Comparison of lightning activity and radar-retrieved microphysical properties in EULINOX storms

A combined analysis of microphysical thunderstorm properties derived by C-band polarimetric Doppler radar measurements and lightning observations from two ground-based systems are presented. Three types of storms, a multicell, a supercell, and a squall line, that were observed during the European Lightning Nitrogen Oxides project (EULINOX) are investigated. Correlations are sought between the mass of rain, graupel, hail, and snow derived form radar observations at different height levels and the electrical activity, represented either by cloud-to-ground or intracloud flashes. These relationships are explained by connecting the radar-derived properties with the non-inductive charging process. For the multicell and the supercell storm, the lightning activity can be linearly correlated to both the hydrometeor total mass and class specific mass in the upper part of the storm. It is shown that the fractions of graupel and hail above the −20 °C-level in these storms positively correlate with the intracloud flash activity in the supercell, and negatively for the cloud-to-ground lightning frequency in the multicell. No such relation can be established for the squall line, indicating that the convective organization plays a crucial role in the lightning development. The analysis of the masses in the different storms shows that lightning activity cannot be parameterized by total mass alone, other parameters have to be identified. The results provide important information for all lightning studies that rely on bulk properties of thunderstorms, e.g., the parameterization of lightning in mesoscale models or the nowcasting of lightning by radar.     

西北太平洋热带气旋的闪电活动、雷达反射率和冰散射信号特征分析

利用热带测雨卫星(TRMM)携带的测雨雷达(PR)、闪电成像仪(LIS)和微波辐射计(TMI)的同步探测资料,选取1998-2008年登陆中国的46个热带气旋,分析了其不同强度阶段的闪电活动、雷达反射率和冰散射信号的分布特征,以及闪电的发生与雷达反射率和冰散射信号之间的关系.结果发现:强度较弱的热带气旋平均闪电次数相对较高;当强度达到强热带风暴阶段后,强度越强,闪电数量反而越少.热带气旋强度不同,闪电的空间分布也有差别,热带风暴、强台风和超强台风阶段眼壁区闪电密度最大,而其他阶段则在外雨带区密度最大.热带气旋大部分区域被层云和弱对流降水控制,0℃层以上雷达反射率迅速减小,冰散射信号也普遍较弱.虽然热带气旋的眼壁区对流活动最强.但相比于外面带却较不易发生闪电.在同等大小的雷达反射率下,闪电更易发生在台风和强热带风暴阶段,超强台风阶段发生闪电阈值最高.由于闪电的发生与软雹、冰晶和过冷水等微物理参量以及上升气流速度紧密相关,因此闪电资料可以提供关于热带气旋不同区域的微物理过程和动力过程信息.     

1971—2008年青岛地区雷电时空分布特征

选取1971—2008年青岛地区7个地面观测站雷暴日资料和2006—2009年闪电定位系统监测资料,统计分析青岛雷暴的时空分布规律,并以某大型石化项目为例,分析了该区域地闪的分布特征。结果表明：近38 a青岛地区雷暴日空间分布自东南向西北逐渐增多,季节性分布特征明显,主要集中在7月和8月。根据闪电定位资料,借助分析软件...     

1971—2008年青岛地区雷电时空分布特征

选取1971—2008年青岛地区7个地面观测站雷暴日资料和2006—2009年闪电定位系统监测资料,统计分析青岛雷暴的时空分布规律,并以某大型石化项目为例,分析了该区域地闪的分布特征。结果表明：近38 a青岛地区雷暴日空间分布自东南向西北逐渐增多,季节性分布特征明显,主要集中在7月和8月。根据闪电定位资料,借助分析软件得出该石化项目附近雷电流强度分布图和雷电流累积概率分布曲线,进而得出对应的雷电流强度值,最大值为41.68 kA。利用闪电定位系统提供的地闪次数计算地闪密度Ng比用人工观测资料计算的结果更为客观,研究结果可为雷电灾害风险评估提供评估参数。     

雷击地闪密度与雷暴日数的关系分析

根据美国卫星观测得到的我国各省区年平均总闪电资料并计算出各省区的年平均地闪密度(以下简称地闪密度);根据全国各省区220个站点的年平均雷暴日资料,按照<建筑物防雷设计规范>GB50057-94(2000年版)(以下简称<规范>)公式计算出全国各省区的地闪密度.比较两种方法得出的地闪密度,发现存在较大的差异,且不同区域差异变化很大.用单位雷暴日地闪密度概念,分析了我国各地单位雷暴日地闪密度的差异及其原因,指出单位雷暴日地闪密度能粗略反映与我国气候特征相适应的地闪密度的分布状况.进一步分析湖州市2007年人工观测和闪电定位仪观测的闪电资料,得到相同的结论.从而提出<规范>规定的地闪密度计算公式存在较大误差,应对其进行进一步的修订和完善.     

襄阳一次强雷暴过程的雷达回波与地闪特征分析

利用湖北省闪电定位仪、新一代天气雷达资料并结合常规气象观测等资料,对2011年7月24日下午出现在湖北襄阳的一次强雷暴天气过程进行了分析。该过程的两个强风暴分别产生了冰雹和雷雨大风（后期强降水）,重点分析了两个强风暴系统生命期雷达回波和闪电（地闪）特征。结果表明：产生冰雹的强风暴是一个孤立的超级单体,降雹发生在超级单体成熟阶段;产生雷雨大风和强降水的强风暴是一个弓状回波,雷雨大风发生在弓状回波顶部,强降水回波成片状且移速较慢;两个风暴的地闪演变特征及闪电在风暴生命史各阶段分布的位置不同。     

一次夏季雷暴天气过程中闪电活动特征分析

利用探空资料、多普勒天气雷达和闪电定位仪数据,分析了2009年7月30日发生在南京地区一次雷暴天气过程的雷达及闪电数据时空演变特征。结果表明：对流有效位能Ecap比起K指数（IK）等对于对流潜势预报具有更明显的指示作用,0 ℃层和-10 ℃层高度的降低有利于雷暴云的雷电活动;整个过程以负闪为主导,闪电强度越大,闪电频数也越高,每次闪电峰值后,都对应一次谷值;闪电数据与多普勒天气雷达回波叠加后分析发现,回波的生消演变对应着闪电频数和强度的生消演变,负闪主要落在强回波中心区域,正闪零星分布于回波强度梯度较大的区域;雷达径向速度图像特征变化更能揭示闪电发生发展的机制,逆风区对应雷暴中心区域,不仅是强降水的中心区也是闪电的中心区,对逆风区的识别监测能够更好的指导雷暴预警报工作;利用雷达数据计算的云底动能施力参量,能够很好的描述支持闪电起电的热动力特征,云底动能施力对雷电增长的贡献有一段持续传输过程,该参量峰值比频闪峰值和强度峰值都约有0.5 h的提前量。     

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.     

雷达、闪电资料在典型雷暴单体中的应用

用闪电定位资料和雷达回波资料进行分析,即从雷达产品的4个参数与地闪频数的关系进行相关分析,分析结果表明:(1)反射率因子的回波面积大小和强回波中心的移动与闪电发生的时间、地点有很好的一致性。(2)闪电发生前最大回波顶高有明显的增大,闪电发生的位置和最大回波顶高的位置有很好的对应关系。(3)地闪频数的变化与VIL(垂直累积液态含水量)最大值的变化并不完全对应,但VIL最大值下降到25 kg/m2以下时,可以考虑作为雷暴消散的一个因子。VIL大值区的移动以及VIL大值区面积的变化与地闪频数的整体变化是一致的。(4)雷达VWP产品的无数据区破坏的时间提前于闪电的发生和地闪频数的增长,其恢复滞后于闪电消失。     

某银行大楼电梯机房雷击事故分析与防雷对策

通过对某银行大楼顶层的电梯机房内设备的雷击电磁脉冲引起的感应电压的分析,找出建筑物遭受雷击的主要原因,并提出电梯机房需要完善的防雷保护措施.     

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。      

山东地区闪电密度时空分布特征

利用山东地区2006年6月至2007年10月13站的闪电资料,分析了该地区闪电密度的时空分布特征。结果表明:13站相比5站布局,获取的闪电样本更多,代表性更好,探测精度更高,分析结果存在差异;闪电密度高值区域出现一定的南移,在半岛内陆地区和东部荣成市出现了新的高值区域,负闪所占比例增加,占99.06%,平均闪电强度增大,负闪平均强度11.47 kA明显低于正闪平均强度25.04 kA;正、负闪电频次年、日变化均呈双峰值特征,但不同时间、不同区域之间存在差异;闪电强度季节变化呈单峰谷形式,但各区域峰谷时间有差异,且冬季没有正闪电发生。     

Relationships between lightning activity and various thundercloud parameters: satellite and modelling studies

The lightning frequency model developed by Baker et al. [Baker, M.B., Christian, H.J., Latham, J., 1995. A computational study of the relationships linking lightning frequency and other thundercloud parameters, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 121, 1525–1548] has been refined and extended, in an effort to provide a more realistic framework from which to examine computationally the relationships that might exist between lightning frequency f (which is now being routinely measured from a satellite, using the NASA/MSFC Optical Transient Detector (OTD)) and a variety of cloud physical parameters. Specifically, superior or more comprehensive representations were utilised of: (1) glaciation via the Hallett–Mossop (H–M) process; (2) the updraught structure of the model cloud; (3) the liquid-water-content structure of the model cloud; (4) the role of the reversal temperature T_rev in influencing lightning characteristics; (5) the critical breakdown field for lightning initiation; and (6) the electrical characteristics of the ice crystal anvil of the model cloud. Although our extended studies yielded some new insights into the problem, the basic pattern of relationships between f and the other parameters was very close to that reported by Baker et al. (1995). The more elaborate treatment of T_rev restricted somewhat the range of conditions under which reverse-polarity lightning could be produced if the cloud glaciated via H–M, but confirmed the earlier conclusion that such lightning would not occur if the glaciation was of the Fletcher type. The computations yielded preliminary support for the hypothesis that satellite measurements of f might be used to determine values of the ice-content of cumulonimbus anvils: a parameter of climatological importance. The successful launch and continuing satisfactory functioning of the OTD [Christian, H.J., Goodman, S., 1992. Global observations of lightning from space, Proc. 9th Int. Conf. on Atmospheric Electricity, St. Petersburg, pp. 316–321; Christian, H.J., Blakesee, R.J., Goodman, S.J., 1992. Lightning imaging sensor (LIS) for the earth observing system. NASA Tech. Memorandum, 4350] make it possible—with a high degree of precision—to measure lightning location, occurrence time and frequency f over extensive areas of the Earth's surface. Measured global distributions of lightning and associated lightning stroke radiance demonstrate that: lightning activity is particularly pronounced over the tropics, much greater over land than over the oceans, and exhibits great seasonal variability; lightning radiance tends to be greater over the oceans, less when lightning activity is high, and greater in the Northern Hemisphere winter than summer.     

一次强对流活动中雷电与降水廓线特征研究

利用热带测雨卫星的测雨雷达(PR)和闪电成像传感器(LIS)的逐轨探测结果,通过资料匹配处理方法,并配合常规气象资料,分析了2006年6月29日黄淮地区一次强对流活动中不同类型雷暴单体(Area,LIS探测资料认为近似于雷暴单体)的降水廓线,并分析了降水廓线与雷暴闪电频数的关系。结果表明:该强对流系统的雷暴单体可分为对流降水、层云降水、对流与层云混合降水3种雷暴单体,其中,混合降水雷暴单体数量最多,对流降水雷暴单体数和层云降水雷暴单体数量较少;并且雷暴单体中的闪电大多发生在对流降水区。结果还表明,不同闪电频数的雷暴单体相应的降水廓线差别明显:雷暴中闪电频数越大,5km以上高度廓线给出的雨强越大(对流降水廓线尤其如此),说明雷暴单体中闪电越多时,降水云冻结层以上存在的冰相粒子越多。     

2011—2019年安徽南部山区与北部平原闪电分布特征

利用2011年1月至2019年12月安徽省ADTD闪电定位系统监测资料,对安徽南部山区与北部平原的闪电频次、极性、雷电流强度等参数进行对比分析。结果表明：安徽南部山区总闪电频次约为北部平原的2.84倍,北部平原正闪比高于南部山区,这与两地区强对流天气类型有关。两地区闪电频次的月、日变化均呈单峰分布,春季、夏季闪电活动明显多于秋季、冬季,午后至傍晚为一天中的雷电活跃时段,但南部山区在雷电高发月份及时段的闪电频次波动程度远大于北部平原。在雷电流强度方面,北部平原整体上大于南部山区,正、负地闪强度分别高出10.77 kA、9.52 kA,其中正地闪强度峰值均出现在2月,负地闪均为10月,南部山区正、负地闪及北部平原负地闪日强度峰值与频次峰值时段相反。对安徽省总闪频次进行主成分分析表明,EOF分解的前5个特征向量累计方差贡献达到59.137%,空间上表现出安徽南部山区与北部平原雷电活动变化趋势既具有一致性,也具有明显的南北差异。     

等电位连接与雷电反击关系的探讨

本文对等电位连接不当引起雷电反击的原因进行了分析,论述了等电位连接与两类雷电反击的关系问题,并针对不适宜的等电位连接提出了具体的解决方法.     

Lifetime of the thunderstorm electric energy in the global atmospheric circuit and thunderstorm energy characteristics

The lifetime of electric energy in the atmosphere is introduced and investigated as is the total electric energy of the atmosphere related to the total mean rate of electric energy dissipation. This lifetime, as determined from general estimations and convenient analytical expressions, turns out to be very small – from about 10 to about 100 s, depending on the assumptions on the control parameters of principal sources in the global electric circuit. In particular the energy lifetime is less than the relaxation time of the “global condenser” and field relaxation time near the ground surface. It is explained by the high dissipative rate of the electric energy in the atmosphere, taking into account that the regions mainly contributing to the total energy and its dissipative rate are connected to the altitudes of active parts of electrified (thunderstorm) clouds in the atmosphere with exponentially increasing conductivity.     

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.     

2011—2019年中国长江三角洲区域闪电时空分布特征

利用2011—2019年江苏、浙江和安徽27个探测站ADTD闪电监测定位系统获取的资料,对中国长江三角洲三省一市(上海、江苏、浙江、安徽)一体化协同发展区域云地闪的发生频次、强度进行统计,运用EOF方法分析闪电频次的空间分布特征.结果表明:中国长江三角洲区域负闪数均占总闪数的95％以上,正闪平均强度均大于负闪平均强度绝...