Comment on “The physical origin of the land–ocean contrast in lightning activity”

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“…the transitional scale found in WS [5]. If the island area-elevation relationship follows a power law, one does not expect to find a surplus of island elevations greater than 1000 m for areas smaller than 600 km 2 . In a later study, Williams et al [9], using different sets of islands and different measures of electrification, as suggested by PHM [3], found the same general transitional area.…”

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Pontikis et al [3] (hereafter PHM) have recently raised questions about the validity of analyses in Williams and Stanfill [5] (hereafter WS) that support the thermal hypothesis over the aerosol hypothesis as the primary explanation for the land-ocean contrast in lightning activity. A recent literature exchange on the same general issues has recently appeared [2,6], and an extension of the island analysis in WS [5] has also been completed [9]. We welcome this opportunity to address in print those issues discussed with the Guadeloupe group at a Workshop on the Physics of Lightning there in May 2004.In raising their questions, PHM [3] address three arguments from WS [5].

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