural lightning return stroke followed by continuing current with M‐components

According to the high time‐resolved spectra of two first and a subsequent return strokes and the following continuing current processes overlapped with M‐components in three natural cloud‐to‐ground lightning, the correlation between the total intensity of ionic lines in the spectra and the corresponding amplitude of electric field change and that between the total intensity of the spectra and the apparent diameter of the discharge channel have been investigated. Linear correlations have been found for the above two sets of parameters. The luminous properties along the channel show that the total intensity of ionic lines in the spectra for both the return stroke and M‐components decreases with increasing height along the channel. The total intensity of the spectra and the apparent diameter for the return stroke also go down with increase of the height, while those for M‐components do the reverse.