High energy radiation from thunderstorms has been measured from space, aircraft, and ground-based detectors. Thunderclouds produce bursts of gamma rays, electrons, and positrons into space. They also produce continuous energetic radiation events, which have been measured at ground level and on board aircraft. High energy radiation has also been detected in association with lightning leaders and laboratory sparks. The physical processes associated with the production of these phenomena are not fully established yet, neither are the effects of this radiation on the upper atmosphere and the near-Earth environment.

In this session, we welcome contributions about experimental, observational, and theoretical studies related to the production of energetic particles in the atmosphere. In particular, phenomena such as terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs), terrestrial electron beams, gamma ray glows, thunderstorm ground enhancements, and X-ray observations from lightning and laboratory discharges, as well as their relationships to one another are of great interest.