Can Lightning Observations be Used as an Indicator of Upper-Tropospheric Water Vapor Variability?

Price, Colin; Asfur, Mustafa

doi:10.1175/bams-87-3-291

Cited by 65 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Furthermore, since late afternoon in the three thunderstorm hot-spots occurs at different universal times (South America-2000 UTC, Africa-1400 UTC and Southeast Asia-0900 UTC), we can further separate the regions temporally, with three distinct maxima in thunderstorm activity observed in the diurnal cycle of the SR. Therefore, using our different detectors at different universal times, ELF radiation arriving from the African continent can be isolated (Price and Melnikov 2004;Price and Asfur, 2006). Since the magnetic field measurements are absolutely calibrated, the units in pico-Tesla (pT=10 −12 Tesla) provide a quantitative measure of lightning intensity.…”

Section: Data and Empirical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was recently shown (Price and Asfur, 2006) that African lightning intensity is highly correlated, on a daily time scale, with the amount of water vapor (specific humidity in g/kg) in the upper troposphere (near 300 mb∼10 km) above the African continent. It was demonstrated that lightning activity over tropical Africa results in the moistening of the African upper troposphere one day after the lightning activity.…”

Section: Data and Empirical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inferred long term trends in lightning activity over Africa

Price

Asfur

2006

Earth Planet Sp

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Global warming is becoming a reality, with growing evidence that anthropogenic activity on our planet is starting to influence our climate (IPCC, 2001). Due to the increase in significant weather-related disasters in recent years, it is important to investigate the role of global warming on such changes. In this paper we attempt to estimate the long term trends in lightning activity over tropical Africa during the past 50 years, using upper tropospheric water vapor as a proxy for regional lightning activity. We use the NCAR/NCEP reanalysis product available for the period 1948 to the present to estimate the long term trends in lightning activity. Similarity between the long term African lightning variability and observed rainfall and river discharge variability are demonstrated. Since 1950 the inferred lightning activity over Africa shows significant variability, reaching a maximum during the 1960s, followed by a decrease in activity during the following 30 years.

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Section: Data and Empirical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Data and Empirical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inferred long term trends in lightning activity over Africa

Price

Asfur

2006

Earth Planet Sp

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“…Again for the 27 March 1997, the latent heat flux shows similar features (not shown here). From these records it is apparent that thunderstorm dissipation likely occurred between 12 and 15 UTC because the heat flux grew from 09 to 12 UTC [20], equatorial Africa is one of the three thunderstorm hot spot regions (South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia) where most thunderstorm events take place around 14.00 UTC. Therefore our observations are in agreement with previous finding.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent laboratory studies of arc discharges also indicate a large ratio of NO/NO 2 and minimal O 3 production [18]. According to Price [19] and Price and Asfur [20], equatorial Africa is one of lightning hot spot regions of the world. Marufu et al [21] showed that 27% of the troposphere O 3 abundance observed over Africa is caused by lightning induced nitrogen oxides (LNOx).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ozone pollution during stratosphere-troposphere exchange events over equatorial Africa

Ture

Tsidu

2011

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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Both natural factors such as thunderstorm events and anthropogenic activities contribute to very high ozone production. On the flight route from Johannesburg to Vienna enhanced ozone and relative humidity spikes were observed by MOZAIC (Measurements of Ozone by Airbus In service airCraft). MOZAIC recorded high resolution in-situ ozone and relative humidity at a flying altitude of 250-200 hPa at equatorial Africa. This area is one of the lightning hot spot regions of the world. We report introduction of enhanced ozone of stratospheric origin into the troposphere during two events and the resulting pollution. Vertical cross-section of potential vorticity over the region of interest showed high PV intrusion below the tropopause level. Both OLR (Outgoing longwave radiation) and vertical wind have indicated presence of strong convection. Cloud water content transport and high latent heat have confirmed the existence of thunderstorm activity coupled to PV intrusion. The two distinct events are characterized by very low ozone within the thunderstorm cloud and very high ozone of stratospheric origin outside the thunderstorm cloud. The events have produced ambient air pollution

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“…Recent laboratory studies of arc discharges also indicate a large ratio of NO/NO 2 and minimal O 3 production [26]. According to Price and colleagues [27,28], equatorial Africa is one of lightning hot spot regions of the world. Marufu et al [29] showed that 27% of the troposphere O 3 abundance observed over Africa is caused by lightning induced nitrogen oxides (LNOx).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attributes of dynamical events to tropospheric ozone distribution over equatorial africa

Ture

Tsidu

2011

Int. J. SDP

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Volcanic activity, biological decay, forest fi res, thunderstorm events and stratospheric intrusions are key sources that introduce atmospheric traces to the troposphere. Ozone is one of such traces which can be found in very high concentration than its normal level due to natural factors. Upper and middle tropospheric ozone act as a green house gas while ozone found in high concentration at lower troposphere is a pollutant that harms living organisms. In few ozone and relative humidity data records by measurements of ozone by airbus in service aircraft (MOZAIC), spikes were observed at a fl ying altitude of 250-200 hPa at equatorial Africa. Equatorial Africa is one of the three thunderstorm hot spot regions (South America, Equatorial Africa and Southeast Asia) of the world. This work discusses how ozone of stratospheric origin produced enhanced ozone over the troposphere of equatorial Africa and its redistribution due to dynamical events. To understand the events that attribute to spiky MOZAIC ozone and relative humidity observations, in addition to MOZAIC ozone and relative humidity, data sets from different sources were used for diagnosis. Meridional cross-section of potential vorticity over the region of interest showed high potential vorticity (PV) intrusion below the tropopause level that induced enhanced ozone into upper troposphere. Vertical wind fi elds in the regions of low outgoing long wave radiation (OLR), very high latent heat and cloud liquid water content transport have indicated presence of convection and thunderstorm events. Enhanced ozone of stratospheric origin, as revealed by GOME satellite data produced during stratospheric intrusion, transported from the stratosphere all the way down to the boundary layer. Convective erosion was found to scavenge ozone concentration mainly at the boundary layers between 1000 and 700 hPa and enhanced ozone volume mixing ratio (VMR) of 60-100 ppbv which exceeds the WHO guideline limit of 60 ppbv were observed. These events have led to ozone pollution.

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Can Lightning Observations be Used as an Indicator of Upper-Tropospheric Water Vapor Variability?

Abstract: The link between the daily variability of lightning and upper-tropospheric water vapor suggests a possible method of monitoring an important climatic factor.

Cited by 65 publications

References 29 publications

Inferred long term trends in lightning activity over Africa

Inferred long term trends in lightning activity over Africa

Ozone pollution during stratosphere-troposphere exchange events over equatorial Africa

Attributes of dynamical events to tropospheric ozone distribution over equatorial africa

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