Evolution of the Total Lightning Activity in a Leading-Line and Trailing Stratiform Mesoscale Convective System over Beijing

Data from the Beijing SAFIR 3000 lightning detection system and Doppler radar provided some insights into the three-dimensional lightning structure and evolution of a leading-line and trailing-stratiform (LLTS) mesoscale convective system (MCS) over Beijing on 31 July 2007. Most of the lightning in the LLTS-MCS was intracloud (IC) lightning, while the mean ratio of positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) lightning to -CG lightning was 1:4, which was higher than the average value from previous studies. The majority of CG lightning occurred in the convective region of the radar echo, particularly at the leading edge of the front. Little IC lightning and little +CG lightning occurred in the stratiform region. The distribution of the CG lightning indicated that the storm had a tilted dipole structure given the wind shear or the tripole charge structure. During the storm’s development, most of the IC lightning occurred at an altitude of ～9.5 km; the lightning rate reached its maximum at 10.5 km, the altitude of IC lightning in the mature stage of the storm. When the thunderstorm began to dissipate, the altitude of the IC lightning decreased gradually. The spatial distribution of lightning was well correlated with the rainfall on the ground, although the peak value of rainfall appeared 75 min later than the peak lightning rate.     

MEASUREMENTS OF LIGHTNING RADIATION FIELD AND ESTIMATION OF FIRST RETURN STROKE PARAMETERS

This paper briefs a method of measuring lightning radiation field with a fast antenna and narrow bandwidthreceivers, the first return stroke parameters and the spectrum distribution from 2 kHz to 20 MHz for bothground discharges and cloud discharges are calculated. The peak radiation field of first return stroke, normalized to 50 km, is (15.2±8.4)V/m. Below 1 MHz, thetotal energy radiated by the first return stroke is (0.8±1.6)×10~5J, the peak power is (0.8±1.0)×10~10W, thepeak current is(27.8±17.1)kA, and the peak current derivation is (109.3±91.5) kA/μs. The peak spectral amplitudes appear between 4 kHz to 10 kHz for ground discharges and 20 kHz to 80kHz for cloud discharges. From 10 kHz to 3.0 MHz, the spectral amplitudes of the ground discharges decreasein 1/f, and from 3.0 MHz to 20 MHz, in 1/f~2. Below40 kHz, the ground discharge is the main lightningradiation source; and above 40 kHz, both discharges behave similarly. A few special phenomena were found and explained preliminarily.     

Influence of ion attachment on the vertical distribution of the electric field and charge density below a thunderstorm

A numerical model called PICASSO [Production d’Ions Corona Au Sol Sous Orage (French) and Production of Corona Ions at the Ground Beneath Thundercloud (English)], previously designed, is used to describe the evolution of the principal electrical parameters below a thunderstorm, taking into account the major part played by corona ions. In order to improve the model restitution of a real situation, various improvements are performed: an initial vertical distribution of aerosol particles is introduced instead of the previously used uniform concentration; time and space calculation steps are adjusted according to the electric field variation rate; the upper boundary condition is improved; and the coefficients of ion attachment are reconsidered with an exhaustive bibliographic study. The influence of the ion attachment on aerosol particles, on the electric field and charge density aloft, is studied by using three different initial aerosol particle concentrations at ground level and two types of initial vertical distributions: uniform and non-uniform. The comparison between field data and model results leads to adjust the initial aerosol particle concentration over the experimental site at the value of 5000 cm⁻³ which appears to be highly realistic. The evolutions of the electric field and of the charge density at altitude are greatly influenced by the aerosol concentration. On the contrary, the surface intrinsic field, defined as the electric field that would exist underneath a thundercloud if there were no local charges, is weakly affected when the model is forced by the surface field. A good correlation appears between the success in the triggered lightning attempts and this intrinsic field evaluation. Therefore, when only the surface field is available, the model can be used in a triggered lightning experiment.     

The characteristics of ground flashes in Beijing and Lanzhou regions

Over twenty thousand lightning location data obtained by using Lightning Location System (LLS) from Lanzhou and Beijing regions have been analysed to ascertain the characteristics of ground flashes in both regions. The strength of positive flashes is 5 times higher in Lanzhou than in Beijing. The strength of positive flashes is 3 times and 2.2 times as large as negative flashes in Beijing and in Lanzhou respectively. It has been found that the strength of positive and negative flashes is submitted to the normal distribution, and is independent of the characteristics of thunderstorm. So the lightning, strength obtained by DF may be used to forecast the coming of thunderstorm. Although the stroke number in both regions decreases as exponent regulation, the maximum number of return stroke for one lightning in Beijing is more than that in Lanzhou. The peak flash rate occurs in late afternoon for both regions, but the maximum and minimum flash rate appeared an hour earlier in Beijing than in Lanzhou.The relationship between DF display and lightning radiation electric field, discharge current is obtained.     

人工引雷上行正先导传播过程中爆发式磁场脉冲极性反转现象的观测与分析

为了进一步理解人工引雷上行正先导的传播过程及相关的爆发式电磁辐射脉冲,本文分析了2014年8月23日山东沾化人工触发闪电实验（SHATLE）中获得的三次上行正先导通道含有明显向下传播过程的个例。结果表明,在初始连续电流阶段观测到的爆发式磁场脉冲极性反转现象与正先导头部发展方向相对于观测位置投影方向的变化密切相关。因此可以推断,爆发式磁场脉冲是由正先导头部较小空间尺度放电过程辐射出的,就本文分析的个例而言,爆发式磁场脉冲辐射源的放电尺度约为2 m,放电强度的最大值达到2.49 kA。爆发式磁场脉冲的辐射机制不同于人工引雷先导始发阶段初始脉冲电流产生的磁场脉冲的辐射机制,可能与正先导通道头部的梯级形式发展过程相关。     

顾及观测点坐标精度的非线性拟合模型

推导出考虑了平面坐标误差情况下的曲面拟合模型的参数估计及其精度评定公式。此方法简单,易用程序实现,并可应用于曲线、曲面、数字地面模型、地壳垂直形变和多面函数拟合模型的参数估计中。结果表明,在曲面拟合模型中顾及平面坐标的精度,将使拟合精度及参数精度显著提高。     

利用低频磁场天线遥感测量人工引雷中的初始连续电流

2014年夏季的山东人工引雷实验中,我们利用高灵敏度宽频段磁场天线在距引雷点78 m的距离上开展了对人工引雷初始连续电流过程的遥感测量。通过分析实验期间5次人工引雷的综合观测数据,发现磁场遥感方法对人工引雷中特有的初始连续电流有很好的反演效果。通过对78 m距离上获得的磁场测量信号进行积分处理,能够有效地抑制测量过程中白噪声的影响,从而反演得到初始连续电流的低噪声时变波形。该方法为获取空中引雷实验中的初始连续电流波形提供了一种解决方案,同时也可用于反演近距离自然闪电中地闪回击中的长连续电流的时变波形。     

西北太平洋地区热带气旋闪电活动的气候学特征及其与气旋强度变化的关系

利用2005~2014年全球闪电定位网（WWLLN）资料和中国气象局提供的热带气旋（Tropical Cyclone,TC）位置和强度资料,分析了近10年西北太平洋地区228个TC中的闪电时空分布特征及其与气旋强度变化的关系。结果表明:TC闪电活动年际变化呈震荡分布,夏半年闪电活动比冬半年强,闪电频数日变化呈单峰分布,峰值出现在12:00（地方时,下同）,谷值出现在06:00。闪电密度呈三圈分布结构,内核区和外雨带区闪电密度较高,内雨带区最低;闪电密度空间不对称分布,最高值出现在TC南侧。TC强度改变时,内核区闪电密度随TC不同强度等级的分布与外雨带区不同。TC内核区闪电活动较外雨带区强,内核区和外雨带区的闪电密度最大值分别出现在TC快速增强和强度一般变化时;快速增强过程一般发生在中等强度的TC中,而快速减弱过程一般发生在强度较强的TC中。TC快速增强前后,内核区闪电活动变化比全部TC闪电和外雨带区明显,表明内核闪电活动较全部TC闪电和外雨带区闪电能更好的指示TC的快速增强。     

云分辨尺度下一种综合调整水物质含量的闪电资料同化方法

在直接调整水汽含量（称为F12）和直接调整冰相粒子浓度（称为Q14）两种闪电资料同化方法的基础上,提出了一种综合调整冰相粒子浓度和水汽含量（称为C17）的闪电资料同化方法,选取一次具有完整闪电观测资料（云闪加地闪）的飑线过程,利用WRF在云分辨尺度进行数值模拟,详细比较了3种闪电资料同化方法的模拟结果。与不进行闪电资料同化的控制试验相比,闪电资料同化试验明显改进了模式对流活动的模拟能力,但是不同同化方法有所差异。在同化时段内,F12方法中回波强度较小,形成大范围层云区,回波中心比实测偏向下游;Q14方法回波强度和落区同实测最为接近,但是对层云区的模拟无明显改进;C17方法综合了F12和Q14方法的优势,与F12方法相比,回波强度增大,落区更加接近实测,层云区面积扩大。同化结束后,F12方法冷池有所增强,雨区向东北方向延伸,但是强度较弱,形成大范围的弱降水区,同化正面效果保持最久;Q14方法低层大气偏干,地表冷池偏强,对流系统迅速移动并衰减,降水区域比实测偏南,同化正面效果消失较快;C17方法冷池范围和强度与实际观测最为接近,降水较F12方法增强,模拟出的飑线形态得到调整,模拟出了实测中的另一降水中心,同化正面效果保持时间延长。      

Influence of Topography and Large-scale Forcing on the Occurrence of Katabatic Flow Jumps in Antarctica： Idealized Simulations

The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System （RAMS）, which is a non-hydrostatic numerical model, has been used to investigate the impact of terrain shape and large-scale forcing on the Antarctic surface-wind regime, focusing on their roles in establishing favorable flow conditions for the formation of katabatic flow jumps. A series of quasi-2D numerical simulations were conducted over idealized slopes representing the slopes of Antarctica during austral winter conditions. Results indicate that the steepness and variations of the underlying slope play a role in the evolution of near-surface flows and thus the formation of katabatic flow jumps. However, large-scale forcing has a more noticeable effect on the occurrence of this small-scale phenomenon by establishing essential upstream and downstream flow conditions, including the upstream supercritical flow, the less stably stratified or unstable layer above the cold katabatic layer, as well as the cold-air pool located near the foot of the slope through an interaction with the underlying topography. Thus, the areas with steep and abrupt change in slopes, e.g. near the coastal areas of the eastern Antarctic, are preferred locations for the occurrence of katabatic flow jumps, especially under supporting synoptic conditions.