Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
In this paper, the charge structure and lightning activity characteristics of the thunderstorm that occurred on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau on 14 August 2014 were analyzed using data collected from a three-dimensional (3D) lightning very-high-frequency (VHF) radiation source location system and Dopple...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/12/1795 |
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| author | Yajun Li Guangshu Zhang Weitao Lyu Yuxiang Zhao |
| author_facet | Yajun Li Guangshu Zhang Weitao Lyu Yuxiang Zhao |
| author_sort | Yajun Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, the charge structure and lightning activity characteristics of the thunderstorm that occurred on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau on 14 August 2014 were analyzed using data collected from a three-dimensional (3D) lightning very-high-frequency (VHF) radiation source location system and Doppler weather radar. The analysis results showed that the charge structure of the hailstorm was maintained as an inverted dipole throughout the thunderstorm’s development process. The negatively charged region height was distributed in the 5–7 km range (above ground level (AGL)), and the positively charged region was distributed from 2 to 5 km (AGL). The lightning flash types included only cloud flashes and negative cloud–to–ground (CG) flashes in the hailstorm, and cloud flashes accounted for 93% of the total lightning flashes. Cloud flashes accounted for a high proportion of the total flashes, which may have been related to the deep lower positively charged region observed throughout the thunderstorm process. In the hailstorm development stage, the electric field was dominated by positive polarity. When the hail fell, the electric field changed negatively. When the hail ended, the electric field was dominated by negative polarity. A hail event occurred only once and lasted for a long time in the development stage, but in the mature stage, hail fell many times and every time for only a short time, and in the dissipating stage, hail events also occurred many times and each time for a long time. By comparing the radar echoes of the hailstorm cells and normal thunderstorm cells, we found that the area of the 50 dBZ echo in the hailstorm was small, the occurrence time was late, and the duration was short. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:01:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d3087b21a5a34aafa0a898b2375463f5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:01:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3087b21a5a34aafa0a898b2375463f52023-12-22T13:52:53ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332023-12-011412179510.3390/atmos14121795Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet PlateauYajun Li0Guangshu Zhang1Weitao Lyu2Yuxiang Zhao3Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid Regions, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaSchool of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui 741001, ChinaIn this paper, the charge structure and lightning activity characteristics of the thunderstorm that occurred on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau on 14 August 2014 were analyzed using data collected from a three-dimensional (3D) lightning very-high-frequency (VHF) radiation source location system and Doppler weather radar. The analysis results showed that the charge structure of the hailstorm was maintained as an inverted dipole throughout the thunderstorm’s development process. The negatively charged region height was distributed in the 5–7 km range (above ground level (AGL)), and the positively charged region was distributed from 2 to 5 km (AGL). The lightning flash types included only cloud flashes and negative cloud–to–ground (CG) flashes in the hailstorm, and cloud flashes accounted for 93% of the total lightning flashes. Cloud flashes accounted for a high proportion of the total flashes, which may have been related to the deep lower positively charged region observed throughout the thunderstorm process. In the hailstorm development stage, the electric field was dominated by positive polarity. When the hail fell, the electric field changed negatively. When the hail ended, the electric field was dominated by negative polarity. A hail event occurred only once and lasted for a long time in the development stage, but in the mature stage, hail fell many times and every time for only a short time, and in the dissipating stage, hail events also occurred many times and each time for a long time. By comparing the radar echoes of the hailstorm cells and normal thunderstorm cells, we found that the area of the 50 dBZ echo in the hailstorm was small, the occurrence time was late, and the duration was short.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/12/1795inverted charge structurehaillightning activityQinghai-Tibet Plateau thunderstorm |
| spellingShingle | Yajun Li Guangshu Zhang Weitao Lyu Yuxiang Zhao Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Atmosphere inverted charge structure hail lightning activity Qinghai-Tibet Plateau thunderstorm |
| title | Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_full | Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_short | Analysis of Inverted Charge Structure and Lightning Activity during the 8.14 Local Hailstorm on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau |
| title_sort | analysis of inverted charge structure and lightning activity during the 8 14 local hailstorm on the qinghai tibet plateau |
| topic | inverted charge structure hail lightning activity Qinghai-Tibet Plateau thunderstorm |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/14/12/1795 |
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