On amplifications of photonuclear neutron flux in thunderstorm atmosphere and possibility of detecting them

The reliability of communications reporting observations of neutron flux enhancements in thunderstorm atmosphere is analyzed. The analysis is motivated by the fact that the employed gas-discharge counters on the basis of reactions ³He(n, p)³H and ¹⁰B(n; ⁴He, γ)⁷Li detect not only neutrons but any penetrating radiations. Photonuclear reactions are capable of accounting for the possible amplifications of neutron flux in thunder-storm atmosphere since in correlation with thunderstorms γ-ray flashes were repeatedly observed with spectra extending high above the threshold of photonuclear reactions in air. By numerical simulations, it was demonstrated that γ-ray pulses detected in thunderstorm atmosphere are capable of generating photonuclear neutrons in numbers sufficient to be detected even at sea level.