Physical mechanisms for the development of lightning discharges between a thundercloud and the ionosphere

Petrov, Nikolai I.; Петрова, Г. Н.

doi:10.1134/1.1259327

Cited by 67 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…This can be deduced by such a fact that the development of a streamer discharge precedes the formation of a leader. The condition for a streamer-leader transition can be satisfied if the electric field over the length of the streamer zone in a leader exceeds the critical value (Petrov and Petrova, 1999). Since the electric field decreasing with upper distance from the thundercloud is lower than the exponential decrease of the pressure with height, the condition for a streamer-leader transition can be substantially satisfied to ignite an upper lightning discharge.…”

Section: Critical Field For a Leadermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2). It is known that the change in density with height is approximately exponential, i.e., N (z) = N (0)e −γ z , where γ (=1.25 × 10 −4 ) is the scaling parameter and z is the height above sea level in meters (Petrov and Petrova, 1999). By Eq.…”

Section: Electric Field In Leader Channelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the electric field decreasing with upper distance from the thundercloud is lower than the exponential decrease of the pressure with height, the condition for a streamer-leader transition can be substantially satisfied to ignite an upper lightning discharge. Thus, the critical field for a leader is estimated by the minimum electric field required for streamer propagation (e.g., Petrov and Petrova, 1999;Petrov et al, 2003), i.e., E* = E c in this work, which can be simply scaled with height proportionally to the neutral atmospheric density (e.g., Pasko and George, 2002). It is assumed that as soon as the electric field around leader tip reaches the E* field, the leader process is developed.…”

Section: Critical Field For a Leadermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Simulation of gigantic jets propagating from the top of thunderclouds to the ionosphere

2005

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A randomly stepped leader propagation model is developed to study gigantic jets, a new type of lightning, connecting thunderclouds to the ionosphere. The thundercloud is considered as one electrode igniting gigantic jets and the ionosphere is assumed as the other. The propagation of stepped leader is considered as a field controlled random growth process. The electric field is produced due to the thundercloud charges and the selfconsistently propagating leader. A leader propagation probability is proposed to determine whether the leader grows at the next step and what the step direction of the leader is in case of growth. The results show that leader propagation spans ∼72 km from igniting position to the ionosphere. The simulation of leader propagation appears to be in agreement with the structure of observed gigantic jets.

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Section: Critical Field For a Leadermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Electric Field In Leader Channelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Critical Field For a Leadermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Simulation of gigantic jets propagating from the top of thunderclouds to the ionosphere

2005

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“…This also applies for the analysis of the formation of large-scale transient luminous phenomena in the upper atmosphere such as blue jets and blue starters. These transient luminous discharges develops upwards from electrically active thunderclouds to terminal altitudes up to 40 km [132] and are believed to correspond to streamers from a positive leader initiated from the top of a thundercloud [133]. Second, the lightning attachment process of dart negative leaders could be studied.…”

Section: Future Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attachment of lightning flashes to grounded structures

Becerra¹

2010

Lightning Protection

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“…In later work, Petrov and Petrova (1999) proposed a more realistic model in which BJ is treated as upward-propagating positive leader with a streamer zone/corona on the top as schematically displayed in Fig. 1.…”

Section: Blue Jets and Gigantic Jetsmentioning

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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Physical mechanisms for the development of lightning discharges between a thundercloud and the ionosphere

Cited by 67 publications

References 7 publications

Simulation of gigantic jets propagating from the top of thunderclouds to the ionosphere

Simulation of gigantic jets propagating from the top of thunderclouds to the ionosphere

Attachment of lightning flashes to grounded structures

Underlying mechanisms of transient luminous events: a review

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