Interactions of the thunderstorm with a conducting atmosphere

Vertical dipole charge configurations placed in an atmosphere where the conductivity increases exponentially with altitude have been calculated. The problem is divided into cases involving fast and slow time variations, so that quasi-stationary situations can be compared with the fast changes of lightning discharges. The calculations are presented in the form of graphs in such a way that they can be used for dipoles of all magnitudes. The calculations indicate possible convective motions that can regenerate the dipole charge configurations, and they also show that the potential difference between the ionosphere and the earth can be maintained by thunderstorms only by the pumping action produced by lightning discharges to the earth.