Lightning and Gamma Rays

Terrestrial lightning is frequently accompanied by gamma rays, first as a flash, and then as an afterglow that can last as long as a minute.

This can all be explained in terms of an aether of low energy photons and neutrinos being energized by the rapid motion of ions and electrons.

Electron in an aether of low energy photons and neutrinos

First, an electric current is produced by a strong voltage potential that rips electrons away from their atomic nuclei. Electrons move in one direction and positive ions move in the other direction.

Nearby low energy photons are exited in the process, resulting in the visible flash as well as the initial gamma ray flash.

If the thunderbolt is particularly energetic, we get a situation where gamma rays are ripped apart into electron-positron pairs.

Gamma ray photon ripped apart into an electron-positron pair

This leaves an abundant supply of positrons which in turn explains the gamma ray afterglow. The newly produced positrons find electrons to re-combine into gamma rays.

Electron and positron combine into a gamma ray photon

The production of gamma rays inside terrestrial thunderstorms is exactly what we would expect in a physics in which there is an abundant supply of low energy photons in the aether.