Observing relationships between lightning and cloud profiles by  means of a satellite-borne cloud radar

Buiat, Martina; Porcú, Federico; Dietrich, Stefano

doi:10.5194/amt-2016-136

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…As in Hokuriku winter clouds, graupel and ice crystals have been found to be critically important in the electrification of many cloud systems globally, including summer thunderstorms (Buiat et al, ; Carey & Rutledge, ; Deierling et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microphysical Structure and Lightning Initiation in Hokuriku Winter Clouds

et al. 2019

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Hokuriku winter clouds produce frequent, positive lightning from relatively shallow clouds. To understand this phenomenon, data from Videosondes and Videosonde‐HYVIS conjoined sondes, launched from Kashiwazaki, Japan, were analyzed with radar and Lightning Location System network data. The main charge carriers were graupel particles and ice crystals, and space charge increased with their number concentrations consistent with riming electrification. Cloud structure evolved greatly over the course of cloud life. In the mature stage, space charge was positive in the cloud upper level (carried by positive ice crystals), negative in the middle level (carried by negative graupel and negative ice crystals), and positive in the lower level (carried by positive graupel). Lightning was only seen in clouds that had all of the following characteristics: cloud top temperature < −14°C, −10°C isotherm >1.2 km, space charge >2–3 pC/L, ice crystal number concentration >500 m−3, and graupel particle number concentration >20 m−3. Predominance of positive cloud‐to‐ground (+CG) lightning was associated with graupel number concentration <200 m−3 and graupel peak diameter ≤4 mm. The +CG strike zone tended to be downshear from the −CG strike zone. The data suggest that −CG is initiated mainly by middle‐level negative graupel in the convective cell, while +CG is initiated by positive ice crystals in the upper domain, displaced by wind shear and descending. A major contributor to ice crystal number density is a novel ice multiplication process in which graupel‐surface ice branches are broken‐off in large numbers and subsequently grow into ice crystals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microphysical Structure and Lightning Initiation in Hokuriku Winter Clouds

et al. 2019

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“…When the terminal velocity exceed the updraft, the larger particles fall down whereas the lighter ice particles are lifted to the upper region of the cloud thereby establishing an electric field within the system. This generates the incloud electric field distribution that initiates lightning when the field exceeds an optimum value (Marshal et al 1995;Buiat et al 2017;Chakravarty et al 2020). The resultant lightning flashes are observed over the region of study from 09:00 UTC onwards and it becomes highest during 10:30 UTC (Fig 9).…”

Section: Features Of Thunderstormmentioning

confidence: 98%

Unraveling the contrasting features of rainfall microphysics for the tropical cyclone Tauktae (2021) and a severe thunderstorm event as observed over the orographic region of Western Ghat

Chakravarty

Patil

Saha

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The contrasting feature of precipitation microphysics for the severe weather events over the orographic region of Western Ghat (WG) has been highlighted in this paper. By analyzing the features of precipitation associated with a cyclone and a thunderstorm over Mahabaleshwar – which is regarded as one of the severe rainfall station of Western Ghat orographic region, it has been found that the raindrops of diameter 2.2 mm and above dominates the precipitation associated with thunderstorm than with respect to cyclone. Though the towering thunderstorm surrounding the eyewalls of cyclone produces rainfall of higher intensity during the cyclonic period, but the strong updraft generated during the thunderstorm rainfall event forces the smaller raindrops aloft thereby allowing the larger raindrops to precipitate locally which ultimately results for severe rainfall of very high intensity for shorter duration during those events. It has been observed that the pre-cyclonic effect over orography is characterized by the increase in midlevel relative humidity (700–900 hPa), relative vorticity and cloud ice water content while in case of evolution of thunderstorm, the atmosphere gives strong signal with respect to strong vertical velocity, sudden increase of CAPE and rapid decrease of Lifting Index (LI). In this study, the impact of orographic upliftment, cyclonic circulation and the stronger updraft generated during the thunderstorm period has been critically diagnosed, differentiated and portrayed with respect to the variation of rainfall microphysics for these severe weather events over the elevated terrain.

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Observing relationships between lightning and cloud profiles by means of a satellite-borne cloud radar

Cited by 2 publications

References 7 publications

Microphysical Structure and Lightning Initiation in Hokuriku Winter Clouds

Microphysical Structure and Lightning Initiation in Hokuriku Winter Clouds

Unraveling the contrasting features of rainfall microphysics for the tropical cyclone Tauktae (2021) and a severe thunderstorm event as observed over the orographic region of Western Ghat

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