Trees Emit Electrical Corona During Thunderstorms
Researchers capture 952 ultraviolet signals on leaves, confirming a 70-year-old atmospheric hypothesis.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Botany
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Researchers have confirmed a phenomenon suspected for 70 years: trees generate electrical corona discharges during thunderstorms. The team recorded 952 distinct ultraviolet signals on tree leaves in North Carolina using specialized camera technology.
Why it matters
Understanding how trees dissipate electrical energy during storms provides critical insight into atmospheric electrical fields and tree health. The findings validate long-standing theories about leaf-tip discharges occurring with or without lightning strikes.
The Corona Observing Telescope System detected ultraviolet light between 255 and 273 nanometres, with individual discharges emitting up to one trillion photons per frame. This activity occurs at a current of approximately one microampere, exposing leaves to up to 100 trillion photons per second.
The players
University of North Carolina Pembroke
A public institution hosting the research team responsible for the primary field observations.
The details
Corona discharges occur when the high electrical field around a sharp, pointed object, such as a leaf tip, ionizes the surrounding air. Researchers captured this activity using a specialized ultraviolet camera mounted in a research vehicle. Data suggests that wind shifts and the plant's internal hydraulic conductance influence leaf orientation, which in turn dictates the intensity of the electrical field at the leaf tip.
Timeline
June 27, 2024: Researchers observed electrical discharges on trees in North Carolina.
The Tech Race
This research validates a 70-year-old hypothesis regarding corona discharges in plants by providing the first recorded evidence. It moves the study of atmospheric electrical interactions from theoretical modeling to empirical field observation.
While currently a research-stage discovery, these findings help clarify how vegetation interacts with storm systems in North Carolina. Future studies will determine if the observed discharges cause localized leaf damage that could affect forest health over time.
The takeaway
This study confirms that trees act as active participants in atmospheric electrical circuits through continuous corona discharges. Researchers now plan to quantify the extent of leaf-tip burning by comparing these field findings with lab experiments that show tissue damage at 10 kilovolts.
Further reading
For more on the intersection of plant physiology and atmospheric science, see Botany.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
Live Poll
Does this discovery change how you perceive the electrical risks of trees during thunderstorm weather?
