Study of charge structure and radiation characteristic of intracloud discharge in thunderstorms of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Zhagn, Yijun; Dong, Wei; Zhao, Yanping; Zhang, Guangshu; Zhang, Hongfa; Chen, Cheng‐Pin; Zhang, Tong

doi:10.1007/bf02880986

Cited by 19 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Its simulated lightning flashes occurred with very low frequency, and most of them initiated in the lower dipole. These characteristics agree with observation in the same region of the Tibetan Plateau (Li et al, ) and many previous observations of Tibetan Plateau thunderstorms (Cui et al, ; Qie, ; Qie et al, ; Qie et al, ; Qie et al, ; Zhagn et al, ; Zhang et al, ; Zhang et al, ; Zhao et al, ; Zhao et al, ). Some sensitivity tests explored the impact on the result of inductive charging, reversal temperature, and a different noninductive charging scheme.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…The characteristics of this simulated LPCC are consistent with those of the LPCCs observed in Tibetan thunderstorms (e.g., Cui et al, ; Li et al, ; Qie, ; Qie et al, ; Qie et al, ; Qie et al, ; Zhagn et al, ; Zhang et al, ; Zhang et al, ).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Although various works have confirmed that the charge density of the LPCC in Tibetan Plateau thunderstorms is higher than that of the UPCC (Cui et al, ; Qie, ; Qie et al, ; Qie et al, ; Qie et al, ; Zhagn et al, ; Zhang et al, ; Zhao et al, ), the rate of decreasing charge density in the UPCC seems higher than the rate of increasing charge density of the LPCC. This is in contrast to the charge densities derived from electric field sounding data for thunderstorms with a traditional tripole charge structure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Numerical Simulation of the Formation of a Large Lower Positive Charge Center in a Tibetan Plateau Thunderstorm

Wang

Deng

Zhang³

et al. 2019

JGR Atmospheres

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Numerical modeling is applied to elucidate the formation mechanism of the large lower positive charge centers (LPCCs) observed during thunderstorms over the Tibetan Plateau based on the simulation of a storm at the northeastern boundary of the plateau. Four sensitivity tests were carried out to explore the impacts of inductive charging, reversal temperature, and the choice of noninductive charging scheme. The results show that the unique environmental conditions of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, which include weak convection and low freezing level, are fundamental to the formation of large LPCC. A weakened charge density in the upper positive charge center highlights the role of a LPCC in lightning initiation although the charge density of the LPCC has no obvious change compared to that in the LPCC of the typical tripole structure. This accounts for Tibetan Plateau thunderstorms having low frequencies of lightning flashes, which occur mainly in the lower dipole. Inductive electrification, which provided more than 50% of the positive charge on graupel and increased the positive and negative charge on cloud drops by 2 orders of magnitude, is an important complement to the lower dipole of the tripole charge structure originally established by noninductive electrification. The inductive electrification also evidently enhances the LPCC and the middle negative charge center while slightly reducing the upper positive charge center. Subsequently, the lightning activity is strengthened, and lightning flashes are more likely to be initiated at the lower dipole. Varying the reversal temperatures and noninductive charging scheme does not fundamentally affect the formation of the LPCC.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Numerical Simulation of the Formation of a Large Lower Positive Charge Center in a Tibetan Plateau Thunderstorm

Wang

Deng

Zhang³

et al. 2019

JGR Atmospheres

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“…Besides, these normal IC lightning initiated in tripole charge structure and inverted IC lightning initiated in inverted charge distribution were all observed by Zhang et al . [, ].…”

Section: Simulation Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical study on relationship between lightning types and distribution of space charge and electric potential

et al. 2014

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The favorable factors that affect the initiation of intracloud (IC) lightning and cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes are investigated by using a fine resolution two-dimensional lightning model. Simulation results indicate that potential at initiation point is a key to decide whether downward leader reaches ground. The absolute values of initiation potential of CG flashes are greater than 30 MV, while the absolute values of initiation potential of IC lightning are basically less than 30 MV. Since potential field is determined by space charge distributions, polarities and types of lightning discharges are also dependent on relative locations and magnitudes of positive and negative charge zones near initiation points. In general, dipoles (positive charge above negative) initiate normal IC lightning and positive CG flashes and inverted dipoles are associated with inverted IC lightning and negative CG flashes. The magnitude of upper charge near initiation point is generally larger than that of lower charge when CG flashes occur, and the two are comparable when IC lightning occur. For CG flashes, the magnitude of lower charge near initiation points should be enough for initiation breakdown, but not so strong that the lower potential well prevents propagation to ground. In addition, CG flashes are initiated within various special charge distributions, only if the reference potentials at initiation point are far away from 0 MV.

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“…Shao and Liu () determined several intracloud flash‐neutralized charge sources in point‐charge mode using the least squares method, and their results confirmed the existence of a tripole charge structure in the thunderstorms and revealed that the magnitude of the positive charge in the lower positive charge region was greater than that shown in a previous investigation (Jacobson & Krider, ). Subsequent studies have demonstrated that almost all intracloud flashes occur between the lower positive charge region and the middle negative charge region (Liu et al, ; Wang et al, ; Zhang et al, ). Qie et al () used surface field mills and fast and slow antennae to observe and analyze the evolution of a typical thunderstorm on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau and suggested that intracloud flashes are normally composed of an inverted polarity and typically occur in the lower dipole of the tripole charge structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the Charge Structure and Lightning Discharge Characteristics of a Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau Thunderstorm Dominated by Negative Cloud‐to‐Ground Flashes

Zhang

2020

JGR Atmospheres

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The correlation between the charge structure evolution and lightning type and frequency for a multicell thunderstorm dominated by negative cloud‐to‐ground (CG) flash on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau was analyzed using observations from a three‐dimensional lightning very high frequency radiation source location system. The analysis results showed the following. (1) In the initial developing stage of the thunderstorm, each cell developed independently and presented an inverted dipole charge structure. As the thunderstorm developed into its mature stage, multiple cells merged, and the charge structure changed to a tripole structure. In the dissipation stage of each thunderstorm region, the charge structure reverted to an inverted dipole or a normal dipole. (2) When the extent of the charge region expanded, the upper and lower charge regions became uneven and asymmetric. (3) In the inverted dipole charge structure, negative CG flashes accounted for 77.2% of the total number of lightning flashes, whereas negative intracloud flashes accounted for only 22.8%. In the tripole charge structure, negative CG flashes, positive intracloud flashes, and negative intracloud flashes accounted for 62%, 21%, and 16%, respectively, of all lightning flashes. These results indicate that the middle negative charge region was the strongest layer of the thunderstorm, while the upper positive charge region was slightly stronger, and the lower positive charge region was the weakest. These findings also indicate that the relative intensity of the charge layers directly determined the lightning quantity and frequency.

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Study of charge structure and radiation characteristic of intracloud discharge in thunderstorms of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Cited by 19 publications

References 7 publications

Numerical Simulation of the Formation of a Large Lower Positive Charge Center in a Tibetan Plateau Thunderstorm

Numerical Simulation of the Formation of a Large Lower Positive Charge Center in a Tibetan Plateau Thunderstorm

Numerical study on relationship between lightning types and distribution of space charge and electric potential

Evolution of the Charge Structure and Lightning Discharge Characteristics of a Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau Thunderstorm Dominated by Negative Cloud‐to‐Ground Flashes

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