火箭触发闪电通道的亮度特征分析

利用成像速率为2000幅/s的高速摄像资料,对采用不同触发方式的两次负极性闪电进行了对比分析,结果表明:空中触发方式的上行正先导的起始速度比经典触发方式的低一个量级左右,而前者的触发高度要比后者的高;闪电通道中金属导线汽化部分的余晖时间可达160—170 ms,相对来说,空气离化部分的亮度信息更能真实体现闪电通道中的电流特性。依据闪电通道亮度变化特性的差异,并结合电场变化的观测,可以将回击之后的过程分为3种类型,没有M分量的为连续衰减型,有M分量的可分为独立型和延续型两种,能够与不同类型的延续电流波形相对应。总体上看,有M分量的回击间隔比没有M分量的要长,几何平均值分别为77 ms和37 ms,有M分量的初始连续电流也会比没有M分量的持续更长的时间。回击和M分量发生前闪电通道的相对亮度存在明显的差异,回击前闪电通道的相对亮度很弱,甚至观测不到任何发光现象,而M分量发生前闪电通道仍有较强的发光。     

Optical Observations on Propagation Characteristics of Leaders in Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Flashes

Using 2 high-speed cameras, we have recorded 14 negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes, half of which are natural and the others are artificially triggered. The two-dimensional (2D) propagation speed of different type leaders and the luminosity of lightning channel are analyzed in detail. Bidirectional leader processes are observed during the initial processes of two altitude triggered negative lightning (ATNL)flashes. The analysis shows: the propagation speed of the upward positive leader (UPL) before the initiation of the downward negative leader (DNL) is at the order of 104-105 m s-1; the UPL can be intensified by the initiation and development of the DNL in the way that the luminosity is enhanced and the speed is sped up; after initiation, the DNL in one ATNL flash propagates downward three times intermittently with interval of about 1 ms, while that in the other ATNL flash propagates downward continuously with a speed at the order of 105 m s-1. In the five classical triggered negative lightning (CTNL) flashes, the propagation speeds of the UPLs vary between 0.35×105 and 7.71×105 m s-1, and the variations of their luminosities and speeds are quite complex during the development processes. Among the four observed natural negative lightning flashes occurred on the land, three have only one return stoke (RS) each and all of their DNLs have many branches with an average speed at the order of 105 m s-1; while the another one has 13 RSs.In the CG flash with 13 RSs, the DNL before the first RS has no obvious branch below 1.4 km above the ground, and its speed ranges from 2.2×105 to 2.3×105 m s-1 between the heights of 0.7 and 1.4 km and exceeds 3.9×106 m s-1 below 0.7 km; preceding the 4th RS, an attempted leader is observed with a speed ranging from 1.1×105 to 1.1×106 m s-1 between 0.8 and 1.5 km. As for the three observed natural negative lightning flashes occurred on the sea, each has only one RS, and each DNL preceding the RS has a few branches, two of which have an average propagation speed at the order of 105 m s-1, and the other of 106m s-1, respectively. All the DNLs contained in the observed natural negative lightning flashes, except the attempted leader, propagate with gradually increasing luminosity and increasing speed in whole.     

人工触发闪电通道的发光特征

利用成像率为１０００幅／秒的高速数字化摄像系统在３８０ｍ的极近距离对人工触发闪电通道的发光特征进行了观测的研究。人工引发闪电除了采用的火箭地带接地导线的触发方式外还发展导线下端不接地的空中触发闪电的新技术。结果表明,闪电通道的发光截面基本上呈对称型。     

2006—2011年广州人工触发闪电

2006—2011年夏季在广州野外雷电试验基地开展了广东综合闪电观测试验 (GCOELD)。试验期间,针对人工触发闪电进行了近距离声、光、电、磁特征等综合测量,对自动气象站电源线和信号线上产生的感应电压特征进行了观测和分析,并对广东省地闪定位网的探测效率和定位精度与人工触发闪电进行了比对和校验。试验结果表明:人工触发闪电回击峰值电流范围为-31.93~-6.67 kA,回击电流波形的半峰宽度的范围为6.18~74.19 μs,10%—90%的上升时间范围为0.24~2.25 μs。触发闪电的上行正先导的发展速度在104~105 m/s量级;人工触发闪电的回击过程在架空电源线路 (1200 m长,2 m高) 上产生的感应过电压可达十几千伏;广东电网闪电定位系统对人工触发闪电事件的探测效率为95%,平均定位误差为759 m,闪电定位系统反演得到的电流峰值与实际测量的电流峰值平均相对偏差为16.3%。     

人工触发闪电连续电流过程与M分量特征

在广州野外雷电试验基地,对2008年和2011年夏季人工触发闪电回击之后的14个连续电流过程和43个M分量的通道底部电流、电场变化和通道亮度进行了同步测量和分析。结果表明:M分量的电流、快慢电场变化和亮度变化波形均近似对称;触发闪电连续电流过程的持续时间、转移电荷量、电流平均值的几何平均值分别为22 ms,6.0 C和273 A;M分量的幅度、转移电荷量、半峰值宽度、上升时间、持续时间的几何平均值分别为409 A,205 mC,520 μs,305 μs和1.6 ms;连续电流持续时间与M分量的个数、相邻M分量之间的时间间隔均存在显著的正相关关系。     

一次多回击自然闪电的高速摄像观测

2006年8月1日在广东省从化市利用成像率为5000幅/s的高速摄像系统观测得到了一次包含有13个回击过程的自然负地闪, 其梯级先导的传播速度为106 m/s的量级; 一次企图先导的传播速度随高度的降低而减小; 一次直窜先导的传播速度随高度的降低而增加。有3次继后回击相对积分亮度的峰值大于首次回击相对积分亮度的峰值。研究发现:此次自然闪电的继后回击及紧跟其后的连续电流过程的发光总量与该次继后回击之前闪电通道的截止时间有关, 较大的发光总量对应于较长的截止时间, 较小的发光总量对应于较短的截止时间, 但两者没有固定的比例关系。     

人工触发闪电M分量的电流与电磁场特征

利用2008—2010年在广州从化人工触发闪电试验中观测到的闪电通道底部电流、近距离电场以及近距离磁场数据资料,对人工触发闪电M过程的电流和电磁场特征及相关性进行了分析。统计分析结果显示:M分量电场波形持续时间和10%~90%上升时间几何平均值分别为0.49 ms和0.12 ms;电流波形持续时间、10%~90%上升时间和电流变化的几何平均值分别为0.53 ms, 0.11 ms和0.34 kA;磁场波形持续时间、10%~90%上升时间和磁场变化的几何平均值分别为0.65 ms, 0.16 ms和2.76×10-5T。此外,M分量的电流、电场及磁场波形间存在一定的相互关系。相关分析结果表明:M分量的电磁场与电流资料在峰值幅度上具有较显著相关性,几何形状也较为一致,利用电磁场资料反演M分量的电流波形具有可行性。     

人工触发闪电不同放电阶段电流特征关系

分析了2019年夏季在广州从化人工引雷试验场获取的14次人工触发闪电通道底部电流数据,以有无回击(RS)和初始连续电流(ICC)持续时间长短2个标准对数据进行分类,研究不同触发闪电和不同放电阶段的差异和规律。研究表明:相比无回击的触发闪电,产生回击的触发闪电具有更大的先驱放电脉冲(PCP)及初始先驱放电脉冲(IPCP)的平均峰值电流、更多的IPCP总体转移电荷量、更大的ICC平均电流和总体转移电荷量以及更长的ICC持续时间;初始连续电流持续时间是回击平均峰值电流大小、首次继后回击转移电荷量大小和首次继后回击峰值电流大小的重要影响因素,且长初始连续电流的触发闪电对应的PCP及IPCP平均峰值电流也更大、平均转移电荷量也更多;PCP和IPCP平均峰值电流与ICC持续时间相关性最强,是决定ICC放电持续时间的重要因素,未能产生初始连续电流的PCP脉冲簇其平均转移电荷量小于初始先驱放电脉冲簇,其转化的关键阈值之一是平均转移电荷量大于25.91 μC。     

一次多回击触发闪电全过程的连续干涉仪观测

基于自主研发的闪电连续干涉仪,对2019年6月11日在中国气象局雷电野外科学试验基地广州从化人工引雷试验场成功触发的一次多回击闪电放电全过程进行观测,结合通道底部电流数据和电场变化数据,共同揭示触发闪电全放电过程:连续干涉仪能够定位到最小为8 A的不连续的先驱电流脉冲辐射信号,初始先驱电流脉冲(IPCP)的平均转移电荷量约为先驱电流脉冲(PCP)的2倍;上行正先导连续发展后为初始连续电流(ICC)过程,最初正流光通道以105 m·s-1量级的速度继续发展延伸,之后出现反冲先导放电;在ICC阶段出现的经典M分量,可由向前的106 m·s-1量级速度的正流光(先导)产生,也可由已有通道头部产生的反冲先导产生,且整个M分量过程中,多个反冲先导维持了放电过程的持续;之后的回击间过程以反冲先导为主要放电形式,回击电流脉冲之前存在多次反冲先导过程,但多数未发展到接地通道,只处于企图先导阶段,直至成功的先导回击产生;而前两次回击具有超短的时间间隔,约为4.5 ms,这是由于两次回击前的先导来源于云内不同分支的反冲先导过程。     

Fine-resolution simulation of cloud-to-ground lightning and thundercloud charge transfer

2-D 12.5 m-resolution simulations of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning discharge processes have been performed using an improved stochastic lightning model for different types of cloud charge distributions, such as dipole, tripole, bi-dipole and multi-layer charge structures produced from the numerical simulation of thundercloud electrification. The modelling produced the fine branched channel structure of CG lightning and the results illustrate the relations between CG lightning channel propagation and cloud charge distribution. The simulated features of CG lightning are associated with the observed results. The simulation studies are essential in our understanding of complex charge transfer processes caused by CG lightning discharges in thunderclouds. The induced charges of opposite polarity are deposited or embedded in the local volumes where the bidirectional leaders passed during a CG lightning discharge. Although the embedding affects charge structure only in a pair of significant positive and negative charge regions closest to the ground, the electric field strength acutely weakens and electrostatic energy in thunderclouds is significantly consumed when the discharge terminates. In addition to simulating the upward and downward breakdown of the initial leader to ground and the ensuing return stroke (RS), the simulation assumes that current continues to flow in the channel to ground and determines the upward breakdown until the end of the discharge. For the subsequent discharge sub-process, the upward leader channel tends to transfer the charges with the same polarity as the RS, while the downward leader channel favors transfer of opposite charge to ground. In the sub-processes of a few CG flash simulations, the magnitude of the opposite charges from the downward leader exceeds that of charges with the same polarity from the upward leader so that the net charges transferred to the ground have a reversed polarity to the RS. The simulation presents similar features of CG lightning as those observed in realistic bipolar CG lightning.     

Simultaneous optical and electrical observations on the initial processes of altitude-triggered negative lightning

Using a high-speed camera system and two electric field antenna systems, we have documented the initial processes of an altitude-triggered negative lightning (ATNL). The optical records clearly show that ATNL begins with the inception and propagation of an upward positive leader (UPL) and then a simultaneous propagation of UPL and downward negative leader (DNL), known as the bidirectional leader process, follows. Based on the optical records, it is inferred that (1) the triggering height is about 371 m; (2) the two-dimensional (2D) propagation speed of the UPL in its inception phase is about 3.8–5.5 × 10⁴ m s^− 1 during its propagation from about 393 to 452 m above the ground; (3) the grey levels of the DNL are about one order of magnitude higher than that of the UPL in their inception phase; (4) a discharge phenomenon propagating along the elevated triggering wire part of the lightning channel occurs after the mini-return stroke (MRS), with a 2D propagation speed of about 1.6–2.0 × 10⁵ m s^− 1. Combined with the simultaneous electric field change records, it is further inferred that (1) the UPL incepts about 932 μs earlier than the unstable DNL and about 4.1 ms earlier than the stable DNL; (2) the unstable DNL propagates downward intermittently three times with a time interval of about 1 ms, and each propagation contains a different number of steps with an average step length of about 7 m; (3) the stable DNL incepts at the tip of the unstable one, with a 2D propagation speed of about 1.9 × 10⁵ m s^− 1, an average step length of about 3 m, and a stepping time interval varying from 6 to 31 µs with a mean value of 15 µs.     

Waveshapes of continuing currents and properties of M-components in natural positive cloud-to-ground lightning

This work analyses the waveshapes of continuing currents and parameters of M-components in positive cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes through high-speed GPS synchronized videos. The dataset is composed of only long continuing currents (with duration longer than 40 ms) and was selected from more than 800 flashes recorded in São José dos Campos (45.864°W, 23.215°S) and Uruguaiana (29.806°W, 57.005°S) in Southeast and South of Brazil, respectively, during 2003 to 2007 summers. The videos are compared with data obtained by the Brazilian Lightning Location System (BrasilDAT) in order to determine the polarity of each flash and select only positive cases. There are only two studies of waveshapes of continuing currents in the literature. One is based on direct current measurements of triggered lightning, in which four different types of waveshapes were observed; and the other is based on measurements of luminosity variations in high-speed videos of CG negative lightning, in which besides the four types above mentioned two additional types were observed. The present work is an extension of the latter, using the same method but now applied to obtain the waveshapes of positive CG lightning. As far as the authors know, this is the first report on M-components in positive continuing currents. We also have used the luminosity-versus-time graphs to observe their occurrence and measure some parameters (duration, elapsed time and time between two successive M-components), whose statistics are presented and compared in detail to the data for negative flashes. We have plotted a histogram of the M-components elapsed time over the total duration of the continuing current for positive flashes, which presented an exponential decay (correlation coefficient: 0.83), similar to what has been observed for negative flashes.     

云下部正电荷区与负地闪预击穿过程

三维雷电观测系统LMA(Lightning Mapping Array)是最近发展起来的基于GPS时钟同步的闪电VHF辐射源到达时间差(TOA)定位技术,能以很高的时间分辨率(50 ns)和空间定位精度(50-100 m)展现闪电放电发展过程的三维时空分布,揭示雷暴中电荷结构及其与放电过程的关系.文中利用三维雷电VHF辐射源观测资料分析了负地闪预击穿过程的时空分布特征,讨论了云下部正电荷区对负地闪发生的影响,其结果表明在首次回击之前存在长时间预击穿过程的负地闪中,预击穿过程是云中部负电荷区与下部正电荷区之间的一种云内放电过程,闪电起始于云中部负电荷区,然后向下发展传输,进入正电荷区后闪电通道在云下部正电荷区水平发展,其放电特征与反极性云闪放电一致,云内放电过程最后阶段的K型击穿激发了地闪的梯级先导,梯级先导穿过云下部正电荷区向下发展传输.云下部正电荷的存在是导致负地闪首次回击之前存在长时间云内预击穿过程的主要原因.     

Optical and Electrical Observations of an Abnormal Triggered Lightning Event with two Upward Propagations

This study investigates an abnormal artificially triggered lightning event that produced two positive upward propagations: one during the initial stage (i.e., the upward leader (UL)) and the other after a negative downward aborted leader (DAL). The triggered lightning was induced in a weak thunderstorm over the experiment site and did not produce a return stroke. All of the intra-cloud lightning around the experiment site produced positive changes in the electric field. The initial stage was a weak discharge process. A downward dart leader propagated along the channel produced by the first UL, ending at a height of approximately 453 m and forming a DAL. Under the influence of the DAL, the electric field at a point located 78 m from the rod experienced a steady reduction of about 6.8 kV m-1 over 5.24 ms prior to the initiation of a new upward channel (i.e., the second upward propagation (UP)). The second UP, which started approximately 4.1 ms after the termination of the DAL and propagated along the original channel, was triggered by the DAL and sustained for approximately 2.95 ms. Two distinct current pulses were superimposed on the current of the second UP. The first pulse, which was related to the sudden initiation of the second UP, was characterized by a more rapid increase and decrease and a larger peak value than the second pulse, which was related to the development of the second UP into the area affected by the DAL. The second UP contained both a similar-to-leader process and a following neutralization process. This study introduces a new type of triggering leader, in which a new upward discharge is triggered in an established channel by an aborted leader propagating along the same channel with opposite polarity and propagation direction.     

中国南北方雷暴及人工触发闪电电特性对比分析

通过对我国南北方雷暴及人工触发闪电电特性的对比分析，发现南北方雷暴及人工触发闪是电特性有很大差异。北方雷暴电荷结构呈三极性，人工触发闪电是在地面电场为正的情况下成功的。主要由连续电流和双极性电流脉冲组成，最大放电电流为１ｋＡ，中和电葆量只有几库仑；南方雷暴则为偶极性，触发闪电由连续电流和我次回击组成，电流峰值在于１０ｋＡ。触发闪电时地面电场均为负极性，其中在４ｋＶ／ｍ以上；触发高度在北方最低为２６     

Interaction between adjacent lightning discharges in clouds

Using a 3D lightning radiation source locating system (LLS), three pairs of associated lightning discharges (two or more adjacent lightning discharges following an arbitrary rule that their space-gap was less than 10 km and their time-gap was less than 800 ms) were observed, and the interaction between associated lightning discharges was analyzed. All these three pairs of associated lightning discharges were found to involve three or more charge regions (the ground was considered as a special charge region). Moreover, at least one charge region involved two lightning discharges per pair of associated lightning discharges. Identified from electric field changes, the subsequent lightning discharges were suppressed by the prior lightning discharges. However, it is possible that the prior lightning discharge provided a remaining discharge channel to facilitate the subsequent lightning discharge. The third case provided evidence of this possibility. Together, the results suggested that, if the charges in the main negative charge region can be consumed using artificial lightning above the main negative charge regions, lightning accidents on the ground could be greatly reduced, on the condition that the height of the main negative charge region and the charge intensity of the lower positive charge region are suitable.     

基于ADTD资料的浙江地区多回击地闪特征分析

利用2007—2018年浙江省ADTD闪电定位资料,分析了该地区多回击地闪分布及相关参数特征。结果表明:浙江省多回击地闪占总地闪的26.74%,其中正闪以单回击地闪为主;正、负闪平均回击数分别为1.04次和1.65次,最大回击数分别为5次和21次。回击数和地闪数存在较为一致的年际变化,正、负多回击地闪日变化分别呈多峰和单峰分布。正、负多回击地闪电流强度算术平均值分别为72.06kA和-36.89kA,回击平均强度随回击数的增加而下降,约40%的地闪过程中至少有1次继后回击强度比首次回击强;首次回击和继后回击的强度分布呈对数正态分布,集中在15～45kA之间。正、负地闪回击间隔时间算术平均值分别为125.47ms和138.14ms,几何平均值分别为56.73ms和98.95ms,回击间隔时间呈对数正态分布,平均回击间隔时间随回击数的增大而减小。多回击地闪继后回击与首次回击之间距离与回击数呈准正态分布,集中在距离为1km范围内。     

北京多频段闪电三维定位网及一次雷暴过程的闪电时空演化特征

北京多频段闪电三维定位网（Beijing Broadband Lightning NETwork,简称BLNET）是一个研究和业务相结合的区域性全闪三维定位网。2015年,对BLNET硬件、站网布局及定位算法等方面进行了更新升级,提高了传感器的灵敏度,提升了软件的运算效率和站网的探测性能。升级后的BLNET不仅具备了对云闪、地闪脉冲类型的快速识别和电流峰值估算等功能,也实现了对闪电辐射源脉冲的三维实时定位,以及通道可分辨的闪电放电过程精细定位。对2017年7月7日一次雷暴过程的闪电辐射源脉冲实时三维定位结果分析表明,这次雷暴过程一共观测到11902次闪电,以云闪为主,地闪占总闪的28%,正地闪较少,仅占总地闪的5%,在雷暴成熟期,最大闪电频数高达927 flashes (6 min)?1。通过对比分析闪电辐射源位置和对应时刻的雷达回波,发现辐射源基本集中在强回波范围内。对一次正地闪的精细定位表明,该正地闪初始阶段表现出明显的预击穿过程,闪电辐射源的始发位置位于海拔高度约5.4 km,随后通道向上发展,在约10 km高度,通道开始沿着水平发展。对一次负地闪的精细定位表明,初始阶段放电首先从约7.1 km高度处始发,通道向南水平发展,同时部分负先导分支向下发展,约38 ms后,通道短暂停止发展,17 ms后,通道始发处重新激发。以上结果表明,BLNET不仅具备对整个雷暴生命史闪电活动的三维实时定位和监测,而且可以实现对闪电三维放电通道的精细定位。     

Continuing current in multiple channel cloud-to-ground lightning

In this study we analyze the effects of continuing current initiated by strokes following a new channel to ground in multiple stroke flashes using high-speed video records, electric field measurements from a fast antenna and lightning detection network data. We observed that the long continuing current initiated by a stroke that follows a new channel also obeys the pattern in the initiation of long continuing current suggested by Rakov and Uman [Rakov, V.A., Uman, M.A., 2003. Lightning: Physics and Effects, 687pp., Cambridge Univ. Press, New York.]. We also verify that the statement of Rakov and Uman [Rakov, V.A. and Uman, M.A., 1990. Some properties of negative cloud-to-ground lightning flashes versus stroke order, Journal of Geophysical Research. 95, 5447–5453.] reporting that: “...strokes initiating long continuing currents tend to have lower initial electric field peak than regular strokes” is valid for strokes that create a new channel to ground and are followed by long continuing current (CC). Apparently the reduction of peak current value (I_p) when the stroke is followed by a long CC is stronger than the I_p increase that is commonly observed when strokes follow a new channel. We also find that the “exclusion zone” proposed by Saba et al. [Saba, M.M.F., Pinto, O. Jr., Ballarotti, M.G., 2006a. Relation between lightning return stroke peak current and following continuing current, Geophysical Research Letters 33, L23807, doi:10.1029/2006GL027455.] is valid for new channels initiating CC, and finally we verify that a number of strokes in the same channel larger than four or the existence of a long CC current do not always consolidate the channel in a multiple stroke flash.