Snapshots from a typical simulation of spark gap dynamics. Shown are the pair and photon densities (upper panels), electric flux (middle panels), and radial electric current, Σj^r, normalized by the global magnetospheric current J₀. The leftmost panels delineate the initial state, at t = 0. The rightmost panels show the relaxed state, following the prompt discharge. We note the scale change on the vertical axis in the middle panels.