Highlights of a New Ground-Based, Hourly Global Lightning Climatology

Virts, Katrina S.; Wallace, John M.; Hutchins, M. L.; Holzworth, R. H.

doi:10.1175/bams-d-12-00082.1

Cited by 185 publications

(183 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…By late August 2010, at the time of Earl's formation, the WWLLN consisted of approximately 41 ''time of arrival'' sensors located around the globe [see Fig. 1 in Virts et al (2013)]. These sensors detect the very low frequency (VLF) radio waves of lightning sferics (Abarca et al 2011).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Convective Evolution and Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010)

Stevenson

Corbosiero

Molinari

2014

Monthly Weather Review

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The relationship between an inner-core (r , 100 km) lightning outbreak and the subsequent rapid intensification (RI) of Hurricane Earl (2010) is examined using lightning strikes recorded by the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) and in situ observations from various aircraft missions. Moderate (8.4 m s 21 ) northeasterly deep-layer (850-200 hPa) vertical wind shear, caused by outflow from Hurricane Danielle, existed over Earl at the beginning of a prolonged period of RI. Over 70% of the lightning strikes within a 500-km radius occurred downshear, with a preference toward downshear right in the outer rainbands, in agreement with previous studies.The location of inner-core strikes in Earl differed markedly from previous studies. The inner-core lightning activity precessed from left of shear to upshear, an extremely rare event, beginning just prior to the onset of RI. Diagnosis of the vortex tilt midway through the lightning precession showed this convection was occurring downtilt in the upshear-left quadrant; however, limited observations could not confirm if the vortex tilt was precessing with the lightning. Elevated values of low-level relative humidity and CAPE were also found upshear and supported the inner-core convection, which was found to occur within the radius of maximum wind (RMW). Previous studies have shown that convection located inside the RMW promotes intensification. It is hypothesized that intensification may have occurred in part because the vertical wind shear acted to reduce the upshear tilt, and the occurrence of convection inside the RMW helped to enhance the warm core.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Convective Evolution and Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010)

Stevenson

Corbosiero

Molinari

2014

Monthly Weather Review

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“…Recent research has shown that satellite measurements are a useful tool for estimating LNO x (Boersma et al, 2005;Beirle et al, 2010;Bucsela et al, 2010;Pickering et al, 2016). Pickering et al (2016) combined OMI V trop data with data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) (Dowden et al, 2002;Lay et al, 2004;Virts et al, 2013) to estimate the production efficiency (PE) of LNO x (moles per flash). Using SPv2 and WWLLN data from the Gulf of Mexico over five Northern Hemisphere summers (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011), they obtained a mean PE value of 80 ± 45 mol flash −1 .…”

Section: Impact On Lightning No X Emissions Estimatementioning

confidence: 99%

The version 3 OMI NO<sub>2</sub> standard product

et al. 2017

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Abstract. We describe the new version 3.0 NASA Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) standard nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) products (SPv3). The products and documentation are publicly available from the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (https://disc. gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets/OMNO2_V003/summary/). The major improvements include (1) a new spectral fitting algorithm for NO 2 slant column density (SCD) retrieval and (2) higherresolution (1 • latitude and 1.25 • longitude) a priori NO 2 and temperature profiles from the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) chemistry-transport model with yearly varying emissions to calculate air mass factors (AMFs) required to convert SCDs into vertical column densities (VCDs). The new SCDs are systematically lower (by ∼ 10-40 %) than previous, version 2, estimates. Most of this reduction in SCDs is propagated into stratospheric VCDs. Tropospheric NO 2 VCDs are also reduced over polluted areas, especially over western Europe, the eastern US, and eastern China. Initial evaluation over unpolluted areas shows that the new SPv3 products agree better with independent satellite-and ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements. However, further evaluation of tropospheric VCDs is needed over polluted areas, where the increased spatial resolution and more refined AMF estimates may lead to better characterization of pollution hot spots.

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“…Systematic detection algorithms are applied to ERA-Interim reanalyses39 to examine the occurrence of fronts404142 and cyclones (including extratropical and tropical systems)343, with the cyclone occurrences supplemented by the addition of global tropical cyclone data44. Thunderstorm occurrences are based on lightning observations from a global network of ground-based sensors4546, with data available for complete years from 2005 onwards defining the start of the time period considered in this study. The systematic approach applied here based on combining cyclone, front and thunderstorm occurrence data aims to address knowledge gaps associated with the causes of extreme precipitation events and extreme wind events, so as to help lead to improved resilience to the impacts that these events can have throughout the world.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme weather caused by concurrent cyclone, front and thunderstorm occurrences

Dowdy

Catto

2017

Sci Rep

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Phenomena such as cyclones, fronts and thunderstorms can cause extreme weather in various regions throughout the world. Although these phenomena have been examined in numerous studies, they have not all been systematically examined in combination with each other, including in relation to extreme precipitation and extreme winds throughout the world. Consequently, the combined influence of these phenomena represents a substantial gap in the current understanding of the causes of extreme weather events. Here we present a systematic analysis of cyclones, fronts and thunderstorms in combination with each other, as represented by seven different types of storm combinations. Our results highlight the storm combinations that most frequently cause extreme weather in various regions of the world. The highest risk of extreme precipitation and extreme wind speeds is found to be associated with a triple storm type characterized by concurrent cyclone, front and thunderstorm occurrences. Our findings reveal new insight on the relationships between cyclones, fronts and thunderstorms and clearly demonstrate the importance of concurrent phenomena in causing extreme weather.

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Highlights of a New Ground-Based, Hourly Global Lightning Climatology

Abstract: unprecedented sampling of lightning frequency, providing a basis for climatologies that resolve diurnal as well as seasonal variations,

Cited by 185 publications

References 52 publications

The Convective Evolution and Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010)

The Convective Evolution and Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010)

The version 3 OMI NO<sub>2</sub> standard product

Extreme weather caused by concurrent cyclone, front and thunderstorm occurrences

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Highlights of a New Ground-Based, Hourly Global Lightning Climatology

Abstract: unprecedented sampling of lightning frequency, providing a basis for climatologies that resolve diurnal as well as seasonal variations,

Cited by 185 publications

References 52 publications

The Convective Evolution and Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010)

The Convective Evolution and Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010)

The version 3 OMI NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; standard product

Extreme weather caused by concurrent cyclone, front and thunderstorm occurrences

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

The version 3 OMI NO<sub>2</sub> standard product