Physical Mechanisms of Generation of Microwave and THz Radiation in Lightning Discharge

The physical mechanisms of microwave and THz electromagnetic radiation generation in lightning discharges are investigated. The possibility of generating radio, microwave and THz radiation by means of a synchrotron mechanism caused by a polarization current pulse and the related field of a surface wave moving at relativistic speed along a randomly bended discharge channel is shown. Theoretical model is compared with the data of registration of ultrahigh-frequency lightning radiation.