Effects of Convective Mergers on the Evolution of Microphysical and Electrical Activity in a Severe Squall Line Simulated by WRF Coupled With Explicit Electrification Scheme

Lu, Jingyu; Qie, Xiushu; Xian, Xuefu; Jiang, Rubin; Mansell, Edward R.; Fierro, Alexandre O.; Liu, Dongxia; Chen, Zhixiong; Yuan, Shanfeng; Sun, Mengjun; Yu, Han; Zhang, Yuxin; Wang, Dongfang; Yair, Yoav

doi:10.1029/2021jd036398

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 84 publications

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“…To investigate whether increasing the CCN concentration changes convection, Figure 2 shows the spatial distribution of radar reflectivity during different stages of the storm for different aerosol scenarios. Based on the characteristics of reflectivity and lightning activity (van den Broeke et al., 2008; Liu et al., 2021; Lu et al., 2022; C. Zhao et al., 2022), the different stages of storm development, that is, initial (Figures 2a, 2d, and 2g), developing (Figures 2b, 2e, and 2h), and pre‐mature (Figures 2c, 2f, and 2i), were identified. Convection developed later in the polluted run than in the Ctrl and clean cases.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Effects of Aerosols on Electrification and Lightning Polarity in an Idealized Supercell Thunderstorm via Model Emulation

Sun,

Li,

Wang

et al. 2023

JGR Atmospheres

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Aerosol effects on the lightning intensity and polarity of a continental supercell storm were investigated using a three‐dimensional lightning scheme within the Weather Research and Forecasting model. We find that both intra‐cloud (IC) and cloud‐to‐ground (CG) flashes are enhanced by the increasing number of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), especially the percentage of positive CG (+CG) strokes peaking at 42%. Electrical characteristics of the storm varied in different aerosol scenarios through microphysical processes. Added aerosols increase the number of cloud droplets and ice‐phase hydrometeors. The greater ice‐crystal concentration and larger graupel size ensure sufficient charge separation, leading to higher charge density and more lightning discharges. In addition, an inverted polarity charge structure with a strong positive‐charge region in the mid‐levels was formed mainly due to the positively charged graupel in the presence of higher supercooled cloud water content. Positive lightning channels originating from this positive‐charge region propagated to the ground, producing more +CG strokes. When the aerosol concentration was low, the charge density in the upper positive‐charge region was much lower due to smaller ice‐particle content. Consequently, there were barely any +CG strokes. Most of the negative CG flashes deposited positive charge in the lower negative‐charge region.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Effects of Aerosols on Electrification and Lightning Polarity in an Idealized Supercell Thunderstorm via Model Emulation

Sun,

Li,

Wang

et al. 2023

JGR Atmospheres

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“…Some observations have suggested that augmentation of total ice contents and robust mixed‐phase processes under polluted conditions eventually lead to higher lightning flash rates (Liu et al., 2021; Zhao et al., 2020). Meanwhile, larger CAPE and mid‐level RH also help to intensify lightning activity (Liu et al., 2011; Lu et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2018). The tangled influences of aerosol forcing and dynamics‐thermodynamic effects on electrification are still poorly understood based on convection‐resolved model simulation.…”

Section: Conclusion and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol Impacts on Storm Electrification and Lightning Discharges Under Different Thermodynamic Environments

et al. 2023

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Lightning activity is generally regarded to be invigorated with elevated aerosol loads (Li et al., 2019;Sun et al., 2021;Westcott, 1995), although excessive aerosol particles may lead to inhibition of convection and reduction of lightning activity (Altaratz et al., 2010;. Added aerosols increase the cloud droplet number and delay rain formation (Rosenfeld et al., 2008), then the updrafts lift more liquid hydrometeors to the mixed-phase region, where the increased latent heat of freezing helps to sustain the greater mass loading. Ultimately, the increased supercooled water and ice-phase particle content affect the charge separation and lightning activity via non-induction electrification mechanism (Takahashi, 1978;Yair et al., 2021). Thornton et al. (2017) found that lightning is enhanced by about a factor of 2 directly over two of the world's busiest shipping lanes, related to elevated ship exhaust particles. This may be considered as a proof for an indirect effect of aerosols on the microphysics of thunderstorms. Similar results were reported by Hu et al. (2019) in the Houston region and by Yuan et al. (2011) over the West Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines.The simultaneous impacts of thermodynamics and aerosols result in a complex response of lightning to increased aerosols (Berg et al., 2008;Stolz et al., 2015;Zhao et al., 2020). Utilizing observational datasets, Wang et al. (2018) showed that lightning frequency is much higher in moist central Africa than in the drier northern region and has a "boomerang shape" with a saturation effect around an aerosol optical depth (AOD) of 0.3. As AOD exceeds the threshold, the response turns to be negative and is more pronounced in

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“…The strong updraft via the horizontal transport of ice-phase particles may increases the collision rate and enhance the electri cation. The cloud bridge between two merging cell is one of lightning surged region (Lu et al, 2022). In Figures A (a , and 3b.…”

Section: Observed Tles During the Cell Merging And The Dissipation Of...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cell merging is one of important processes to intensify the convective system (Westcott, 1994). Lu et al (Lu et al, 2022) investigate the cell merging and corresponding lightning activity using observation and simulation. Their results support that cell merging can enhance the lightning activity.…”

Section: Observed Tles During the Cell Merging And The Dissipation Of...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Case study on sprite and lightning activities associated with the cell life cycle in a mesoscale convective system

Hou,

kuo,

Hsu

et al. 2024

Preprint

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A line of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) accompanied by hails with strong updraft may produces favorable weather conditions for high flash rates and sprite occurrences. On 18–20 May, 2018, we observed a total of 287 transient luminous events (TLEs) in the Taiwan campaign. After analyzing flashes from Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN), the observation region has a maximum CG flash rate 115.1 min-1 (95.1 min-1 for –CGs and 20.0 min-1 for + CG) within a single cell of MCSs on May 20 within a radius 55 km. We investigated the TLEs activity associated with the multi-cells in the MCS, and found that sudden increases of TLEs are associated with the merging stage of new and old cells and the dissipating stage of cell. The flashes associated with TLEs with halo emissions have a tendency of large peak current. The TLEs with their parent flashes and extremely high peak currents (200, 244, 261, 267, 311, 357 kA) were shown, and most of events have common optical features of sprite halos and clusters of sprites structures.

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Effects of Convective Mergers on the Evolution of Microphysical and Electrical Activity in a Severe Squall Line Simulated by WRF Coupled With Explicit Electrification Scheme

Cited by 16 publications

References 84 publications

Understanding the Effects of Aerosols on Electrification and Lightning Polarity in an Idealized Supercell Thunderstorm via Model Emulation

Understanding the Effects of Aerosols on Electrification and Lightning Polarity in an Idealized Supercell Thunderstorm via Model Emulation

Aerosol Impacts on Storm Electrification and Lightning Discharges Under Different Thermodynamic Environments

Case study on sprite and lightning activities associated with the cell life cycle in a mesoscale convective system

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