Continuing currents and luminosity of cloud flashes

In this study, continuing currents and luminosity of cloud flashes were investigated using time resolve photographic technique. In ground flashes, the flow of current after the end of the return stroke is called the continuing currents. Typical cloud flashes have two stages called early stage (or active stage) and final or late stage. The continuing current and luminosities reported in this paper are observed in late stage of the cloud flashes. In ground flashes the shortest reported duration of continuing current is longer than the 3 ms. For the first time in literature the continuing currents in cloud flashes were studied. No major difference between the time duration of continuing currents of ground flashes and long current variation of cloud flashes were observed.