How does static electricity affect radomes?

Under conditions of low humidity the static electric charge on a radome surface can build up to a very high potential. Severe spark discharging as a result of this condition will create radio interference over a wide band of frequencies. Physical charge may lso occur. The electrical discharges chip the paint and often burn small pits or pinholes n the radome. These small surface punctures created by the arcing rapidly increase in size as carbon deposits resulting from the charring encourage further strikes. If this condition is left unchecked, eventual damage to the radome will result from water penetrating through the radome surface into the radome core.