Charge source of cloud-to-ground lightning and charge structure of a typical thunderstorm in the Chinese Inland Plateau

GPS-synchronized measurements of electric (E) field changes induced by lightning flashes were recorded at six stations in the northeastern verge of the Tibetan Plateau. The height and magnitude of charge neutralized by 65 return strokes, including 16 negative cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes and 2 positive CG flashes, have been fitted with the nonlinear least-square method based on the E field changes of CG flashes observed in a typical thunderstorm with larger-than-usual lower positive charge center (LPCC). Results show that the height of the charge region neutralized by negative CG flashes ranges from 3 km to 5 km above the ground, corresponding to an ambient temperature between − 2 °C and − 15 °C. For the two positive CG flashes, the neutralized charge regions are located at a height of about 5.5 km and the ambient temperature is about − 18 °C, indicating the existence of upper positive charge in the thunderstorm.     

Study of the total lightning activity in a hailstorm

A thunderstorm that developed over northeastern Spain on 16 June 2006 is analyzed. This severe thunderstorm produced hailstones as large as 40 mm and had a lifetime of 3 h and 30 min. Radar cross-sections show strong vertical development with cloud echo tops reaching an altitude of 13 km. The specific characteristics of the lightning activity of this storm were: (i) a large amount (81%) of negative cloud-to-ground (−CG) flashes with very low peak currents (< 10 kA in absolute value), (ii) a very large proportion of intra-cloud (IC) flashes with an IC/CG ratio reaching about 400, (iii) a large number of “short” IC flashes (with only 1-VHF source according to SAFIR detection), (iv) a large increase of the −CG flash rate and of the CG proportion near the end of the storm. The rate of −CG flashes with a low peak current were observed to evolve similarly to the rates of IC flashes. Most of them have been assumed to be IC flashes misclassified by the Spanish Lightning Detection Network (SLDN). They have been filtered as it is usually done for misclassified +CG flashes. After this filtering, CG flash rates remained very low (< 1 min^− 1) with +CG flashes sometimes dominant. All the particular lightning activity characteristics similar to those observed in the Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study (STEPS) campaigns support the hypothesis that this thunderstorm could have had an inverted-polarity or complex charge structure. The maximum IC flash rate (67 min^− 1) peaked 24 min before the presence of reflectivity higher than 60 dBZ. The IC activity abruptly decreased during the period when reflectivity was dramatically increasing. The time of maximum reflectivity observed by radar was consistent with the times of reported hail at the ground.     

Analysis of thunderstorm and lightning activity associated with sprites observed during the EuroSprite campaigns: Two case studies

During the summers of 2003 to 2006 sprites were observed over thunderstorms in France by cameras on mountain tops in Southern France. The observations were part of a larger coordinated effort, the EuroSprite campaigns, with data collected simultaneously from other sources including the French radar network for precipitation structure, Meteosat with images of cloud top temperature and the Météorage network for detection of cloud-to-ground (CG) flash activity. In this paper two storms are analyzed, each producing 27 sprite events. Both storms were identified as Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS) with a trailing stratiform configuration (ST) and reaching a maximum cloud area of ~ 120,000 km². Most of the sprites were produced while the stratiform area was clearly developed and during periods of substantial increase of rainfall in regions with radar reflectivity between 30 and 40 dBZ. The sprite-producing periods followed a maximum in the CG lightning activity and were characterized by a low CG flash rate with a high proportion of + CG flashes, typically around 50%. All sprites were associated with + CGs except one which was observed after a − CG as detected by the Météorage network. This − CG was estimated to have − 800 C km charge moment change. The peak current of sprite-producing + CG (SP + CG) flashes was twice the average value of + CGs and close to 60 kA with little variation between the periods of sprite activity. The SP + CG flashes were further characterized by short time intervals before a subsequent CG flash (median value < 0.5 s) and with clusters of several CG flashes which suggest that SP + CG flashes often are part of multi-CG flash processes. One case of a lightning process associated with a sprite consisted of 7 CG flashes.     

华北一次中尺度对流系统中的闪电活动特征及其与雷暴动力过程的关系研究

利用地面地闪定位资料、多普勒天气雷达和常规气象资料, 分析了一次具有前部对流线和后部大范围层状云降水(LLTS)的典型中尺度对流系统(MCS)的闪电活动演变特征。整个MCS生命史中负地闪占主导地位, 正地闪则表现不活跃。观测得到MCS消散阶段云闪与地闪的比例为2∶1, 地闪主要分布在地面相对位温和对流不稳定能量均达到高值的区域; 负地闪主要密集地分布在大于40 dBZ的回波范围内; 正地闪则稀疏地分布在30～40 dBZ的回波范围内。在低于-40℃的温度区域内地闪分布较多, 而密集的地闪分布在温度梯度大的区域内。结合单多普勒雷达的水平风场反演, 发现地闪集中出现在气流表现为气旋性切变或水平风呈现切变的区域。该区域与MCS的强回波区相对应, 并且地闪易发生在上升气流达到最大并开始出现下沉气流的阶段。     

Lightning and Doppler radar observations of a squall line system

A typical squall line with damaging wind and hailstones occurred on 28 April 2006 in Shandong Province, middle eastern China, and caused great economic loss. The characteristics of cloud-to-ground lightning (CG) in the squall line were studied in detail by combining the data from the ground-based CG location network, two Doppler radars and the Lightning Imaging Sensor on the TRMM satellite. Results show that positive CG flashes accounted for 54.7% of the total CG flashes. During the initial developing stage, the CG flash rate was lower than 0.5fl min^{− 1} and most of the CG flashes were positive. It increased significantly, up to 4.5fl min^{− 1}, along with the rapid development of the squall line, and the percentage of positive CG was more than 75% during this period. The CG flash rate began to decrease but the percentage of negative CG flash increased gradually and exceeded that of positive CG during the mature and dissipating stages. Positive CG flashes tended to occur on the right flank and negative ones on the left flank. Strong wind at the surface occurred in or near the regions with dense positive CG flashes. Almost all positive CG flashes occurred near the strong radar echo regions, in the front parts of the squall line. However, the negative CG flashes almost exclusively occurred in the regions with weak and uniform radar echoes. The total flash rate in the storm was very high, up to 136fl min^{− 1}, and its ratio of intracloud flashes (IC) to CG flashes was 35:1. Dense positive CG flashes corresponded to updraft regions, they did not occur in the core of the updraft, but just behind and close to the main updraft instead. The rear inflow jet, between 3 and 6 km, played an important role in the formation of the bow echo and very strong wind at surface. The CG distribution features in the squall line were obviously different from that of an ordinary MCS. The charge structure could be roughly described as an inverted charge structure.     

Transient currents in the global electric circuit due to cloud-to-ground and intracloud lightning

Intracloud (IC) and cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes produce transient changes in the electric field (E) above a thundercloud which drive transient currents in the global electric circuit (GEC). Using in-cloud and above-cloud E data from balloons, ground-based E data, and Lightning Mapping Array data, the above-cloud charge transfers due to lightning transients are estimated for five IC and five CG flashes from four thunderstorms that occurred above the mountains in New Mexico, USA, in 1999. For the five CG flashes (which transferred − 4 to − 13 C to the ground), the transient currents moved + 1 to + 5 C of charge upward from cloudtop toward the ionosphere, with an average transient charge transfer of about 35% of the charge transferred to ground. For the five IC flashes (which neutralized 6 to 21 C inside the cloud), the transient currents moved − 0.7 to − 3 C upward, with an average transient charge transfer of about 12% of the lightning charge. Estimates for three thunderstorms indicate that the transient currents made only a small GEC contribution compared to the quasi-stationary Wilson currents because of the offsetting effects of IC and CG flashes in these storms. However, storms with extreme characteristics, such as high flash rates or predominance of one flash type, may make a significant GEC contribution via lightning transients.     

强对流天气雷达回波与闪电特征的个例分析

利用闪电定位资料和多普勒天气雷达强度产品,分析了2006年6月22日发生在南京西南140km处的一次强对流天气过程中闪电的演变特征及其与回波强度的关系。结果表明,地闪多发生于雷暴云中回波强度大于40dBz且回波强度梯度较大的区域;正、负地闪频次在强对流系统发展的不同阶段呈现出不同的特点,负地闪占总闪数的90％以上,正地闪出现在系统进入成熟阶段之后,且占总闪的比例在系统消散阶段明显增大;地闪强度越大,相应的地闪频次越小,除少数弱闪（1/1〈10kA）外,二者基本上呈反相位关系。     

华北一次强对流天气系统的地闪时空演变特征分析

利用地面雷电探测网,多普勒天气雷达和常规天气资料,分析了2005年8月1日发生在山东北部的一次具有前部对流线,后部大范围层状云降水(LLTS)的典型中尺度对流系统(MCS)的闪电活动演变特征。结果表明:整个过程中负地闪占主导地位,最高频数达到260次/5min;与负地闪比较,正地闪呈现不活跃状态。负地闪主要落在>40 dBz的强回波区内部及其边缘区域,而正地闪则分布在前部云砧和后部层状云降水区内。对地闪位置与回波强度的进一步对比分析发现,45~55 dBz的回波是最有利于地闪发生的区域,回波强度低于这一区域,随着回波强度的增大,地闪活动呈递增趋势,地闪频数在50~55 dBz的回波区域内达到峰值,>55 dBz的回波区域内地闪频数明显降低。     

A Case Study of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Activities in Hailstorms under Cold Eddy Synoptic Situation

There were three hailstorms in Shandong Province,caused by a same northeast cold eddy situation on 1 June 2002.Cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes occurring in the weather event were observed by Shandong Lightning Detection Network (SLDN),which consists of 10 sensors covering all over Shandong Province.The temporal and spatial distributions of CG lightning are investigated for the three hailstorms by using the data from SLDN,Doppler radar and satellite.The results show that different thunderstorms present different lightning features even if under the same synoptic situation.The percentage of positive CG lightning is very high during the period of hail falling.CG flashes mainly occurred in the region with a cloud top brightness temperature lower than -50°C.Negative CG flashes usually clustered in the lower temperature region and tended to occur in the region with maximum temperature gradient,while the positive ones usually spread discretely.Negative CG flashes usually occurred in intense echo regions with reflectivity greater than 50 dBz,while the positive CG flashes often occurred in weak and stable echo regions (10-30 dBz) or cloud anvils,although they can be observed in strong convective regions sometimes.Almost all hail falling took place in the stage with active positive flashes,and the peak positive flash rate is a little prior to the hail events.The thunderstorm could lead to disastrous weather when positive CG lightning activities occur in cluster.Severe thunderstorms sometimes present a low flash rate at its vigorous stage,which is probably caused by the"mechanism of chargeregion lift"through investigating the reflectivity evolution.Combined with the total lightning (intracloud and CG) data obtained by LIS onboard TRMM,the phenomenon of high ratio of intracloud flash to CG flash in severe hailstorm has been discussed.The competition of the same charge sources between different lightning types can also be helpful for explaining the cause of low CG lightning activities in severe storms.     

一次暖云强降水主导的对流单体闪电活动特征

利用中国气象局雷电野外科学试验基地(CMA_FEBLS)三维闪电观测数据,结合广州双偏振雷达观测数据,分析了2017年5月7日广东一次暖云强降水对流单体的闪电活动及其与云降水结构的关系。该单体在4 h内产生1250个闪电,地闪比例约24%。绝大多数闪电出现在4~12 km高度,对应温度层为0℃至-40℃;闪电放电活动的峰值高度出现在8.5 km,对应环境温度约-19℃。分析的强降水单体宏观上呈现上正、中负、下正的三极性电荷结构,中部负电荷核心区约为-8℃至-15℃。在闪电活动区域中,由干雪粒子主导区域占比约82%,霰粒子主导区域占比约11%,且大部分与闪电活动关联的霰粒子主要位于4~8 km高度。总闪频数与30 dBZ雷达回波顶高、-20℃温度层上大于20 dBZ的回波体积具有较好的相关性。闪电活动的平均位置高度与20 dBZ雷达回波顶高和-20℃温度层上大于30 dBZ的回波体积具有较好的相关关系。闪电活动与最大降水强度之间具有较好的时序对应关系,单个闪电表征降水量的值为107 kg/fl量级。     

In situ measurements of contributions to the global electrical circuit by a thunderstorm in southeastern Brazil

The global electrical circuit, which maintains a potential of about 280 kV between the earth and the ionosphere, is thought to be driven mainly by thunderstorms and lightning. However, very few in situ measurements of electrical current above thunderstorms have been successfully obtained. In this paper, we present dc to very low frequency electric fields and atmospheric conductivity measured in the stratosphere (30–35 km altitude) above an active thunderstorm in southeastern Brazil. From these measurements, we estimate the mean quasi-static conduction current during the storm period to be 2.5 ± 1.25 A. Additionally, we examine the transient conduction currents following a large positive cloud-to-ground (+ CG) lightning flash and typical − CG flashes. We find that the majority of the total current is attributed to the quasi-static thundercloud charge, rather than lightning, which supports the classical Wilson model for the global electrical circuit.     

北京城区相继多次降雹的一次强雷暴的闪电特征

受东北冷涡和低层暖湿气流影响,2016年6月10日北京午后爆发了相继5次降冰雹的一次强雷暴天气过程。利用国家“973”项目“雷电重大灾害天气系统的动力—微物理—电过程和成灾机理（雷暴973）”2016年夏季协同观测期间获得的闪电全闪三维定位和多普勒天气雷达等资料,详细分析了此次雹暴的闪电活动和雷达回波特征。此次雹暴过程包括三个孤立的单体相继发展、并合,所分析的4次降雹过程中,总闪电频数在降雹期间都有明显增多,最高可达179 flashes min?1。云闪占全部闪电的80%以上,其中3次降雹前出现正地闪突增,其比例升高,占全部地闪的比例最高达58%。降雹时雷达回波>45 dBZ的面积增大,顶高超过13 km。整个雹暴过程,闪电辐射源主要分布在6～10 km的高度区域,与强回波具有一致性。所分析的4次降雹过程均出现明显的总闪频数跃增,并通过2σ阈值检验,其中3次提前时间为8～18 min,说明总闪频数对于降雹过程有一定的预警能力。     

低纬高原一次飑线过程的地闪演变特征分析

利用雷电定位资料、多普勒雷达资料和FY-2E红外卫星资料,分析了滇西南一次典型飑线过程的地闪变化特征。结果表明,这是一次由切变线云带内的对流单体与台风外围对流单体合并形成的典型飑线过程。在飑线发展初期,负地闪占主导地位,地闪频数在波动中缓慢增加;在飑线成熟阶段,地闪频数较高,负地闪频数达到最大峰值前10～15min,正地闪出现最大峰值;在飑线减弱阶段,地闪频数急速下降,正地闪所占比例急剧增加,当正地闪所占比例超过地闪总数的8%以上时,地闪活动开始呈减弱特征。负地闪主要发生在强对流区(>40dBz),对应着径向速度场上的辐合区,密集的正地闪发生在飑线成熟阶段,对应着辐合区附近>40dBz的强回波区域,稀疏的正地闪发生在强回波外围的云砧或稳定性降水部位。在飑线整个发展阶段,-10℃,-20℃层高度上雷达回波强度的每一次跳跃变化都对应着地闪频数的跳跃发展,且-10℃和-20℃层高度上雷达回波强度总在地闪频数变化之前6～30min。负地闪集中出现在-92～-90℃和-76～-74℃的云区,而正地闪集中发生在-90～-60℃的云区。     

Characteristics of the two active stages of lightning activity in two hailstorms

Two hailstorms that occurred in Beijing and Tianjin, respectively, are investigated, based mainly on the total lightning data observed by the System d’Alerte Fondre par Interferometric Radioelecctrique (SAFIR3000), the cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning data of a CG lightning location system, and the echo data of a Doppler radar. Both hailstorms exhibited two lightning frequency peaks: the first was before the hailfall and the second was after the hailfall, with the second peak greater than the first. The dominant polarity of the CG lightning was positive in the stage around the first frequency peak, but changed to negative in the stage around the second frequency peak. The evolution of radar echoes and the height distribution of lightning radiation sources are explored, revealing that both hailstorms had stronger convection and the main positive charge occurred at mid levels during the stage around the first frequency peak. However, whilst the Beijing hailstorm experienced the enhancement of convection, with the main positive charge at upper levels around the second frequency peak, the Tianjin hailstorm generated its second frequency peak during the period when the convection kept weakening and the main positive charge dropped to mid–lower levels. Through evaluation of the radar parameters, we investigate the mechanisms responsible for the second stage of active lightning discharge. Furthermore, the lightning activity exhibited a close relationship with radar echo parameters and hailfall. Lightning jump signals were found before the hailfall and were associated with the change ratio of the 40-dBZ echo volume above the ?15°C level, which demonstrates the application value of lightning data in severe weather warning.     

春季与夏季两次雷暴大气结构及地闪特征对比

利用NCEP再分析资料、探空资料、闪电定位资料和南京、常州多普勒雷达资料,通过对比分析南京2012年2月22日春季雷暴和2011年8月10日夏季雷暴两次过程,研究不同季节影响雷暴发生的大气结构以及强弱雷暴地闪特征的差异。结果表明:风矢位温(V-3θ)图揭示的大气动力热力水汽特征能够为雷暴的潜势预报提供先兆信息。两者相较而言,春季雷暴的动力抬升作用明显;夏季雷暴主要由热对流引起,对流层上层的动力抽吸作用不明显。春季弱雷暴正地闪在总地闪中所占比例较高。无论春季弱雷暴还是夏季强雷暴,地闪落点与辐合区对应关系明显,且地闪的落点也与雷达反射率因子有较好的对应关系:地闪主要分布在强回波区(大于40 d Bz)及其外围区域。但在较强雷暴云的发展阶段,地闪多发生在风暴体伸展方向的一侧,具有引导雷达回波移动的作用,夏季强雷暴地闪簇集在垂直风切变区域。     

Optical observations of transient luminous events associated with winter thunderstorms near the coast of Israel

We report the results of two observation campaigns conducted during the Northern Hemisphere winters of 2005–6 and 2006–7 aiming to detect transient luminous events (TLEs) above winter thunderstorms in the vicinity of Israel and the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. In 10 out of 31 different observation nights we detected 66 events: 56 sprites and 10 Elves. The detection ranges varied from 250 to 450 km. Sprites were found to be produced by active cells with a vertical dimension of 5–9 km and cloud top temperature ~ − 40 °C, embedded in a much larger matrix of stratiform precipitating cloudiness. This configuration closely resembles the conditions for winter sprites in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Synchronized with the optical observations, ELF data were recorded at two observation stations in Israel and Hungary in order to qualify and quantify parameters of the parent lightning discharge associated with the TLEs. These stations are located 500 km and 2100 km respectively from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, where most TLEs occur. Among the optically observed TLE events, we found that all the ELF signals were produced solely by positive cloud-to-ground flashes (+ CGs), most of which were recorded in Israel (88%) and Hungary (77%). Calculation of the Charge Moment Change showed average values of 1400 ± 600 C km, with some extreme events exceeding 3500 C km. The average time delay between the ELF transient of the parent + CG and the observed sprites was 55 ms, with shorter delays for column sprites (42 ± 34 ms) compared to carrot sprites (68 ± 34). Furthermore, based on the ELF data, there were no early identifiable precursors to TLE occurrence in the regional lightning activity. From the spatial formation of the observed columniform sprites, we propose that columniform sprites are sometimes arranged in a 3-dimensional circular pattern, thus mapping the instantaneous electric field in the mesosphere.     

Numerical simulation of the relationship between electrification and microphysics in the prelightning stage of thunderstorms

To further investigate the influence of cloud base temperature, updraft velocity and precipitation particle constitution on cloud electrification, five thunderstorms in various regions of China were simulated by using the three-dimensional compressible hailstorm numerical model including inductive and non-inductive charging mechanisms. The results indicate that changes of cloud base temperature have an influence on the initial electrification. Comparison of the above cases shows that in the case of warm cloud base and moderate updraft velocity (< 20 m s^{−  1}), active electrification occurred below the − 10 °C level before moving upward to the − 20 °C level. In contrast, when cloud base is cold and updraft velocity is intensive, the main charging region is at the − 20 °C or even higher level. In that case, the vertical extent of the main negative charge region becomes larger with the increase of cloud base temperature. Apart from the main dipolar or tripolar charge structure, some smaller charge regions with relatively high values of charge density may also appear. Frozen drops, originating mainly from supercooled raindrops, mainly get electrified through charging interactions with snow at or below the − 20 °C level. They are responsible for the negative charge region near the melting level at the initial stage of precipitation if there is a large supercooled raindrop content. Non-inductive charging during hail-snow collisions is rather weak, resulting in the charge density on hail of no more than − 0.01 nC m^− 3.     

飑线系统中的闪电活动与雷达回波特征的相关性研究

基于北京宽频带闪电网（Beijing Broadband Lightning Network,简称BLNet）获得的全闪三维定位和多普勒天气雷达等资料,详细分析了2015～2017年北京暖季7次强飑线过程的闪电活动与雷达回波强度之间的关系。结果表明,闪电主要发生于前部线状对流云区内且集中分布在30 dBZ以上的强回波区域,少部分的闪电分布在后部的层状云区域内。从闪电辐射源三维分布结构可以发现,闪电活动大部分处在6～11 km的高度范围。将能够同时反映强回波深度和面积的0～?30°C温度区域内大于30 dBZ雷达回波体积（V_30dBZ）作为强回波指标,并与闪电活动进行统计分析发现,整体上在7次飑线过程中,总闪频数和V_30dBZ存在较好的相关性,其中5次过程的闪电频数峰值同时或提前于V_30dBZ的峰值出现,二者的时滞相关系数超过0.61,提前时间为0～96 min。另外两次过程中闪电峰值落后于V_30dBZ峰值,落后时间分别为30 min和60 min。研究结果不仅对认识闪电与对流活动的关系有重要的科学意义,也可为闪电资料在数值模式中的同化应用提供科学依据。     

Lightning evolution related to radar-derived microphysics in the 21 July 1998 EULINOX supercell storm

Results of a combined analysis of data from a C-band polarimetric Doppler radar and a 3D VHF interferometric lightning mapping system, as obtained during the European Lightning Nitrogen Oxides project (EULINOX) field campaign, are presented. For 21 July 1998, the lightning data from a supercell thunderstorm weakly indicate a tendency for a bi-level vertical distribution of lightning VHF emissions around the −15°C and −30°C temperature levels. Also, in some parts of the clouds, evidence is found for the presence of a lower positive charge center near the freezing level. However, where strong vertical motions prevail, VHF emissions are not organized in horizontal layers but in oblique or vertical regions. Correlation of VHF signals with radar quantities shows that in the growing storm, peak VHF activity is low and related to reflectivity factors around 30 dBZ, while after the mature stage, the peak VHF activity is about three times larger. The highest density of VHF signals is now found near reflectivity factors of 45 dBZ. A polarimetric hydrometeor classification indicates that during storm development, most lightning activity occurs where graupel and, secondarily, snow and small dry hail are present. In the decaying phase of the supercell hailstorm, however, most lightning VHF emissions stem from the region with hail and heavy rain. Furthermore, while the VHF signal frequency per cubic kilometer in the graupel and rain regions remains nearly constant throughout the supercell life cycle, the signal frequency in the hail region rises during storm decay.     

Characteristics of negative lightning flashes presenting multiple-ground terminations on a millisecond-scale

By using a high-speed video camera system (1000 frames s^− 1) in correlation with fast and slow antenna systems, the negative cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes that struck the ground with more than one termination have been analyzed. This kind of stroke, named as multiple-ground terminations stroke (MGTS), was produced by different branches of the same stepped leader during quite a short time. Based on optical images, the 2D progression speed of leader branches was estimated to be in the range (0.9–2.0) × 10⁵ m s^− 1. The distance between adjacent striking points of MGTS was from 0.2 km to 1.9 km. The percentage of flashes with multiple-ground terminations occupied about 15% (9 out of 59) of the total negative CG flashes, with a range of 11%–20% in different areas in China. The time intervals between the two adjacent peaks ranged from 4 μs to 486 μs based on the E-field change caused by the MGTS. The flashes which had multiple striking points on the ground during quite a short time may be a common phenomenon in the lightning discharge process. It might produce more serious damage to facilities on the ground and should not be neglected in the design of lightning protection.