Modeling of thundercloud screening charges: Implications for blue and gigantic jets

Riousset, J. A.; Pasko, Victor P.; Krehbiel, P. R.; Rison, W.; Stanley, M. A.

doi:10.1029/2009ja014286

Cited by 74 publications

(137 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Under these circumstances, it is possible that upper level shear may also play a role by enhancing the mixing at storm top or by differentially advecting the upper charge region downstream of the main central charge [van der Velde et al, 2010]. However, it is thought that the latter would tend to promote IC flashes within the anvil region rather than produce a jet or GJ [Riousset et al, 2010]. Soula et al [2011] proposed that dilution of the upper charge relative to the central charge may also occur when the positively charged anvil is rapidly expanding (horizontally) relative to the central (negative) charge region.…”

Section: 1002/2015jd023383mentioning

confidence: 97%

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A Thermodynamic, kinematic and microphysical analysis of a jet and gigantic jet‐producing Florida thunderstorm

et al. 2015

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This paper presents a meteorological analysis of a storm that produced two jets, four gigantic jets (GJ), and a starter, which were observed by two radars as well as the Kennedy Space Center 4-Dimensional Lightning Surveillance System on 3 August 2013 in Central Florida. The work is the first application of dual polarization data to a jet-producing storm and is the fifth case related to a tropical disturbance. The storm environment is consistent with the moist tropical paradigm that characterizes about three quarters of the surface and aircraft observed jet and GJ events. The most unstable (MU) convective available potential energy is not unusual for Florida summer convection and is below the climatological mean for these events. An unusual speed shear layer is located near the storm equilibrium level (EL) and the storm exhibits a tilted structure with CGs displaced upshear. The turbulence, as measured by the eddy dissipation rate, is extreme near the storm top during the event window, consistent with the GJ mixing hypothesis. The individual events are collocated with, and track along, the center axis of the divergent outflow at the EL and occur within the region of the coldest GOES IR temperatures-placing the events within the overshoot. The dual polarization data indicate a deep graupel column, extending above the mixed phase layer, to a 13 km altitude.

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Section: 1002/2015jd023383mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Recent modeling studies indicate that, in terms of an initiation mechanism, enhanced storm top mixing (or lack thereof) may be a key factor in determining whether the upward discharge is a GJ or a jet [Krehbiel et al, 2008;Riousset et al, 2010]. Suzuki et al [2012] showed many blue jets and starters from a very high flash rate storm.…”

Section: 1002/2015jd023383mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Thermodynamic, kinematic and microphysical analysis of a jet and gigantic jet‐producing Florida thunderstorm

et al. 2015

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“…As Riousset et al [2007] show, the modeled discharges share many similarities with real discharges. Recently, bidirectional leader models have been used by Krehbiel et al [2008] and Riousset et al [2010] to explain how lightning discharges can grow out of the cloud and strike Earth, or instead escape out of the cloud top as a blue jet or gigantic jet. This occurs when the charge region at the escaping end is weak (shallow potential well) compared to the main charge center.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent models [Mansell et al, 2002;Riousset et al, 2007Riousset et al, , 2010 extend branched lightning channels stochastically to a new grid point in its vicinity when the potential difference between lightning channel and surrounding grid points with cloud charge exceeds a threshold. The potential on the channel and surroundings is then recalculated and the procedure is repeated until no more new nodes can be found that surpass the threshold.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asymmetries in bidirectional leader development of lightning flashes

Velde

Montanyà

2013

JGR Atmospheres

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Lightning flashes develop as a bidirectional tree, with a negative and a positive end propagating simultaneously into cloud charges of the opposite polarity. In recent years, this process has been modeled assuming that the bidirectional channel remains a zero‐net‐charge perfect conductor starting at the electric potential of its initial location. So far, both leader ends were treated identically. We summarize characteristics of bidirectional leader development of various lightning flashes registered by the Ebro 3‐D Lightning Mapping Array at the east coast of Spain, supplemented by high‐speed camera records. In order to follow the horizontal development of positive and negative leaders over time, a time‐distance‐altitude graph was designed, using the flash origin or a cloud‐to‐ground stroke as reference. The examples confirm that negative and positive leaders propagate at characteristic horizontal speeds (105 and 2 · 104 m s−1). The positive leader's low apparent speed corresponds to the phase when recoil processes are active. Very fast negative leaders (up to 8 · 105 m s−1) are detected in association with positive cloud‐to‐ground strokes. Negative leaders respawn repeatedly from the origin or as a retrograde negative leader at the positive branch. Positive leaders remain propagating throughout the flash or until reaching ground. We show that the velocity difference shifts the potential of the leader, increasing the gradient with cloud charge at the positive end while reducing it at the negative end. The positive section lowers its potential through retrograde negative leaders, eventually making it possible to emit a new negative leader into the upper positive potential well.

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“…Moreover, a certain charge imbalance may persist in thunderstorm, which causes strong variations of the electric field with altitude. Recently, Krehbiel et al (2008) and Riousset et al (2010b) have discussed a stratiform/multilayered thundercloud model to demonstrate the difference between the conditions for downward-propagating discharges in the form of usual −CG lightning and for upward-propagating discharges like jets. The charged regions situated at different altitudes in the thundercloud are sketched in Fig.…”

Section: Effect Of Charge Distribution In Thunderclouds On Jet Dischamentioning

confidence: 99%

Underlying mechanisms of transient luminous events: a review

Сурков

Hayakawa

2012

Ann. Geophys.

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Abstract. Transient luminous events (TLEs) occasionally observed above a strong thunderstorm system have been the subject of a great deal of research during recent years. The main goal of this review is to introduce readers to recent theories of electrodynamics processes associated with TLEs. We examine the simplest versions of these theories in order to make their physics as transparent as possible. The study is begun with the conventional mechanism for air breakdown at stratospheric and mesospheric altitudes. An electron impact ionization and dissociative attachment to neutrals are discussed. A streamer size and mobility of electrons as a function of altitude in the atmosphere are estimated on the basis of similarity law. An alternative mechanism of air breakdown, runaway electron mechanism, is discussed. In this section we focus on a runaway breakdown field, characteristic length to increase avalanche of runaway electrons and on the role played by fast seed electrons in generation of the runaway breakdown. An effect of thunderclouds charge distribution on initiation of blue jets and gigantic jets is examined. A model in which the blue jet is treated as upward-propagating positive leader with a streamer zone/corona on the top is discussed. Sprite models based on streamer-like mechanism of air breakdown in the presence of atmospheric conductivity are reviewed. To analyze conditions for sprite generation, thunderstorm electric field arising just after positive cloudto-ground stroke is compared with the thresholds for propagation of positively/negatively charged streamers and with runway breakdown. Our own estimate of tendril's length at the bottom of sprite is obtained to demonstrate that the runaway breakdown can trigger the streamer formation. In conclusion we discuss physical mechanisms of VLF (very low frequency) and ELF (extremely low frequency) phenomena associated with sprites.

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Modeling of thundercloud screening charges: Implications for blue and gigantic jets

Cited by 74 publications

References 46 publications

A Thermodynamic, kinematic and microphysical analysis of a jet and gigantic jet‐producing Florida thunderstorm

A Thermodynamic, kinematic and microphysical analysis of a jet and gigantic jet‐producing Florida thunderstorm

Asymmetries in bidirectional leader development of lightning flashes

Underlying mechanisms of transient luminous events: a review

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