Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb Thunderstorms
This paper demonstrates a 2-D numerical model to represent two conceptual pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) thundercloud structures: i) tilted dipole and ii) tripole structure with enhanced lower positive charge layer, which are hypothesized to explain the occurrence of lightning flashes in pyroCb storms cr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IEEE
2023-01-01
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| Series: | IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10244016/ |
| _version_ | 1797671506679955456 |
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| author | Surajit Das Barman Rakibuzzaman Shah Syed Islam Apurv Kumar |
| author_facet | Surajit Das Barman Rakibuzzaman Shah Syed Islam Apurv Kumar |
| author_sort | Surajit Das Barman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper demonstrates a 2-D numerical model to represent two conceptual pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) thundercloud structures: i) tilted dipole and ii) tripole structure with enhanced lower positive charge layer, which are hypothesized to explain the occurrence of lightning flashes in pyroCb storms created from severe wildfire events. The presented model considers more realistic thundercloud charge structures to investigate the electrical states and determine surface charge density for identifying potential lightning strike areas on Earth. Simulation results on dipole structure-based pyroCb thunderclouds confirm that the wind-shear extension of its upper positive (UP) charge layer by 2–8 km reduces the electric field and indicates the initiation of negative surface charge density around the earth periphery underneath the anvil cloud. These corresponding lateral extensions have confined the probable striking zone of –CG and +CG lightning within 0–23.5 km and 23.5–30 km in the simulation domain. In contrast, pyroCb thundercloud possessing the tripole structure with enhanced lower positive charge develops a negative electric field at the cloud's bottom part to block the progression of downward negative leader and cause the surface charge density beneath the thundercloud to become negative, which would lead to the formation of +CG flashes. Later, a parametric study is conducted assuming a positive linear correlation between the charge density and aerosol concentration to examine the effect of high aerosol concentration on surface charge density in both pyroCb thunderclouds. The proposed model can be expanded into 3-D to simulate lightning leader movement, aiding wildfire risk management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:16:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-064ab8c83b36416eba1b60d9e71368f7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2151-1535 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:16:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-064ab8c83b36416eba1b60d9e71368f72023-09-28T23:00:18ZengIEEEIEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing2151-15352023-01-01168689870110.1109/JSTARS.2023.331326310244016Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb ThunderstormsSurajit Das Barman0https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8743-7270Rakibuzzaman Shah1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8314-0225Syed Islam2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8344-0604Apurv Kumar3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1590-7716Centre of New Energy Transition Research, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, VIC, AustraliaCentre of New Energy Transition Research, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, VIC, AustraliaCentre of New Energy Transition Research, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, VIC, AustraliaCentre of New Energy Transition Research, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, VIC, AustraliaThis paper demonstrates a 2-D numerical model to represent two conceptual pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) thundercloud structures: i) tilted dipole and ii) tripole structure with enhanced lower positive charge layer, which are hypothesized to explain the occurrence of lightning flashes in pyroCb storms created from severe wildfire events. The presented model considers more realistic thundercloud charge structures to investigate the electrical states and determine surface charge density for identifying potential lightning strike areas on Earth. Simulation results on dipole structure-based pyroCb thunderclouds confirm that the wind-shear extension of its upper positive (UP) charge layer by 2–8 km reduces the electric field and indicates the initiation of negative surface charge density around the earth periphery underneath the anvil cloud. These corresponding lateral extensions have confined the probable striking zone of –CG and +CG lightning within 0–23.5 km and 23.5–30 km in the simulation domain. In contrast, pyroCb thundercloud possessing the tripole structure with enhanced lower positive charge develops a negative electric field at the cloud's bottom part to block the progression of downward negative leader and cause the surface charge density beneath the thundercloud to become negative, which would lead to the formation of +CG flashes. Later, a parametric study is conducted assuming a positive linear correlation between the charge density and aerosol concentration to examine the effect of high aerosol concentration on surface charge density in both pyroCb thunderclouds. The proposed model can be expanded into 3-D to simulate lightning leader movement, aiding wildfire risk management.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10244016/Cloud-to-ground lightninglong continuous currentpyrocumulonimbussurface charge densitywind-shear extension |
| spellingShingle | Surajit Das Barman Rakibuzzaman Shah Syed Islam Apurv Kumar Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb Thunderstorms IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing Cloud-to-ground lightning long continuous current pyrocumulonimbus surface charge density wind-shear extension |
| title | Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb Thunderstorms |
| title_full | Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb Thunderstorms |
| title_fullStr | Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb Thunderstorms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb Thunderstorms |
| title_short | Numerical Model of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning for PyroCb Thunderstorms |
| title_sort | numerical model of cloud to ground lightning for pyrocb thunderstorms |
| topic | Cloud-to-ground lightning long continuous current pyrocumulonimbus surface charge density wind-shear extension |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10244016/ |
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