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…     

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).     

The first electric field pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning discharges

In this study, the first electric field pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground discharges were analyzed and compared with other pulses of cloud discharges. Thirty eight cloud discharges and 101 cloud-to-ground discharges have been studied in this analysis. Pulses in cloud discharges were classified as ‘small’, ‘medium’ and ‘large’, depending upon the value of their relative amplitude with respect to that of the average amplitude of the five largest pulses in the flash. We found that parameters, such as pulse duration, rise time, zero crossing time and full-width at half-maximum (FWHMs) of the first pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground discharges are similar to small pulses that appear in the later stage of cloud discharges. Hence, we suggest that the mechanism of the first pulse of cloud and cloud-to-ground discharges and the mechanism of pulses at the later stage of cloud discharges could be the same.     

Geothermal observations in east Liaoning and haicheng seismic area

We have obtained altogether heat flux data of 23 drill holes including 2 observational holes of thermal flow in the Haicheng seismic area. These data show roughly thermal structure of the crust in eastern Liaoning and in the Haicheng seismic area. The results indicate that there is higher value of heat flow in the belt north by east from Liaoyang to Xiongyue, the average thermal flux being 8.29× 10⁻²J/m²·s (2.0 hfu). The average thermal fulx in the Haicheng seismic area is 9.22×10²J/m²·s (2.2 hfu). Comparing with other known geophysical data of the Haicheng seismic area, we give a geophysical section of comprehensive interpretation. We suppose the low-velocity layer in the lower crust of the Haicheng seismic area is a result from intrusion of large-scale uper mantle substance. High temperature and low velocity mean that the layer has the nature of plastic mechanics. The focal region of the Haicheng earthquake is situated right in the upper part of that plastic layer. Obviously, this result is significant for studying the seismogenic process of the Haicheng earthquake and other intra-plate earthquakes. We attempt to emphasize that observation of heat flow is necessary for earthquake study. Gu Haoding did the actual writing.     

The modelling of positive return strokes in lightning flashes

A simple model is introduced to represent positive return strokes so that the electromagnetic field environment created by them at different distances and at ionospheric heights can be calculated. The model parameters were selected in such a way that they can be directly connected to the observed features of the electromagnetic fields. This removed the guess work that is sometimes necessary in attributing values to the parameters of models. The model is then used to evaluate the electromagnetic fields created by positive return strokes at locations, such as in the immediate vicinity of the lightning flash and in the ionosphere, where it is difficult to perform field measurements.     

气溶胶对雷暴云电过程影响的数值模拟研究

本文在已有的三维雷暴云起、放电模式中加入了一种经典的气溶胶活化参数化方案,结合一次长春雷暴个例,进行了雷暴云起放电数值模拟试验.研究显示气溶胶浓度改变对雷暴云微物理、起电及放电过程都有重要影响.结果表明：（1）污染型雷暴云中气溶胶浓度增加时,云滴数目增多,上升风速加强;云中冰晶与霰粒子数浓度增加但尺度减小;（2）相对于清洁型雷暴云,污染型雷暴云非感应起电过程弱,感应起电过程强,起电持续时间长;（3）污染型雷暴云中首次放电时间延迟,闪电持续发生的时间长,总闪电频次增加,正地闪频次增加明显.

     

区域闪电活动对地面相对湿度的响应

全球闪电活动表现出明显的地域差异,温度和湿度是造成这种差异的基本气象因素.本文利用美国全球水资源和气候中心提供的1995～2002年全球闪电资料和NCEP气象再分析资料,研究了区域闪电密度对地面相对湿度(RH)的响应.发现在平均相对湿度RH73%的经度带里,闪电密度与RH呈负相关;在RH>74%的赤道地区闪电活动与RH呈负相关, 而在RH<72%的中高纬地区闪电密度与RH呈正相关.得到结论：当地面相对湿度过大时,相对湿度的增加不利于闪电活动的发生;而当相对湿度较小时,相对湿度的增加有利于闪电活动的发生.地面相对湿度的临界值域约为72%～74%.此结论在不同经、纬度的几个典型区域均得到了验证,并探讨了过大的相对湿度抑制闪电活动发生的可能原因.     

ELF/VLF signatures of sprite-producing lightning discharges observed during the 2005 EuroSprite campaign

During the summer of 2005, transient luminous events were optically imaged from the French Pyrénées as part of the EuroSprite campaign. Simultaneously, extremely low frequency (ELF: 3–3000 Hz) and broadband very low frequency (VLF: 3–30 kHz) data were recorded continuously at two separate receivers in Israel, located about 3300 km from the area of the parent lightning discharges responsible for the generation of sprites. Additionally, narrowband VLF data were collected in Crete, at about 2300 km away from the region of sprites.The motivation for the present study was to identify the signature of the sprite-producing lightning discharges in the ELF and VLF electromagnetic frequency bands, to qualify and compare their parameters, and to study the influence of the thunderstorm-activated region on its overlaying ionosphere. For the 15 sprites analyzed, their causative positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) discharges had peak current intensities between +8 and +130 kA whereas their charge moment changes (CMC) ranged from 500 to 3500 C km. Furthermore, the peak current reported by the Météorage lightning network are well correlated with the amplitudes of the VLF bursts, while showing poor correlation with the CMCs which were estimated using ELF methods.Additionally, more than one +CG was associated with six of the sprites, implying that lightning discharges that produce sprites can sometimes have multiple ground connections separated in time and space. Finally, for a significant number of events (33%) an ELF transient was not associated with sprite occurrence, suggesting that long continuing current of tens of ms may not always be a necessary condition for sprite production, a finding which influences the estimation of the global sprite rate based on Schumann resonance (SR) measurements.     

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.     

云闪放电对云内电荷和电位分布影响的数值模拟

我们应用改进的随机闪电参数化方案,对两次雷暴的起、放电过程进行了二维125 m和250 m分辨率云闪模拟试验,分析表明高分辨率模拟的云闪通道几何结构、延伸范围和最大垂直电场变化等特征与观测结果更为一致,并且揭示了云闪放电重新配置云内电荷分布和空间电荷中和过程的一种新的物理图像：(1) 云闪的直接物理效应是在已有的空间电荷区内沿着放电通道沉积异极性电荷、形成复杂的空间电荷分布,有效地导致云中电位和场强绝对值及静电场能量剧烈下降,使放电终止.其中：放电后在闪电通道经过主要区域,电位降到±30 MV之间,垂直电场强度也降到±20 kV·m-1之间,一次正或负云闪估计消耗掉107～1010 J静电能;(2) 云中电荷中和不是正、负空间电荷简单地直接相互抵消的瞬态过程,而是广泛分布的云中空间电荷与通道沉积的异极性电荷通过湍流交换、平流输送、重力沉降以及起电等多种因素逐渐混合并部分被中和的一个后续慢过程,其弛豫时间典型值在14～44 s之间,在此期间通道感应电荷总量下降到50%以下.并残余部分电荷参与后续放电前高空间电荷密度和强电场的重建过程.     

Estimation of global lightning activity and observations of atmospheric electric field

Variations in the global atmospheric electric circuit are investigated using a wide range of globally spaced instruments observing VLF (∼10 kHz) waves, ELF (∼300 Hz) waves, Schumann resonances (4–60 Hz), and the atmospheric fair weather electric field. For the ELF/VLF observations, propagation effects are accounted for in a novel approach using established monthly averages of lightning location provided by the Lightning Image Sensor (LIS) and applying known frequency specific attenuation parameters for daytime/nighttime ELF/VLF propagation. Schumann resonances are analyzed using decomposition into propagating and standing waves in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. Derived lightning activity is compared to existing global lightning detection networks and fair weather field observations. The results suggest that characteristics of lightning discharges vary by region and may have diverse effects upon the ionospheric potential.     

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.     

Geomagnetic and sunspot activity associations and ionospheric effects of lightning phenomena at Trivandrum near dip equator

From a study of thunder/lightning observations in Trivandrum (near dip equator) for selected years between 1853 and 2005, we could find an inverse relation of the same with sunspot activity and associations with enhancements in diurnal range of local geomagnetic declination. The results seem to suggest lightning-associated modulation of E-region dynamo currents in the equatorial ionosphere and the thunderstorm activity near dip equator probably acts as a moderator to regulate electric potential gradient changes in the global electric circuit due to solar activity changes.     

Effect of Permafrost Rocks on Water Resources Formation in Eastern Siberia: Case Study of Some Rivers in Eastern Siberia

The study is focused on the specific features of water resources formation in Eastern Siberia under variable climate and regional occurrence of permafrost rocks. Expert estimates are given to the effect of greenhouse gas emissions on climate evolution in this large region. Under present-day climate conditions, featuring temperature rise and some increase in precipitation as resource-forming factors, the most significant changes are shown to have taken place in the formation of water resources and regime of dry-season runoff in individual rivers of Eastern Siberia, including the Lena, Indigirka, Kolyma, etc. Present-day resources of surface water and groundwater resources in the region are mapped and the dynamics of the annual and dryseason runoff of the rivers are plotted.     

Some results for the visual observations and spectrophotometering of the Earth's atmosphere twilight glow from the ‘Soyuz-5’ spacecraft

Summary The scheme of the experiment aiming at spectrophotometering of the twilight horizon is described. The first experience of spectrophotometering with the help of a handheld spectrograph is discussed. It is shown that such observations are useful for determining the vertical aerosol profile in the atmosphere.     

日本3·11特大地震相关背景和报道分析

日本地处环太平洋地震带上,全球地震按数量20%发生在日本。造成的损失也很大。2011年3月11日日本本州东海岸附近海域的9.0级地震是日本有历史记载以来最大的一次地震。     

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 on the behaviour of radioiodine vapour in the atmosphere

Summary The diffusion of gaseous radioiodine vapour to surfaces is controlled by boundary layer effects, and diffusion to the walls of a tube is in good agreement with theory. In the presence of condensation nuclei the behaviour of the radioiodine depends on the amount of iodine carrier present. With no carrier the radioiodine appears to undergo adsorption on the nuclei.     

Some observations on the kinetics of nitrifying activated-sludge plants

Conclusions Further basic information on the types and properties of the microorganisms which inhabit activated-sludge plants is required before it will be possible to give a detailed account of the fundamental kinetics of the process. However, in the case of certain organisms, such as the nitrifying bacteria, which have highly characteristic properties easily recognized by the chemical changes which they produce, it is possible to define the conditions necessary to retain these organisms in the system, apparently with sufficient accuracy for most practical purposes. It is found that to achieve nitrification consistently, the period of aeration must exceed a minimum value which is a function of the concentration of activated sludge, the temperature, and the strength of the sewage. When conditions are favourable for nitrification, the rate of nitrification and the rate of consumption of oxygen due to this process will tend to an equilibrium level which is proportional to the concentration of activated sludge under aeration. In an aeration unit through which the liquid travels with ideal piston-flow, the concentration of ammonia in the effluent under the above conditions will be normally very small. The effect of longitudinal mixing will be to increase slightly the concentration of ammonia in the effluent.

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Schlussfolgerungen Weitere Kenntnisse betreffend die Typen und die Eigenschaften der Mikroorganismen, die man in Belebtschlammanlagen findet, sind erforderlich, ehe es m?glich sein wird, im einzelnen Rechenschaft über die Grunds?tze der Kinetik dieses Verfahrens zu geben. Im Falle gewisser Organismen jedoch-wie z.B. der nitrierenden Bakterien, welche ausgesprochen charakteristische Eigenschaften haben, die leicht an den chemischen Ver?nderungen, die sie hervorrufen, zu erkennen sind-, ist es m?glich, die zur Erhaltung dieser Organismen in der Anlage n?tigen Bedingungen anscheinend mit genügender Genauigkeit für die meisten praktischen Zwecke festzulegen. Es wurde festgestellt, dass-wenn eine best?ndige Nitrifikation stattfinden soll-die Belüftungszeit einen minimalen Wert überschreiten muss, der eine Funktion der Konzentration des Belebtschlamms, der Temperatur und der Beschaffenheit der Abw?sser ist. Wenn die Bedingungen für die Nitrifikation günstig sind, werden der Grad der Nitrifikation und der Grad des Sauerstoffverbrauches, die von diesem Prozess abh?ngen, dahin streben, ein Gleichgewicht zu erreichen, welches zur Konzentration des belüfteten Belebtschlamms proportional ist. In einer Belüftungeinheit, durch welche die Flüssigkeit in idealer stossartiger Str?mung fliesst, ist die Konzentration von Ammoniak im Abfluss unter den obenerw?hnten Bedingungen normalerweise sehr klein. Die L?ngsmischung hat zur Folge, dass die Konzentration von Ammoniak im Abfluss leicht ansteigt.

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Conclusions Il faut obtenir d'autres renseignements essentiels sur les types de micro-organismes vivant dans les installations de boue activée et sur leurs propriétés avant de pouvoir donner un exposé détaillé sur la cinétique fondamentale du processus. Toutefois, dans le cas de certains organismes, notamment pour les bactéries nitrifiantes, qui présentent des propriétés très caractéristiques facilement reconnaissables par les modifications chimiques qu'elles produisent, il est possible de définir les conditions nécessaires pour maintenir ces organismes dans les installations, et ceci avec une exactitude suffisante à toutes fins pratiques. On a trouvé que, pour obtenir une nitrification uniforme, la période d'aération doit dépasser une valeur minimum qui est fonction de la concentration de la boue activée, de la température et de la charge des eaux usées. Lorsque les conditions sont favorables à la nitrification, le degré de la nitrification et le taux de consommation d'oxygène dus à ce processus tendent vers un niveau d'équilibre qui est proportionnel à la concentration de la boue activée soumise à l'aération. Dans une unité d'aération à travers laquelle la boue passe selon un débit idéal type piston, la concentration d'ammonium dans l'effluent, dans les conditions mentionnées ci-dessus, sera normalement minime. L'effet du mélange longitudinal augmentera quelque peu la concentration d'ammonium dans l'effluent.