Throwing light on lightning

Mansoor, V.M.; Nagaveni, P.; Amudha, A.; Divyapriya, S.; Emayavaramban, G.; Ramkumar, M. Siva; Sivaramkrishnan, M.

doi:10.1016/j.matpr.2020.08.500

Cited by 9 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 18 publications

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“…One of the aims of this paper is to identify the areas of maximum-minimum lightning densities within the ECA that have not been directly reported before in the scientific literature. Another objective of this research is to point out the regions where the lightning density is relatively low, implying a minimum of vulnerability to lightning impacts, since they represent one of the most dangerous causes of faults in the transmission lines due to electromagnetic transients [17,18], and risk the operation of electrical and electronic devices [19], and to some extent can help to diminish the investments of lightning protection systems [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

WWLLN Hot and Cold-Spots of Lightning Activity and Their Relation to Climate in an Extended Central America Region 2012–2020

Amador

Arce-Fernández

2022

Atmosphere

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Lightning activity has been recognized to have, historically, social and environmental consequences around the globe. This work analyzes the space-time distribution of lightning-densities (D) in an extended Central America region (ECA). World Wide Lightning Location Network data was analyzed to link D with dominant climate patterns over the ECA for 2012–2020. D associated with cold surges entering the tropics dominate during boreal winter. The highest D (hot-spots) was found to agree well with previously known sites, such as the “Catatumbo” in Venezuela; however, D was lower here due to different detection efficiencies. Previously reported hot-spots showed strong continental signals in CA; however, in this work, they were over the oceans near to coastlines, especially in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP). Most cold-spots, implying a minimum of vulnerability to human impacts and to some industries, were situated in the Caribbean Sea side of Central America. The Mid-Summer-Drought and the Caribbean-Low-Level-Jet (CLLJ) markedly reduced the D during July-August. The CLLJ in the central CS and across the Yucatan and the southern Gulf of Mexico acts as a lid inhibiting convection due to its strong vertical shear during the boreal summer. The CLLJ vertical wind-shear and its extension to the Gulf of Papagayo also diminished convection and considerably decreased the D over a region extending westward into the ETP for at least 400–450 km. A simple physical mechanism to account for the coupling between the CLLJ, the MSD, and lightning activity is proposed for the latter region.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%