Progresses in the Atmospheric Electricity Researchesin China during 2006--2010

Atmospheric electricity is composed of a wide range of electric phenomena inthe troposphere, stratosphere, and even lower ionosphere. Research progresson atmospheric electricity in the past 5 years in China are briefly reviewedhere. This research area has been greatly expanded through rocket-triggeredlightning experiments and the increased use of high spatio-temporalresolution techniques for the detection and location of lightning. The mainresults described in this review are summarized in the following fiveaspects: (1) processes and parameters inferred from rocket-triggeredlightning, (2) lightning physics and effects (observations and theoreticalstudy), (3) lightning activities associated with different thunderstorms,(4) charge structure of thunderstorms (observations and simulation), and (5)the VHF/UHF lightning location techniques and discharge channel mapping.