Intracloud discharge and the correlated basic charge structure of a thunderstorm in Zhongchuan, a Chinese Inland Plateau region

Cui, Hongyou; Qie, Xiushu; Zhang, Q.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, G.; Yang, Jing

doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2008.06.007

Cited by 19 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…It is worth noticing that the tripole charge structure mentioned above (above 0°C layer) supports the conclusion of tripole charge structure but with a larger-than-usual LPCC in the plateau regions proposed by Qie et al [12,13] based on the surface E-field evolution under the thunderstorm and Cui et al [16] based on the location of intracloud lightning. The strong screening charge layer at the lower cloud boundary deduced in this paper was also largely related to the larger-than-usual LPCC.…”

Section: Conclusion and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…Since the 1980s, multiple observation means, such as the surface E-field under thunderstorms [10−13], the location of charge moment neutralized by intracloud discharges [14−18], multi-station simultaneous measurements of Efield changes and charge location of cloud-to-ground lightning [19−21], were carried out to research the electrical characteristics of thunderstorms in Chinese inland plateau and Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, and the results showed that most of the thunderstorms had a tripolar charge structure but with a larger-than-usual lower positive charge center (LPCC) at the base of some thunderclouds [12,13,16]. And cloud discharge occurred mainly between the central negative charge region and the LPCC.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Electric field soundings and the charge structure within an isolated thunderstorm

et al. 2009

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A strong electric (E) field sounding system was designed to measure the vertical component of the E-fields, temperature, relative humidity and GPS data along the sounding path. In the summer of 2008, in situ measurements of E-field inside the thunderstorms were conducted in Pingliang, Gansu Provience, with the cooperation of an X-band weather radar. One E-field profile inside a thunderstorm was successfully acquired. The sounding data indicated four charge layers along the sounding trajectory, three inside the thuderstorm and one at its lower boundary. The lower cloud boundary charge layer was negative, acting as a screening layer, and laid between 4.3 to 4.5 km a.s.l. The lower positive charge center (LPCC) existed between 4.5-5.3 km a.s.l. (from 3°C to −2°C); the main negative charge area was present between 5.4-6.6 km a.s.l. (−3°C to −10°C); the upper positive charge layer was between 6.7-7.2 km a.s.l. (−11°C to −14°C). The results support the tripole charge structure inside thunderstorms (above 0°C isotherm altitude), but the LPCC is much larger-than-usual in Chinese inland plateau. thunderstorm, electric field sounding, electric charge structure, Chinese inland plateau, charging mechanism Citation:Zhao Z K, Qie X S, Zhang T L, et al. Electric field soundings and the charge structure within an isolated thunderstorm.

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Section: Conclusion and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

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confidence: 99%

Electric field soundings and the charge structure within an isolated thunderstorm

et al. 2009

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“…They produce mostly intracloud discharges (between the upper positive and negative charge regions as well as between the negative and lower positive charge regions) and a relatively small numbers of negative and positive cloud‐to‐ground flashes [ Qie et al , 2009]. For one storm, Cui et al [2009] reported a total of 112 flashes, of which 98 were cloud flashes, 12 negative ground flashes, and 2 positive ground flashes. It is not clear why the unusually large lower positively charged region was apparently unlikely to launch a positive leader toward ground, although Qie et al [2009]reported that the storm on 13 August 2003, the strongest one during their 5 year period of observations, produced a high percentage of positive cloud‐to‐ground flashes.…”

Section: Conceptual Cloud Charge Configurations and Scenarios Leadingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Nag¹,

Rakov²

2012

J. Geophys. Res.

108

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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“…[6] In the summer of 2009 and 2010, a VLF/LF lightning detection network consisting of seven stations of fast and slow antennas synchronized by GPS, similar to that used by Cui et al [2009], was deployed in Da Hinggan Ling, northeast of China. Figure 1 shows the distribution of station locations.…”

Section: Instrumentation and Data Acquisitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning in Da Hinggan Ling forest region at relatively high latitude, northeastern China

Qie

Wang

et al. 2013

JGR Atmospheres

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[1] In 2009 and 2010, a multistation network of fast and slow antennas was installed on the edge of a relatively high latitude forest region in Da Hinggan Ling (50.4°N, 124.1°E) of northeastern China. The documented 185 positive cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes containing 196 return strokes were analyzed in the paper. It was found that 71.89% of the positive CG flashes contained continuing current. The average duration of continuing current was short with an arithmetic mean value of 33.29 ms and a geometric mean value of 16.74 ms; only one continuing current lasted longer than 150 ms, probably because of the small size of the storm cell in this relatively high latitude region. The vast majority (94.59%) of positive CG flashes was characterized by a single stroke, and the average number of stroke per flash is 1.06. The average charge transferred by positive stroke and continuing current, based upon the analysis of five flashes with well-documented simultaneous measurements of more than five stations, was +5.2 C from a height of 6.0 km (above ground) and +10.2 C from a height of 6.4 km, respectively. The charge moment for +CG strokes ranged from +13.7 C km to +55.9 C km, while that for continuing current ranged from +29.0 C km to +96.9 C km, respectively. The preliminary breakdown process in positive CG flashes can be classified into three types, namely type S (same), type D (different), and type C (chaotic) according to the disparities in the initial polarity of bipolar pulses from the return stroke, which account for 62.92%, 23.60%, and 13.48%, respectively. According to the electric field waveforms indicative (or not indicative) of intracloud (IC) discharge, positive CG flashes are classified into four types, i.e., ordinary positive CG flash (63.78%), hybrid +CG-IC flash (21.08%), hybrid IC-+CG flash (5.41%), and hybrid IC-+CG-IC flash (9.73%). About 15.14% of the recorded positive CG flashes were byproduct of IC lightning discharge.

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Intracloud discharge and the correlated basic charge structure of a thunderstorm in Zhongchuan, a Chinese Inland Plateau region

Cited by 19 publications

References 13 publications

Electric field soundings and the charge structure within an isolated thunderstorm

Electric field soundings and the charge structure within an isolated thunderstorm

Positive lightning: An overview, new observations, and inferences

Characteristics of positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning in Da Hinggan Ling forest region at relatively high latitude, northeastern China

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