  A mechanism for increased fluxes of high energy particles detected in
Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs) is suggested. When the electric field
Eambient at the ground beneath thunderstorms reaches modest magnitudes (6 -12
kV/m), corona discharge occurs from the tips of some grounded conducting pointy
objects (GCPOs). Past theory and modeling of prolate semi-ellipsoidal GCPOs
suggest the corona threshold value for free electron availability via seed
electron detachment is E = 67 V/m/Pa at the tip. The field enhancement,
Etip/Eambient, at the GCPO tip depends only on its length:tip radius of
curvature ratio. Thus, Etip at all GCPOs is substantially enhanced by Eambient,
whether or not they are in corona. Cosmic ray electrons striking these pointy
tips will gain MeV energies. These high energy electrons may be detected with
instrumentation located nearby, or they may produce gamma rays via
bremsstrahlung within the tips before being detected, thereby contributing to
TGEs.
