A Study of the Electrostatic Field Networking in Three Isolated Thunderstorms

Abstract

This work presents an analysis of atmospheric electrostatic field (EF) networking using radar and sounding data base on a quasi-normal charge distribution model in isolated storm cells. The charge distribution parameters of the thundercloud are first estimated and inversed with the model, and then the networked EF of the ground can be recalculated using the obtained parameters. The method was used to analyze three isolated thunderstorms that passed through the experiment site in 2009. It was found that the EF networking and the charge distribution were concordant with the location of lightning and radar echo. It is revealed that the method for EF networking using radar and sounding data is feasible. It was also found out that the charge structures of three thunderstorms were similar, i.e., the charge structure was dipole in the development, tripole in the mature stage and dipole in the extinct stage. The charge structures at different stages, charge space-distribution around cloud-ground (CG) lightning occurrence may be conducive for electrostatic characteristics research and lightning forecasting.