Study of charge structure and radiation characteristic of intracloud discharge in thunderstorms of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The comprehensive observations on lightning discharges were conducted in Naqu area of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in summer of 2002. The electric structures of thunderstorms and the characteristics of lightning discharges at initial stage were analyzed by using the observation data. The results show that most of intracloud (IC) lightning flashes were polarities inverted in thunderstorms with tripole electric charge structure and occurred between negative charge region located in the middle of the thunderstorm and positive charge region located at the bottom of the thunderstorm. The radiation characteristics of discharge processes in cloud with longer lasting time involved in Cloud-to-Ground (CG) lightning flashes were similar to that of IC discharges.A lot of radiation pulses were produced in these discharge processes. Because the IC discharges took place at the bottom of thundercloud and were near the ground, they may produce more serious damage to equipment on the ground therefore should not be neglected in lightning protection.     

青藏高原那曲地区雷电特征初步分析

通过对2002年夏季青藏高原那曲地区雷暴过程及闪电观测资料的初步分析,发现该地区雷暴电荷结构具有多样性和复杂性,地闪明显偏少. 对高原地闪的一些基本特征参量的统计分析表明,无论正地闪还是负地闪梯级先导前都具有持续时间较长的云内放电过程,地闪以单次回击为主. 与中低纬度地区相比,高原地闪中正地闪比例明显要高,为33髎;负地闪为67髎;正、负地闪回击后常常伴随短时间的连续电流.     

Recent Results from Studies of Electric Discharges in the Mesosphere

The paper reviews recent advances in studies of electric discharges in the stratosphere and mesosphere above thunderstorms, and their effects on the atmosphere. The primary focus is on the sprite discharge occurring in the mesosphere, which is the most commonly observed high altitude discharge by imaging cameras from the ground, but effects on the upper atmosphere by electromagnetic radiation from lightning are also considered. During the past few years, co-ordinated observations over Southern Europe have been made of a wide range of parameters related to sprites and their causative thunderstorms. Observations have been complemented by the modelling of processes ranging from the electric discharge to perturbations of trace gas concentrations in the upper atmosphere. Observations point to significant energy deposition by sprites in the neutral atmosphere as observed by infrasound waves detected at up to 1000 km distance, whereas elves and lightning have been shown significantly to affect ionization and heating of the lower ionosphere/mesosphere. Studies of the thunderstorm systems powering high altitude discharges show the important role of intracloud (IC) lightning in sprite generation as seen by the first simultaneous observations of IC activity, sprite activity and broadband, electromagnetic radiation in the VLF range. Simulations of sprite ignition suggest that, under certain conditions, energetic electrons in the runaway regime are generated in streamer discharges. Such electrons may be the source of X- and Gamma-rays observed in lightning, thunderstorms and the so-called Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) observed from space over thunderstorm regions. Model estimates of sprite perturbations to the global atmospheric electric circuit, trace gas concentrations and atmospheric dynamics suggest significant local perturbations, and possibly significant meso-scale effects, but negligible global effects.     

不同电结构雷暴中的地闪特征

对观测资料的分析表明,甘肃地区和海南岛的地闪特征具有很大差异。海南岛负地闪（P型）首次回击前的电场变化波形与国外的报道类似,而甘肃地区仅有30％左右的负地闪属P型,约70％的负地闪首次回击前的电场变化波形具有明显的云闪特征（C型负地闪）。海南岛没有发现正地闪,甘肃地区有正地闪。该两地区存在两类电结构不同的雷暴,两类雷暴中地闪放电过程及特征的很大差异,说明我国的防雷规范及措施很可能需要考虑雷暴的地区差异性。     

Numerical simulation of the effect of lower positive charge region in thunderstorms on different types of lightning

Combined with the existing stochastic lightning parameterization scheme, a classic tripole charge structure in thunderstorms is assumed in the paper, and then 2-dimensional fine-resolution lighting discharge simulations are performed to quantitatively investigate the effect of lower positive charge (LPC) on different types of lightning. The results show: (1) The LPC plays a key role in generating negative cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes and inverted intra-cloud (IC) lightning, and with the increase of charge density or distribution range of LPC region, lightning type changes from positive polarity IC lightning to negative CG flashes and then to inverted IC lightning. (2) Relative to distribution range of charge regions, the magnitude of charge density of the LPC region plays a dominant role in lightning type. Only when the maximal charge density value of LPC region is within a certain range, can negative CG flashes occur, and the occurrence probability is relatively fixed. (3) In this range, the charge density and distribution range of LPC region jointly determine the occurrence of negative CG flashes, which has a linear boundary with the trigger condition of IC lightning. (4) The common effect of charge density and distribution range of the LPC region is to change the distribution of positive potential well of bottom part of thunderstorms, and inverted IC lightning occurs when the initial reference potential is close to 0 MV, and negative CG flashes occur when the initial reference potential is far less than 0 MV.     

Some observations of bipolar flashes during summer thunderstorms near Warsaw

Lightning discharges monitored by the SAFIR network system in Poland have been additionally identified over the 100×100 km area near Warsaw by single-point independent recordings of electric field and Maxwell current rapid changes. The data collected in summer thunderstorm days of 2002 showed some untypical properties of the lightning discharges which are rarely observed. Especially remarkable was a number of ground multi-stroke flashes with the return strokes (RS) which transported to the earth charges of opposite signs. Bipolar flashes (BF) of this kind were mostly involved in the events in which the nearby intracloud (ic) and cloud-to-ground (c-g) discharges were very closely associated in time. Events of such a close collocation of two different types of lightning discharges, previously called the complex lightning discharge events (CLDE), were quite often observed during summer thunderstorms in Poland. The events of this kind, i.e. 8 flashes, identified by the SAFIR detection system as BF’s present the multiple stroke flashes of the mean horizontal separation distance between striking points of particular RS equal to (2.8 ± 2.1) km and of the mean time interval between strokes of (46.8 ± 74.4) ms. The time separation between the observed BF and the adjacent ic flashes was from 0.1 to 335 ms, and horizontal separation distance between them ranged from 1.8 to 14.5 km. The multiplicity of the recorded BF’s ranged from 2 to 4 strokes. Four of these BF’s followed the ic discharge, but the other three preceded the ic and one was alone with no close ic.     

A parameterization scheme for upward lightning in the cloud model and a discussion of the initial favorable environmental characteristics in the cloud

The upward lightning (UL) initiated from the top of tall buildings (at least above 100 m) is a type of atmospheric discharge. Currently, we understand the nature of the UL from ground observations, but the corresponding theoretical research is lacking. Based on an existing bidirectional leader stochastic model, a stochastic parameterization scheme for the UL has been built and embedded in an existing two-dimensional thundercloud charge/discharge model. The ULs simulated from the experiments with two-dimensional high resolution agree generally with the observation results. By analyzing the charge structure of thunderstorm clouds, we determined the in-cloud environmental characteristics that favor the initiation of conventional cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes and analyzed the differences and similarities of some characteristics of the positive and the negative UL. Simulation results indicate that the positive ULs are typically other-lightning-triggered ULs (OLTUL) and are usually a discharge phenomenon between the ground and the lower positive charge region appearing below the main middle negative charge region. The effect of the previous in-cloud lightning (IC) process of space electrical field provides favorable conditions for the initiation of a positive UL. Its entire discharge process is limited, and the branches of the leader are fewer in number as its discharge is not sufficient. A negative UL is generally a discharge phenomenon of the dipole charge structure between the ground and the main negative charge region. The lower temperature stratification and the sinking of the hydrometeors typically initiate a negative UL. Negative ULs develop strongly and have more branches. The OLTUL is initiated mainly during the development stage of a thunderstorm, while the self-triggered UL (STUL) is initiated mainly during the dissipation stage of a thunderstorm.     

Charge analysis on lightning discharges to the ground in Chinese inland plateau (close to Tibet)

Since the summer of 1996, scientists from China and Japan have conducted a joint observation of natural cloud-to-ground lightning discharges in the Zhongchuan area that is located close to Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, China. It has been found that the long-duration of intracloud discharge processes, just before the first return stroke, lasted more than 120 ms for 85% of cloud-to-ground flashes in this area, with a mean duration of 189.7 ms and a maximum of 300 ms. We present the results of charge sources neutralized by four ground flashes and two intracloud discharge processes, just before the first return stroke, by using the data from a 5-site slow antenna network synchronized by GPS with 1 s time resolution. The result shows that the altitudes of the neutralized negative charge for three negative ground flashes were between 2.7 to 5.4 km above the ground, while that of neutralized positive charges for one positive ground flash and one continuing current process were at about 2.0 km above the ground. The comparison with radar echo showed that the negative discharges initiated in the region greater than 20 dBZ or near the edge of the region with intense echoes greater than 40 dBZ, while positive discharge initiated in the weak echo region.     

Thunderstorms,Lightning, Sprites and Magnetospheric Whistler-Mode Radio Waves

Thunderstorms and the lightning that they produce are inherently interesting phenomena that have intrigued scientists and mankind in general for many years. The study of thunderstorms has rapidly advanced during the past century and many efforts have been made towards understanding lightning, thunderstorms and their consequences. Recent observations of optical phenomena above an active lightning discharge along with the availability of modern technology both for data collection and data analysis have renewed interest in the field of thunderstorms and their consequences in the biosphere. In this paper, we review the electrification processes of a thunderstorm, lightning processes and their association with global electric circuit and climate. The upward lightning discharge can cause sprites, elves, jets, etc. which are together called transient luminous events. Their morphological features and effects in the mesosphere are reviewed. The wide spectrum of electromagnetic waves generated during lightning discharges couple the lower atmosphere with the ionosphere/magnetosphere. Hence various features of these waves from ULF to VHF are reviewed with reference to recent results and their consequences are also briefly discussed.     

Observations on the leader-return stroke of cloud-to-ground lightning with the broadband interferometer

Radio frequency observations of cloud-to-ground lightning (CG) were made in 1999 in Guangdong Province with the broadband lightning interferometer. In this paper, radiation source locations and electric field waveforms are analyzed for different types of breakdown events, including the preliminary breakdown of in-cloud activities, the stepped leaders of initial strokes to ground and activities during and following return strokes. It is shown that the structure and development of lightning discharges and associated breakdown processes can be reconstructed by using this new type of lightning radiation source location system. The detectable radiation of lightning was primarily produced by the negative breakdown process. The channel was concentrated with few branches during the preliminary breakdown stage of CG lightning flashes. The radiation sources appeared generally at the tip of the channel. During the late period of the stepped leader, the radiation sources were dispersed with branches extended away from the main channel. The radiation sources were in a certain length segment of the channel and the altitude of the segment descended along with the propagation of the leader to the ground. During the preliminary breakdown and the stepped leader of initial strokes to the ground, a sequence of fast negative streamers were observed to start continually from or farther away the lightning-initiated region and propagate along the developed leader channel, which may supply negative charge that assisted the leader’s development. The progression speed of fast negative streamers was about ten times faster than the average speed of lightning channel.     

Understanding the dynamical-microphysical-electrical processes associated with severe thunderstorms over the Beijing metropolitan region

The Dynamical-microphysical-electrical Processes in Severe Thunderstorms and Lightning Hazards(STORM973)project conducted coordinated comprehensive field observations of thunderstorms in the Beijing metropolitan region(BMR)during the warm season from 2014 to 2018.The aim of the project was to understand how dynamical,microphysical and electrical processes interact in severe thunderstorms in the BMR,and how to assimilate lightning data in numerical weather prediction models to improve severe thunderstorm forecasts.The platforms used in the field campaign included the Beijing Lightning Network(BLNET,consisting of 16 stations),2 X-band dual linear polarimetric Doppler radars,and 4 laser raindrop spectrometers.The collaboration also made use of the China Meteorological Administration’s mesoscale meteorological observation network in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.Although diverse thunderstorm types were documented,it was found that squall lines and multicell storms were the two major categories of severe thunderstorms with frequent lightning activity and extreme rainfall or unexpected local short-duration heavy rainfall resulting in inundations in the central urban area,influenced by the terrain and environmental conditions.The flash density maximums were found in eastern Changping District,central and eastern Shunyi District,and the central urban area of Beijing,suggesting that the urban heat island effect has a crucial role in the intensification of thunderstorms over Beijing.In addition,the flash rate associated with super thunderstorms can reach hundreds of flashes per minute in the central city regions.The super(5%of the total),strong(35%),and weak(60%)thunderstorms contributed about 37%,56%,and 7%to the total flashes in the BMR,respectively.Owing to the close connection between lightning activity and the thermodynamic and microphysical characteristics of the thunderstorms,the lightning flash rate can be used as an indicator of severe weather events,such as hail and short-duration heavy rainfall.Lightning data can also be assimilated into numerical weather prediction models to help improve the forecasting of severe convection and precipitation at the cloud-resolved scale,through adjusting or correcting the thermodynamic and microphysical parameters of the model.     

Occurrence conditions of positive cloud-to-ground flashes in severe thunderstorms

The purpose of this study was to understand the reasons why frequent positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) flashes occur in severe thunderstorms. A three-dimensional dynamics-electrification coupled model was used to simulate a severe thunderstorm to permit analysis of the conditions that might easily cause +CG flashes. The results showed that strong updrafts play an important role in the occurrence of intracloud flashes. However, frequent +CG flashes require not only strong updrafts but also strong downdrafts in the lower cloud region, conditions that correspond to the later phase of the mature stage and the period of the heaviest solid precipitation of a thunderstorm. During this stage, strong updrafts elevated each charge area in the updraft region to a higher level, which resulted in an inverted tripole charge structure. A wide mid-level region of strong positive charge caused largely by positively charged graupel, presented in the middle of the updraft region because of a non-inductive ice-ice collisional charging mechanism. The charge structure in the downdraft region was consistently more complex and revealed several vertically stacked charge regions, alternating in polarity. Much of the graupel/hail outside the updrafts was lowered to cloud-base by strong downdrafts. In this area, the graupel/hail was charged negatively because of the transportation of negatively charged graupel/hail from higher regions of negative charge in the updrafts, and via the inductive charging mechanism of collisions between graupel/hail and cloud droplets at the bottom of the cloud. Consequently, a large region of negative charge formed near the ground. This meant that +CG flashes were initiated more easily in the lower inverted dipole, i.e., the middle region of positive charge and lower region of negative charge. Frequent +CG flashes began almost synchronously with dramatic increases in the storm updrafts, hail volume, and total flash rate. Therefore, the occurrence of +CG flashes appears a good indicator of storm intensification and it could have some use as a predictor of severe weather in the form of hail.     

Numerical simulations of the bi-level and branched structure of intracloud lightning flashes

Intracloud (IC) lightning is used to mean those lightning flashes which channels do not strike the ground. It is an important scientific problem to inves-tigate the IC flash features and the discharge physics.Measurements from the electric field change arrange-ment[1,2] and VHF radiation events[3,4] have provided ample evidence that IC flashes have branches with substantial horizontal extents. The VHF interferomet-662 Science in China: Series D Earth Sciences ric observations[5] also s…     

The relation between the number of strokes,stroke intervals and the total durations of lightning discharges

Summary Although lightning flashes have been photographed which apparently have up to 40 or more component strokes, no flashes having more than 14 strokes have been observed on records of the eletrical fields of thunderstorms. The apparent discrepancy between the two methods of observation is explained by the fact that small momentary increases in the continuing current flowing to ground after some strokes, are easily mistaken for component strokes on photographs taken with slow cameras.After the cessation of a discharge, the ionization of the lightning channel decreases at such a rate that a subsequent discharge to earth will require a fresh leader if it follows within an interval longer than about 15 millisec; discharges following at shorter intervals are not preceded by leaders. The channel loses its ionization completely in about 100 millisec.In general, the larger the number of component strokes, the longer is the duration of the flash, but there is no definite relationship between the number of strokes and the duration.Flashes of exceptionally long duration always have one or more very long intervals between two successive strokes and during these intervals there appears to be very little electrical activity in the cloud; it is suggested that the main progress of the discharge in the cloud takes place during the shorter intervals, so that flashes of long duration do not necessarily drain very extensive regions of charge.I wish to thank the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for a grant in aid of this research.     

On the NOx production by laboratory electrical discharges and lightning

Different approaches are used in estimating the global production of NO_x by lightning flashes, including field measurements carried out during thunderstorm conditions, theoretical studies combining the physics and chemistry of the electrical discharges, and measurements of NO_x yield in laboratory sparks with subsequent extrapolation to lightning. In the latter procedure, laboratory data are extrapolated to lightning using the energy as the scaling quantity. Further, in these studies only the return strokes are considered assuming that contributions from other processes such as leaders, continuing currents, M components, and K processes are negligible. In this paper, we argue that the use of energy as the scaling quantity and omission of all lightning processes other than return strokes are not justified. First, a theory which can be used to evaluate the NO_x production by electrical discharges, if the current flowing in the discharge is known, is presented. The results obtained from theory are compared with the available experimental data and a reasonable agreement is found. Numerical experiments suggest that the NO_x production efficiency of electrical discharges depends not only on the energy dissipated in the discharge, but also on the shape of current waveform. Thus, the current signature, can influence extrapolation of laboratory data to lightning flashes. Second, an estimation of the NO_x yield per lightning flash is made by treating the lightning flash as a composite event consisting of several discharge processes. We show that the NO_x production takes place mainly in slow discharge processes such as leaders, M components, and continuing currents, with return strokes contributing only a small fraction of the total NO_x. The results also show that cloud flashes are as efficient as ground flashes in NO_x generation. In estimating the global NO_x production by lightning flashes the most influencing parameter is the length of the lightning discharge channel inside the cloud. For the total length of channels inside the cloud of a typical ground flash of about 45 km, we estimate that the global annual production of NO_x is about 4 Tg(N).     

基于TRMM卫星多传感器资料揭示的亚洲季风区雷暴时空分布特征

利用16年（1998-2013）的热带降水测量任务卫星（TRMM）降水雷达和闪电成像仪等多传感器观测资料,分析了亚洲季风区内雷暴和强雷暴的空间分布、季节变化及日变化等气候特征.文中取闪电数大于1的雷达降水特征为雷暴,并将闪电频数在前10%的雷暴定义为强雷暴.结果表明：雷暴活动主要集中在陆地及近海区域,陆地与海洋上的雷暴密度之比约为4.4：1,强雷暴密度之比约为7.4：1.0-10°N纬度带内雷暴数占总雷暴的比例最大（占总数的31.7%）,而强雷暴则在20°N-30°N区间最为活跃（34.5%）.雷暴与闪电密度的空间分布在低纬度区域（0-30°N）较为一致,但在中纬度地区（30°N-36°N）呈现出不同的分布特征,即从西部的青藏高原向东部的江淮流域,雷暴密度逐渐减少但闪电密度逐渐增加;而强雷暴与闪电密度的空间分布基本一致.受亚洲夏季风活动影响,低纬度地区强雷暴更容易发生在春季,强中心位于喜马拉雅山南麓东端,次中心位于中南半岛,而中纬度地区在夏季最为活跃,强中心和次中心则分别位于喜马拉雅山南麓西端和中国江淮流域.陆地上雷暴主要集中在午后至傍晚,少数区域受局地环流和气象条件的影响夜雷暴活动频繁,而海洋上雷暴更易发生在午夜至清晨.     

Low-frequency E-field Detection Array(LFEDA)—Construction and preliminary results

In recent years, locating total lightning at the VLF/LF band has become one of the most important directions in lightning detection. The Low-frequency E-field Detection Array(LFEDA) consisting of nine fast antennas was developed by the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences in Guangzhou between 2014 and 2015. This paper documents the composition of the LFEDA and a lightning-locating algorithm that applies to the low-frequency electric field radiated by lightning pulse discharge events(LPDEs). Theoretical simulation and objective assessment of the accuracy and detection efficiency of LFEDA have been done using Monte Carlo simulation and artificial triggered lightning experiment, respectively. The former results show that having a station in the network with a comparatively long baseline improves both the horizontal location accuracy in the direction perpendicular to the baseline and the vertical location accuracy along the baseline. The latter results show that detection efficiencies for triggered lightning flashes and return strokes are 100% and 95%, respectively. The average planar location error for return strokes of triggered lightning flashes is 102 m. By locating LPDEs in thunderstorms, we find that LPDEs are consistent with convective regions as indicated by strong reflectivity columns, and present a reasonable distribution in the vertical direction.In addition, the LFEDA can reveal an image of lightning development through mapping the channels of lightning. Based on three-dimensional locations, the vertical propagation speed of the preliminary breakdown and the changing trend of the leader's speed in an intra-cloud and a cloud-to-ground flash are investigated. The research results show that the LFEDA has the capability for three-dimensional location of lightning, which provides a new technique for researching lightning development characteristics and thunderstorm electricity.     

Atmosphere–ionosphere vertical electric coupling above thunderstorms of different intensity

The most important features of the quasi-electrostatic fields (QSFs) and currents, generated in the region between a thunderstorm (TS) and the ionosphere between lightning discharges, are theoretically investigated. They depend on different factors having large variability, related to the TS and to the atmospheric conductivity. These features are studied in order to understand better the conditions when QSFs cause modifications of the parameters and chemical balance in the lower ionosphere over TSs due to electron heating, as well as the generation of red sprites. For this purpose, an analytical model based on Maxwell's equations under conditions of curl-free electric fields is presented. The temporal and spatial behaviour of the QSFs is studied as a function of the parameters of lightning discharges and of atmospheric conductivity. The dependence of the QSF, mainly its peak values, on the charge moment change, the discharge time, and the horizontal extent of the discharged region, on the one hand, and of the conductivity profile, on the other, is studied. It is shown that the profile of the QSF time peak changes its scale height at the altitudes where the relaxation time becomes equal to the discharge time, and where the conductivity scale height is diminished; below these altitudes the peak QSFs decrease with time much slower than above them. Also, the QSF peak increases almost linearly with the charge height and depends little on the size of the discharged region. The total Maxwell and conduction currents, which flow from the TS to the ionosphere, are also studied. The peak current is proportional to the charge moment change, and actually does not depend on the frequency of lightning discharges.     

雷暴下地面自然尖端电晕放电离子时空演化的数值模拟

为了对雷暴云下近地面的电特性进行分析，本文建立了模拟自然尖端所产生的电晕离子演化的一维数值模式。以地面电场为基础，考虑到地面电晕离子的演化，成功地计算了从地面至８００ｍ的空中电场及电荷、电流的时空演变，发现地面电晕离子可解释除雷暴云电荷影响外的空中电场和地面电场的差异，空间电场比地面电场更能反应雷暴电荷所产生的电场。空间电荷层可延伸到８００ｍ的高度上，且电荷密度可高达０．２５ｎＣ／ｍ^３，６００ｍ高度上的传导电流密度可达０．１ｎＡ／ｍ^２。     

Spatiotemporal characteristics of positive cloud-to-ground lightning discharges and bidirectional leader of the lightning

The negative CG lightning discharges neutralizing negative charges in cloud usually dominate for most of thunderstorms. However, a lot of positive CG light-ning discharges often occur in the disappearing stage of thunderstorms, in the stratiform region of mesoscale convective systems and some supercells producing hail and tornado. Because the positive CG lightning discharges produce larger current of the return stroke and neutralize more charges due to the continuing currents with longer las…