Modeling of thundercloud VHF/UHF radiation on the lightning preliminary breakdown stage

It is well known that there are two basic parts of electromagnetic emissions from a thunderstorm cloud. The first one is due to a return stroke and the second is generated by microdischarges on the lightning preliminary stage and between successive return strokes. The purpose of this paper is to consider the second part of electromagnetic emissions from thunderstorm clouds in a frequency range from one to hundreds of MHz. A new approach is developed, which is based on a three-dimensional computer simulation of microdischarge activity in thunderstorm clouds. We suggest that microdischarges on the lightning preliminary stage are connected with the growth of internal electric cell structures in a thunderstorm cloud. The characteristic scale of cells ranges from ten to hundred meters. The source of these cells can be a beam-plasma-like instability in the thunderstorm cloud medium where microdischarges appear as a saturation mechanism for this instability. Interaction of neighboring cells leads to the formation of dynamic chains of microdischarges. Following step-by-step computer simulations, we calculate radio emissions from every microdischarge and sum up the wave amplitudes from all intracloud volume at the reception point. The standard model for a separate microdischarge current is adopted, and the electromagnetic radiation is estimated in the far zone. We obtain the waveforms of electromagnetic field, the temporal development of radiation and the number of electromagnetic pulses. We have found that signal statistics and calculated frequency spectra exhibit a universal power-law (fractal) behavior. The results of simulations are found to be in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data, because the model waveforms demonstrate a close similarity to the observed ones. Also the temporal development with the duration of pulse trains from ten to hundreds of microseconds and the microdischarge number rate up to hundreds of thousands per second are in agreement with the corresponding experimental data.     

Using lightning locating system based on time-of-arrival technique to study three-dimensional lightning discharge processes

A time-of-arrival(TOA) system based on GPS technology for locating VHF radiation sources from lightning has been developed and used in observation sites in the northern Shandong Province,China.The 3D images of the lightning progression have been obtained successfully for the first time in China.The 3D-channel evolutions of typical negative CG,positive CG and IC lightning flashes have been discussed together with the data of fast electric field change.It was found that significant differences existed between the negative and positive CG lightning flashes in terms of the initiation and propagation of the radiation sources.The preliminary breakdown of a negative CG lightning flash propagated at a speed about 5.2×104 m/s.The stepped leader of negative CG lightning flashes was trigged by negative initial breakdown.Thereafter,it propagated downward at a speed of 1.3×105 m/s.The initial process of the positive CG lightning flashes was also a propagation process of negative streamer.These streamers propagated dominantly horizontally in the positive charge region and accumulated positive charges at the origin of the lightning,and as a consequence,initiated downward positive streamers.A new type of lightning discharge that was triggered by a narrow bipolar pulse(NBP) is discussed in this study.The NBP was originated at altitude of about 10.5 km in the upper positive charge region.As a distinct difference from normal IC flash,its channels extended horizontally all around and produced a lot of radiation sources.The source power of the NBP could approach 16.7 kW,which is much greater than that of normal lightning discharge ranging between 100 mW and 500 W.The 3D propagation of this new type of lightning discharge was observed and obtained for the first time in China.The possible initiation mechanism of this new type of light-ning is discussed here.     

青藏高原一次地闪放电过程的分析

利用成像率为1000 幅/s的高速摄像系统和快、慢电场变化仪以及宽带干涉仪系统等探测仪器在青藏高原那曲地区所观测的地闪资料,对一次地闪回击及其之前的持续时间较长的云内放电过程进行了分析.结果表明：地闪先导前的云内放电过程发生于雷暴云下部正电荷区和中部负电荷区之间;云中部负电荷区距离地面的高度为2.8～4.5 km;闪电的起始放电发生区域距离地面的高度为1.0～1.7 km;初始流光在云外发展时具有很大的水平分量和较多的分支;梯级先导的速度为1×105 m/s,在向地面发展时出现较大的弯曲;首次回击放电过程与低海拔地区没有差异,通道中的峰值电流有24.1 kA;继后回击相对较弱.     

Estimate of NOX production in the lightning channel based on three-dimensional lightning locating system

Based on the VHF lightning locating system,a three-dimensional-space cell-gridded approach is used to extract the lighting channel and calculate the length of the channel.Through clustering of the located radiation sources and then extracting the lightning channel,it can accurately obtain the length of the channel.To validate the feasibility of the approach,a simulation experiment is designed,and it shows the length error is no more than 10%.The relationship between the NO production of per unit arc length and atmospheric pressure obtained in laboratory is applied to the NOX production of per unit flash length at different altitudes in this paper.The channel length and the NOX production of 11 negative cloud-to-ground flashes and 59 intracloud flashes in an isolated thunderstorm in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are calculated.The results show that the average channel lengths of per cloud-to-ground and intracloud flash are 28.9 and 22.3 km respectively;the average NOX productions of per cloud-to-ground and intracloud flash are 1.89×1025 and 0.42×1025 molecules,respectively.     

Genesis of lightning potentials

Summary The generation of very high atmospheric potentials is ascribed to the sudden separation of a cloud, or portion of it, into an upper and lower section, substantially, of opposite polarities. Said abrupt cut being, the mechanical effect produced by local wind gusts. The related mathematical analysis shows how theoretically infinite voltage spikes may be generated as forced electrical transients when a cloud separates into two sections.     

Microfracture processes in the breakdown zone during dynamic shear rupture inferred from laboratory observation of near-fault high-frequency strong motion

High-frequency velocities are measured during stick-slip motion in the immediate vicinity of a fault in a granite sample to reveal the microscopic process taking place in the breakdown zone defined in the slip-weakening model. It is found that 1) the onset time of the observed strong motion approximately coincides with the local rupture onset time, 2) the observed near-fault high-frequency strong-motion duration is approximately proportional to the local breakdown time, and 3) the power spectra of strong motions exhibit significant amplitudes at frequencies above the value off _max, wheref _max is a cut-off frequency relevant to rupturing the breakdown zone. These observations suggest that the high-frequency motion would be due to the incoherent brittle microfracture whose characteristic scale is much shorter than the breakdown zone size. We present a stochastic fault model to synthesize the near-fault high-frequency velocity waveforms. In the model, a number of small circular subfaults are distributed randomly on the fault and the rupture onset time of an individual subfault is assumed to be random. The main features of the observed velocity waveforms are well explained by this numerical modeling. It is concluded that approximately half of the total energy of high-frequency elastic waves observed at a point is radiated from the propagating breakdown zone. We emphasize the importance of the observation of near-fault high-frequency strong motions for large shallow earthquakes.     

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…     

Estimation of lightning and sprite parameters based on observation of sprite-producing lightning power spectra

Spectrograms and ELF power spectra of magnetic variations originated from sprite-producing lightning discharges have been analyzed to extract both parent lightning and sprite parameters. Some of the spectrograms and power spectra have been found to have approximately quasi-oscillatory shape in the frequency range 0–40 Hz with maximum repetition period about 15–20 Hz. A theory predicts that this interesting peculiarity of the power spectra can be due to interference between electromagnetic fields originated from the parent lightning discharge and from the sprite. A smooth envelope of the power spectrum was shown to have a form of damped oscillations with period close to reciprocal value of sprite lag time. A technique of extracting sprite parameters based on the sprite-producing lightning power spectrum is proposed. The lack of the first Schumann resonance and other features occasionally observed in spectral resonance structure were also discussed.     

Wavelet analysis of lightning return stroke

In this investigation, time series consisting of electric field waveforms of 15 positive return strokes and 10 negative return strokes were analyzed. The data came from a summer thunderstorm in March in a range of about 200 km around São José dos Campos, São Paulo. The electric field recording system consisted of a flat plate antenna with a decay time constant of 260 μs and a sample rate of 800,000 samples per second. The bandwidth observed was up to 100 kHz and the recording system was synchronized with GPS time and located at São José dos Campos. Wavelet analysis of the electric field waveforms was done in order to investigate the behavior of the return stroke spectrum in time. The return stroke was suggested to be divided into two portions: initial stage and overshoot (for far return stroke) and initial stage and ramp (for close return stroke). The return stroke power spectrum was observed to be distributed in a frequency range with the peak value also distributed in a fraction of this range. Power peaks for ramps are stronger than power peaks for initial stage and overshoot. Finally, it was observed how powerful the wavelet is in the analysis of lightning.     

Possible types of rotations and translations in the Scandinavian Caledonides

Folding, faulting and large scale translation nappe movements are well-known classical collision zone features, which are also found in the Scandinavian Caledonides where lateral movements of up to a few hundred kilometres have been suggested. In contrast to this, azimuthal rotations around vertical axes are rarely or never observed geologically. In a few cases, palaeomagnetic data, however, show abnormal directions of the remanent magnetic components, which may indicate vertical axes of rotations. Different types and scales of palaeomagnetic interpretations are classified and discussed in relation to 5 examples from the Scandinavian Caledonides (the Särv nappe, the Lönset dome, the Fongen gabbro, the Sulitjelma gabbro, and the Trollfjord-Komagelv fault), and various models to explain segmental rotations of the crust are suggested.     

Magnetic pinch in relation to the lightning stroke

Summary The application of the snow plow approximation to the magnetic pinch effect in the return stroke of lightning is described. Results are presented for a constant electric field and for a measured stroke current. In general, the solutions indicate that the magnetic pinch effect is important for cases of high currents, small channel diameters, and low degrees of ionization.     

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.     

Characteristics of Japanese winter sprites and their parent lightning as estimated by VHF lightning and ELF transients

Sprites are newly discovered optical emissions in the mesosphere over large thunderstorms. This paper is the observational summary of winter sprites in the Hokuriku area of Japan and their parent lightning in the winter of 2004/2005, by using the coordinated optical and electromagnetic (VHF and ELF) measurements in Japan. As the results of optical observations at two stations, we have found that this campaign has yielded a variety of sprite shapes; V-angle shaped structures have been often observed (25%) in addition to columnar structures familiar for us. All of the sprite events are found to be associated with $+$CG lightning, as seen from the macroscopic information by ELF data at Moshiri. However, examining the microscopic properties of parent lightning as seen from the VHF SAFIR lightning detection network, has suggested very complicated characteristics of parent lightning discharges inducing sprites, as compared with the ELF data. One half of the sprite events are also found to be associated with $+$CG by the SAFIR observation, but another half has yielded rather new results as compared with earlier results. Four events are definitely associated with $-$CG and the remaining three events, inter-cloud flashes. The overall picture for Japanese winter sprites and their parent lightning discharges, is significantly different from that for the summer-time, continental sprites. This is indicative of complexity of winter lightning in the Hokuriku area of Japan and this would provide new information on the sprite generation mechanism.     

Time resolved simulation of lightning by lip

In this letter, we report results of time resolved spectra of lightning simulation in air by laser-induced plasma (LIP). The measured electron temperatures varied from (1.7 +/- 0.1)X10(4) K at 600 ns to (1.2 +/- 0.1)X10(4)K at 4 microseconds after the ignition of the plasma. Electron densities in the plasma varied from (7.0 +/- 1.4)X10(17)/cm3 to (9.0 +/- 1.8)X10(16)/cm3 for the above times. We also present, for the first time, a comparison of state variables for LIP and natural lightning. We find that immediately following the ignition both natural lightning and LIP reach temperatures in excess of 16,000K and relax to ambient pressure with different rates. They are expected to approach 2000 - 4000 K temperature range, which is important to chemical synthesis, in an asymptotically similar fashion.     

Historical development of the British and Scandinavian earthquake archives

The study of historical earthquakes itself has an interesting history, and Nick Ambraseys figures highly in it. This historiographic tribute relates the pivotal role that he played in the development of the British and Scandinavian Earthquake Archives. Maintaining his academic distance from direct hazard consulting, he nevertheless exerted a significant influence on the scientific conduct of hazard analyses. From the collection of instrumental and macroseismic data to the assignment of magnitudes, the modus operandi which he recommended was followed in pioneering seismic hazard studies in Britain, the North Sea and Norway, during the 1980s. Because of the confidentiality of seismic hazard reports produced for the UK nuclear industry, there is little record in the open seismological literature of the contribution of Nick Ambraseys. As a civil engineer, he had an exceptional interest in the earthquake evidence that could be gleaned from historical documents. An illustrative reference is given to the discovery of fresh evidence from an Aegean earthquake that shows how even the most knowledgeable of earthquake historians can be surprised.     

蒙城地震台避雷系统改造

通过分析蒙城地震台2008年6月3日的雷击灾害的成因,发现台站原先的防雷系统存在不合理之处,并对防雷系统进一步改造,通过雷雨期的检验,收到了良好的效果。同时,警示其他台站有必要评估本台站的防雷效果,系统是否存在隐患之处,以免遭受类似蒙城地震台的惨痛损失。     

Ten-year study of cloud-to-ground lightning activity in the Iberian Peninsula

The characteristics (annual and diurnal cycle, polarity, multiplicity and first stroke peak current) of ∼4.3×10⁶ cloud-to-ground flashes recorded in the Iberian Peninsula during the first decade of measurements of the lightning detection network installed in Spain are analyzed. The mean monthly variation shows maximum lightning activity between May and September, while minimum values are observed in January and February. The mean diurnal cycle shows maximum values at 1700 LT and minimum values at around 1000 LT. The average maximum flash density (not corrected for detection efficiency) is 2.1 flashes km⁻² year⁻¹. Maximum lightning activity is associated with mountainous areas. The effect of the Mediterranean Sea is also seen. The percentage of positive flashes is 9%, although this changes over the year from 6.5% in June to 22.6% in January. The average multiplicity is found to be 2.0 for the negative flashes and 1.1 for the positive flashes, and the percentages of single-stroke flashes are 53.6% and 89%, respectively. The monthly distribution of multiplicity for negative flashes peaks in the summer and minimum values are found in the winter. The multiplicity of the positive flashes does not seem to be function of the month. The median (mean) first stroke peak currents are found to be 23.5 kA (27.3 kA) for the negative flashes and 35.3 kA (47.1 kA) for the positive flashes. For both polarities, the peak current is higher in the summer than in the winter. The percentage of positive flashes and the mean peak currents for negative flashes are higher over the sea areas than over land.     

云闪放电通道内的粒子密度及分布特征

依据在中国西藏高原地区得到的6幅云闪放电通道的光谱,由谱线波长、相对强度和跃迁几率等信息,结合等离子体理论,计算了云闪放电通道的温度和电子密度;进而,利用Saha方程、电荷守恒和粒子数守恒方程,得到了粒子处于各电离级上的数密度、通道质量密度、压强和平均电离度等参数,并对云闪通道内部粒子数分布特点进行了分析.结果表明,与地闪回击通道类似,云闪通道接近于完全电离,通道内部以单次电离的离子为主,且NII离子数密度最高.具有较高温度的通道位置处,中性和一次以上电离离子数密度的绝对值和相对值都较高,但是,不同温度下NII、OII、ArII粒子的相对浓度变化不大.与地闪回击通道不同,云闪同一放电通道内不同位置处粒子数密度差异较大,且沿通道没有显示规律性变化,通道压强从零点几到几兆帕.