How do lightning discharges and thunderstorms occur?

By Susanne Eigner - The Austrian Alpine region shows one of the highest lightning activities in Europe. Lukas Schwalt from the Institute of High Voltage Engineering and System Performance at Graz University of Technology answers questions about the origin of lightning discharges and thunderstorms, dangers and myths. In the last 15 years, several core areas have developed at TU Graz where basic research is being carried out to investigate the natural phenomenon of "lightning discharges". For Lukas Schwalt and project manager Stephan Pack, the field of research ranges from the physical principles of lightning discharge processes and the analysis of the effects of lightning discharges on high-voltage systems to lightning protection issues of structures and living beings. How are lightning discharges generated?. Lightning discharges occur in electrically charged thunderclouds as compensation for differently charged regions. The necessary process of charge separation during the formation or growth of a thundercloud has not yet been fully explained.