Electrical characteristics of winter lightning

Goto, Yukihiro; Narita, Kentaro

doi:10.1016/0021-9169(94)00072-v

Cited by 45 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The median charge transfers in 1, 2, and 40 ms ranged from 3.1 to 37 C, 6.2 to 42 C, and 7.1 to 116 C, respectively, and the median charge transfers were 13, 18, and 34 C, respectively. For the case of H = 7 km, the corresponding median values are 19, 24, and 55 C. The median values for 1 and 2 ms are comparable to the median impulse charge (excluding continuing current) of 16 C for 26 positive return strokes reported by Berger et al [1975], but all three values are considerably smaller than the median total (including continuing current) charge transfer of 80 C. Total charge transfers of hundreds of coulombs or more have been reported for positive discharges in Japanese winter thunderstorms [Goto and Narita, 1995]. As noted earlier, our electric field records were not suitable for estimating total charge transfers due to relatively short decay time constant of the measuring system.…”

Section: Charge Transferred By Positive Strokessupporting

confidence: 79%

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Nag¹,

Rakov²

2012

J. Geophys. Res.

111

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[1] We examine the various conceptual cloud charge configurations and scenarios leading to production of positive lightning with a view toward an explanation of its observed properties. Data for 52 positive cloud-to-ground flashes containing 63 strokes recorded in Gainesville, Florida, in 2007 are presented and discussed. The U.S. National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) located 51 (96%) of the positive strokes at distances of 7.8 to 157 km from the field-measuring station. In 42 (81%) of the 52 flashes, the first (or the only) leader-return stroke sequence was not preceded by in-cloud discharge activity. The average number of strokes per flash is 1.2. Single-stroke flashes constitute 81%. In three (38%) of eight two-stroke flashes, the second stroke likely followed the channel of the first stroke, and in five (62%) flashes it likely created a new termination on ground. Eight (15%) of the 52 positive flashes had detectable preliminary breakdown pulse trains in their electric field records. Electric field waveforms of 14 (27%) first strokes (also of one third stroke) are preceded by pronounced pulses, apparently indicative of leader stepping. NLDN-reported peak currents for 48 positive strokes in 40 flashes ranged from 20 to 234 kA with a geometric mean value of 75 kA. The median charge transfers in 1, 2, and 40 ms after the beginning of return stroke electric field change for an assumed height of 12 km were estimated to be 13, 18, and 34 C, respectively. Two bipolar lightning discharges are additionally examined.

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Section: Charge Transferred By Positive Strokessupporting

confidence: 79%

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Nag¹,

Rakov²

2012

J. Geophys. Res.

111

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“…Our data appear to confirm the findings of Campos and coworkers and, to the best of our knowledge, constitute the first direct evidence of M component‐like current pulses of both polarities in positive flashes. Note that some M component‐like current waveforms of only one polarity can be seen in the data presented by Goto and Narita [] (see their Figure ).…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[5] Only a few studies have been published presenting directly measured currents from positive flashes [e.g., Berger et al, 1975;Diendorfer et al, 2006;Goto and Narita, 1995;Wada et al, 1996]. Most other positive lightning studies are based on distant electric field measurements [e.g., Cooray and Pérez, 1994;Fuquay, 1982;Ishii et al, 1998;Nag and Rakov, 2012], high-speed video optical observations [e.g., Campos et al, 2009;Fleenor et al, 2009;Saba et al, 2009Saba et al, , 2008Saba et al, , 2010, or on a combination of remote field and optical measurements [e.g., Kong et al, 2008].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower from May 2010 to January 2012

et al. 2013

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[1] We analyze currents of 30 positive flashes recorded on the Säntis tower, Switzerland, from May 2010 to January 2012. The currents were classified into two types. Type 1 events exhibit a large, unipolar main pulse with a risetime of tens of microseconds, followed by subsidiary peaks separated by millisecond-scale intervals. The main pulse in three flashes was preceded by a slowly rising ramp lasting several milliseconds and was followed by a relatively steady current with superimposed positive and negative pulses, constituting the first direct evidence of M components of both polarities. In four of the five type 1 flashes, the main current was preceded by pulse bursts, presumably due to attempted negative leaders. Type 2 events are characterized by a millisecond-scale waveform with large, oscillatory pulse trains on its rising portion. These pulse trains are inferred to be due to upward negative stepped leaders. Peak currents of type 2 flashes are associated with the fast pulses. Our positive flashes of both types have a median peak current of 11.1 kA and a median duration of 80 ms, consistent with data recorded in Austria. Our measured median transferred charges are about 6 times larger than those at Switzerland's Monte San Salvatore and in Japan and about 3 times larger than in Austria. Eight type 2 flashes in our data set transported over 500 C of positive charge to ground. Our five type 1 events appear to be similar (except for the pulse duration) to their counterparts examined by Berger et al. (1975). Our type 2 events are "classical" upward flashes.

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“…Directly measured current waveforms have also been presented in some studies (e.g. [10][11][12][13][14][15]). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Some characteristics of positive and bipolar lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower in 2010 and 2011

Romero

Rubinstein²,

Rachidi

et al. 2012

2012 International Conference on Lightning Protection (ICLP)

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We present an analysis of measured current waveforms associated with positive and bipolar flashes recorded on the Säntis tower, Switzerland, from May 2010 till January 2012. The overall number of recorded flashes in the considered period was 201, of which 30 were of positive polarity (effectively transported positive charge to ground) and three were bipolar. The recorded positive flashes were mainly concentrated in the summer months, August being the month during which most of them occurred (6 events in 2010 and 16 events in 2011). The observed positive flashes are characterized by a median peak current of 11.8 kA, and a median flash duration of 80 ms. These values are consistent with those associated with the data recorded at the Gaisberg Tower in Austria. On the other hand, the amount of transferred charge is substantially larger in our dataset, with a median value of 169 C (6 times as large as the values obtained in Monte San Salvatore and in Japan, and 3 times as large as the value obtained in Austria). Eight flashes out of 30 transported positive charge to the ground in excess of 500 C. The obtained results confirm also the findings of Saba et al. according to which positive lightning flashes may combine high peak currents with high charge transfers (or flash durations). The three bipolar flashes recorded during the considered time period occurred during one storm occurred on August 27, 2011. The relative number of bipolar flashes (1.5%) is found to be lower than the values reported in previous studies in Austria and in Switzerland (3 to 6%). On the basis of the classification proposed by Rakov, two of the three observed bipolar flashes belonged to Type 2 and one to Type 3.

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Electrical characteristics of winter lightning

Cited by 45 publications

References 6 publications

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Positive lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower from May 2010 to January 2012

Some characteristics of positive and bipolar lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower in 2010 and 2011

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Electrical characteristics of winter lightning

Cited by 45 publications

References 6 publications

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Positive lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower from May 2010 to January 2012

Some characteristics of positive and bipolar lightning flashes recorded on the S&#x00E4;ntis tower in 2010 and 2011

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Some characteristics of positive and bipolar lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower in 2010 and 2011