A cloud-to-ground lightning discharge with multiple ground terminations viewed by using a VHF radiation location system. During its preliminary breakdown process, two leader channels formed and progressed simultaneously. One of them transformed into a stepped leader which propagated downwards with branches and eventually caused the first return stroke. Interestingly, the second return stroke leader spread along the other channel of the preliminary breakdown, and therefore resulted in a multiple channel flash (MCF). Both of the first and second return strokes themselves are multiple-ground terminations strokes (MGTSs). This figure, including the discharge's animation (an attached file), is provided by Zhuling Sun, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing. Adapted from a paper submitted to JGR by Sun et al., 2015.
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