Ionization process in the humid air of the lower troposphere

This paper analyzes the local processes of ionization and electron loss in the early stages of an electric discharge in humid air at altitudes of 0–12 km. The processes of ionization in an external electric field, background ionization, attachment and detachment of electrons from atomic and molecular oxygen, charge transfer, and the conversion of negative ions are considered. The dependences of the rate constants on the pressure are taken into account. It is shown that the electric field strength at which the effective ionization of air begins decreases with increasing altitude.