A comparison of lightning activity and convective indices over some monsoon-prone areas of China

Using 10-year lightning localization data observed by the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), the relationship between lightning activity and a series of convective indices was investigated over nine monsoon-prone areas of China in which high-impact weather (HIW) events are frequently observed.Two methods were used to verify and reconstruct LIS lightning data. First, LIS lightning flash data were verified by both surface thunderstorm reports and ground-based lightning detection data. Seasonal, monthly, and 5-day distributions of LIS observed lightning activity agree well with the surface reports and ground-based lightning observations. Second, due to LIS's low sampling frequency, a data reconstruction and compensation scheme for LIS lightning observations was designed using both LIS lightning seasonal diurnal cycles and surface thunderstorm reports. After data reconstruction, five lightning products were derived: daily mean and maximum LIS flash rate, daily mean and maximum LIS lightning cell rate, and number of lightning days per five day period.Then, a series of convective indices describing convection conditions were derived from radiosonde data according to atmospheric instability and convective potential analysis. Correlation analysis for each study region was done between 10-year lightning derived products and corresponding convective indices by 5-day periods. The correlation analysis results show that higher lightning flash rate and lightning probability are associated with more unstable air and smaller vertical wind shear in a nearly saturated lower layer in most of the study regions. But the correlation varies from region to region. The best correlation between lightning activity and convective indices was found in eastern and southern China, whereas the correlation is lowest in some inland or basin topography regions in which topographic effects are more significant. Moreover, ambient moisture plays a much more important role in the convective development of thunderstorms in southern China than other regions. Thunderstorm development mechanism differences among regions were also discussed.Based on the close relationship between lightning activity and convective indices, some regression equations for forecasting 5-day mean or maximum LIS lightning flash rate and lightning area (a thunderstorm cell) rate, and 5-day lightning days for the study regions were developed using convective indices as predictors. The verifications show that the convective index-based lightning forecast methods can provide a reasonable lightning outlook including probability and lightning flash rate forecasts for a 5-day period.     

雷暴单体合并进行中雷达回波参数演变及闪电活动的特征分析

雷暴单体合并是促使对流系统成长、增强、持久的重要因素,合并与灾害性天气有着密切的关系。针对23次合并样本（其中有闪电活动的样本10例）,利用多普勒雷达和Safir3000闪电定位系统的探测数据,基于雷达回波参数的构建与计算,分别以一次冰雹暴雨过程和一次强降水过程为例,对合并及雷暴系统的演变进行了物理过程分析,对所有样本特征进行了统计归纳。最后发现并验证了雷达回波参数F_V40up-6（即6 km以上对流单体大于40 dBz体积的变率）常常在合并进行中出现突然减小现象,简称为"突降";同时揭示了合并进行中闪电活动的特征。具体结论如下:（1）就合并最初开始位置而言,高度在5 km之下的样本最多,比例达86%。从合并用时看（即RHI图中30 dBz回波开始衔接至最强回波合为一体为止）,全都在6-36 min,其中用时在12 min以内的占56.5%;达到30 min的仅占16%。合并开始后,在97%的样本中,回波参数V₄₀（即大于40 dBz的总体积）、V_40up-6（即6 km以上大于40 dBz的总体积）出现增大;V₄₀增幅为7%-590%,V_40up-6增幅为3%-638%;V_40up-6最大值出现时刻距合并开始时刻12-18 min的,占总样本的60.1%;24-36 min的,占总样本的34.8%。（2）在雷暴单体合并进行中有"突降"现象的,占总样本的87%;其中又有77%的"突降"出现在距合并开始后的6-18 min内。（3）在10个闪电活动样本中,有9个样本在合并开始后,闪电频数出现了"跃增",甚至出现峰值;全部样本中参与放电的主正电荷区高度随着"突降"均有下降,降幅在1-4 km,而此时的闪电频数几乎没有变化。      

ENSO期间海洋性大陆典型地区闪电活动特征分析

利用星载闪电探测器(光学瞬变探测器(OTD)和闪电成像传感器(LIS))的观测资料,配合其他气象资料,对厄尔尼诺期间(1998年春季)和拉尼娜期间(1999年春季)海洋性大陆典型地区(11.25°S—3.75°N,96.25°—128.75°E)的闪电活动变化特征进行研究,分析了雷暴单体数目以及雷暴单体闪电率对闪电活动变化的影响,并通过对比厄尔尼诺年春季和拉尼娜年春季的大气环流形势、相对湿度、最大对流有效位能、对流风暴高度等气象要素,讨论闪电活动变化的原因。结果表明:(1)从ENSO期间雷暴单体密度和闪电密度的空间分布变化特征来看,厄尔尼诺年春季的闪电活动及雷暴活动均比拉尼娜年春季的多,并且,从闪电数目和雷暴单体数目的纬向平均、经向平均的年际变化可以发现在厄尔尼诺年春季闪电活动、雷暴活动有东伸南移的趋势。(2)在海洋性大陆典型地区,雷暴单体数目的变化是闪电数目变化的主要因子,而雷暴单体闪电率的变化是闪电数目变化的次要因子。(3)与1999年春季相比,1998年春季的副热带高压范围大、强度大;地面相对湿度大,高空相对湿度小,上下层湿度差异大,有利于对流发展;对流风暴高度较高,冰相粒子层厚度也较深厚,对流发展旺盛;最大对流有效位能大于300 J/kg的天数的空间分布极大值区域正好与闪电密度、雷暴单体密度的大值区域对应,雷电活动与对流有效位能值密切相关。     

南京一次雷雨的闪电特征与多尺度资料分析

为探究闪电与其他气象要素之间的关系及可预报性,本文利用探空资料、多普勒天气雷达资料、闪电定位仪资料、卫星云图资料和地面自动气象站资料,对2009年7月7日南京雷雨天气进行多尺度分析.结果表明:暴雨过程中负地闪始终占较大比例,正地闪的数目在雷暴消散阶段稍有增长;地闪频数与地面风速时序变化呈现很好的一致性;雷暴来临前风矢位温特征表明对流云发展高度较高,对流层顶的薄层超低温为强对流发生提供了热力不稳定的先兆信息,整层大气深厚的顺时针垂直切变及中低层偏南风为强对流天气提供了有利的动力和水汽条件,为雷暴潜势预报提供了依据;地闪分布与雷达回波顶高、强的风切变区域以及暴雨落区有明显对应关系;负地闪密集区位于雷达强回波核前方强度为40 ～45dBz区域处,对于回波的未来移向有指示作用.     

Analysis of microsecond- and submicrosecond-scale electric field pulses produced by cloud and ground lightning discharges

We examined microsecond- and submicrosecond-scale pulses in electric field records of cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning discharges acquired in summer 2006, in Gainesville, Florida. A total of 12 cloud and 12 ground flashes were analyzed in detail, with the electric field record length being 96 or 200 ms and sampling interval being 4 or 10 ns. The majority of pulses in both cloud and ground discharges analyzed in this study were associated with the initial breakdown process and were relatively small in amplitude and duration. The typical durations were an order of magnitude smaller than tens of microseconds characteristic of “classical” preliminary breakdown pulses. We estimated that 26% of the pulses in the 12 cloud discharges and 22% of the pulses in the 12 cloud-to-ground discharges had total durations less that 1 µs.     

中国东部及邻近海域暖季降水系统的闪电、雷达反射率和微波特征

利用热带测雨卫星的测雨雷达、闪电成像仪和微波辐射计8个暖季的轨道观测资料,研究了中国东部及邻近海域不同类型降水系统的地理分布规律和日变化特征及其闪电活动、雷达回波顶高和微波亮温的特征,并进一步分析了闪电与雷达回波顶高、微波亮温和冰相降水含景之间的关系.结果表明,两个地区的降水系统绝大部分都是无冰散射系统(占85%以上),非中尺度冰散射系统占10%左右,中尺度冰散射系统仅占约1.5%.中国大陆东部降水系统的日变化特征明显,而东海地区日变化幅度很小.中国大陆东部和东海地区分别约有93%和97%的降水系统没有闪电记录,并且前者闪电发生概率高于后者.中尺度冰散射雷暴不但闪电频数最高,而且贡献了总闪电的一半以上.随着降水类型强度的增强,20 dBz最大高度明显增高,最小85 GHz和37 GHz极化修正亮温则逐渐降低.对于同样的20 dBz最大高度和最小85 GHz极化修正亮温,中国大陆东部降水系统发生闪电的概率均高于东海地区.降水系统尺度上的闪电频数与最小85 GHz极化修正亮温的关系在稳定性和相关性方面要好于其与20 dBz最大高度的关系,而闪电频数与7-11 km的总冰相降水含量之间的相关性又比其与最小85 GHz极化修正亮温有了较大的提高.进一步研究表明,单体尺度上的闪电频数和7-11 km总冰相降水含量之间也表现出了非常密切的关系,在两个研究地区的相关系数都超过了0.7.     

Multiple pulses in dE/dt and the fine-structure of E during the onset of first return strokes in cloud-to-ocean lightning

We have analyzed the fine-structure of 131 electric field (E) waveforms that were radiated during the onset of first return strokes in cloud-to-ocean lightning. The dE/dt waveforms were recorded using an 8-bit waveform digitizer sampling at 100 MHz, and the E waveforms were sampled at 10 MHz using a 10-bit digitizer. 49 (or 37%) of the dE/dt waveforms contain one or more large pulses within ± 1 μs of the largest (or dominant) peak in dE/dt, i.e. within an interval from − 1 μs to + 1 μs, where t = 0 μs is the time of the dominant peak, and 37 (or 28%) have one or more large pulses in the interval from 4 μs before to 1 μs before the dominant peak, i.e. − 4 μs to − 1 μs, and only the dominant peak within ± 1 μs . We give statistics on the amplitude and timing of dE/dt pulses that are near the dominant peak, and we show how the presence of these pulses adds considerable fine-structure to the shape of E_int, the integrated dE/dt waveform, on a time-scale of tens to hundreds of nanoseconds. This fine-structure includes fast pulses near the beginning of the slow front, large pulses and shoulders within the slow front and during the fast-transition, and very narrow peaks in E_int. Our overall conclusion is that the electromagnetic environment near the point(s) where lightning leaders attach to the surface is often more complicated than what would be produced by a single current pulse propagating up a single channel at the time of onset.     

近海水汽初值和对流影响一次华南前汛期沿海强降水对流系统发展过程的机理研究

本研究在对华南季风降水试验（SCMREX）观测资料分析的基础上,采用数值模拟试验探讨南海北部区域湿度场初值误差和海上对流对2014年5月8日华南沿海地区的一次强降雨过程的中尺度对流系统（MCS）的发展和移动的影响。加密探空和风廓线观测分析表明在珠江口地区有西南风和偏东风急流形成的辐合区,为对流在该地区增强发展提供了条件。增加和减少近海湿度以及关闭积云和微物理过程潜热释放,所造成的温度场以及风场的变化对广东沿海地区的对流的强度和移动路径都有明显的影响。特别是增加海上关键区的湿度,由于海上对流的发展改变了整个区域的环流,抑制了陆地上对流的发展。关闭海上关键区对流过程潜热的释放,导致低空急流到达更加偏北的位置,对流系统在模拟的后期向东北移动。通过这些试验表明,海上的湿度等要素场和对流活动对沿海地区的降雨预报有着十分重要的影响,需要进一步加强海上观测及其资料同化方法。     

高原涡和西南涡影响的两次四川暴雨过程的对比分析

为了进一步研究高原涡、西南涡对西南地区暴雨的影响,本文用中国气象局自动站与CMORPH降水数据融合的逐时降水资料、国家卫星气象中心的逐时FY-2E卫星的云顶亮温（TBB）资料、欧洲气象资料中心（ERA-interim）的再分析资料,通过天气学诊断分析方法以及拉格朗日轨迹模式HYSPLITv4.9,对发生在四川盆地的有高原涡东移影响西南涡发展引发暴雨的两次过程进行对比分析,发现:（1）两次暴雨过程的降水强度和分布有明显区别,并且TBB活动特征显示在过程一中有MCC（Mesoscale Convective Complex）的产生和发展,过程二则没有。（2）对于过程一,500 hPa上,高原涡逐渐减弱为高原槽并伸展到四川盆地上空,850 hPa上,在鞍型场附近有MCC的产生和发展,200 hPa上,高原涡在南亚高压北部偏西风急流下方的强辐散区内,位于南亚高压东南侧急流区下方稳定少动,偏东风急流北部有辐散中心,有利于西南涡的加强。对于过程二,500 hPa高原涡东移在四川盆地上空与西南涡耦合,形成一个稳定且深厚的系统,这也是过程二的暴雨强度比过程一强的最主要原因。200 hPa上,四川盆地始终位于南亚高压东侧的西北气流中,“抽吸作用”明显。（3）在过程一中,位涡逐渐东传且位涡增加的地方对应强降水区与MCC发展区,反映了暴雨和位涡的发展基本一致。在过程二中,中层位涡高值区从高原上东移并下传至盆地上空,两涡耦合使得上下层打通,位涡值比耦合之前单独的两涡强度更强。 MCC产生的必要条件是中层大气要有强正涡度、强辐合和强上升运动,在未产生MCC前,过程一与过程二在盆地上空的动力条件甚至是相反的;从热力条件看,过程一中有明显的干冷空气入侵,增强不稳定条件,有利于MCC的产生并引发强降水;另一方面,本文也应证了二阶位涡的水平分布与暴雨落区有较好的对应关系。（4）通过拉格朗日方法的水汽轨迹追踪模式和聚类分析方法分析可得两次暴雨过程的水汽输送源地和通道也有明显区别,过程一主要有两条水汽通道,通道一来自阿拉伯海和孟加拉湾洋面的底层,通道二来自四川南部750 m以下高度;而过程二的主要水汽输送通道有三条,通道一来自西方地中海、黑海和里海上空1500～2500 m高度附近,通道二来自阿拉伯海和印度洋的底层,通道三的水汽从孟加拉湾低层绕过云贵高原直接输送到四川盆地。     

On the main characteristics of synoptic weather conditions associated with thunderstorm activity during the months of July and August in the city of Thessaloniki (Northern Greece)

Summary The evolution of synoptic scale atmospheric circulation at least two days before the occurrence of thunderstorm or shower activity with high precipitation amounts is examined for the months of July and August for the area surrounding the city of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece. In a period of sixteen years (1985–2000), seventeen cases with precipitation amounts greater than 10 mm were found in these two months. The most important factor for the occurrence of the above activities was the approach of cold air, usually of mP origin, into Northern Greece. The advection of cold air was examined at the 700 hPa level. This cold air was advected toward the southern Balkans either from Northwestern Europe, or more directly from higher latitudes. In a few cases cold air that had initially been advected into the Central Mediterranean region finally moved eastward affecting Northern Greece. From these seventeen cases, the first four with the highest precipitation amounts (all exceeding 20 mm) were analysed in detail with the help of weather maps and radiosonde data available for the station at Micra. For these four cases, apart from the detailed analysis of the cold air advection, an attempt was made to investigate whether in the lowest part of the troposphere, the area of Northern Greece and the interior of the Balkan Peninsula to the north, was dominated by warm and humid air in the twenty four hour period that preceded each thunderstorm outbreak. For this purpose the evolution of the spatial distribution of the equivalent potential temperature (Θ_e) at the 850 hPa level was determined for the two or three preceding days. Finally, the presence of mesoscale disturbances, that could be considered responsible for triggering the ascending motions that are necessary for the initiation of the thunderstorm development, was investigated for each case.     

中国暴雨中尺度系统发生与发展的诊断分析和数值模拟(Ⅰ)诊断分析

通过对我国三次(“81.7”、“81.8”和“91.7”)典型大暴雨过程的动力学和热力学诊断来探讨暴雨中尺度系统发生与发展的问题。大、中尺度天气分析指出,无论是发生在我国东部的“91.7”暴雨过程,还是出现在西部地区的“81.7”和“81.8”暴雨过程,都与在特定大尺度环流形势下持续发展的中尺度系统直接关联。涡度诊断表明,高、低空正涡度中心的叠加和耦合、并形成一个正涡度柱是这类暴雨中尺度系统持续发展的一种共同特征。根据场分解涡度方程获得的涡源诊断表明,涡源对这类中尺度系统的发生和发展具有重要的动力学贡献。中尺度热量和水汽收支诊断揭示,视热源 Q_1和视水汽汇 Q_2的垂直积分高值区,与低涡或低涡切变线及其暴雨区基本一致;Q_1(Q_2)的面积平均最大加热(增湿)区间出现在对流层中、上(下)部;由于感热和潜热对流涡动通量辐合的加热,在其上部近乎等于凝结释放潜热量的一半。