Abstract
In this study, the electric field signatures of negative ground flashes pertinent to the Swedish thunderstorms were recorded simultaneously during the summer of 2014 using wide (up to 100 MHz) and narrow (at 3 MHz and 30 MHz as central frequencies) bandwidth antenna systems. The electric field signatures were recorded for a time duration of 250 ms. In the analysis, the whole flash was considered and a total of 98 flashes were chosen where electric field signatures of all wideband, 3 MHz and 30 MHz signals were present. It is observed that preliminary breakdown pulses are stronger radiators at 3 and 30 MHz compared to the return strokes. A comparison of our results with those of the previous studies obtained from different geographical regions clearly shows that the strength of preliminary breakdown pulses is higher in the temperate region (Sweden for instance) and is a function of latitude.
Highlights
Negative cloud-to-ground lightning flashes (CG) are the most common type of lightning on the Earth among ground flashes and such flashes typically involve various processes called preliminary breakdown (PB), stepped leader (SL), connecting leader, return stroke (RS), dart leader, k-changes, subsequent return strokes (SRS), continuing currents and M-components
The electric field signatures pertinent to the negative ground flashes were recorded during the Swedish summer 2014
The electric field signatures of negative ground flashes pertinent to the Swedish thunderstorms recorded simultaneously using wide and narrow bandwidth antenna systems have been analyzed
Summary
Negative cloud-to-ground lightning flashes (CG) are the most common type of lightning on the Earth among ground flashes and such flashes typically involve various processes called preliminary breakdown (PB), stepped leader (SL), connecting leader, return stroke (RS), dart leader, k-changes, subsequent return strokes (SRS), continuing currents and M-components. To understand the mechanism of the lightning flash and all different processes that it contains, the wideband and/or the narrowband electric field signatures generated by the lightning flashes are studied by researchers using either single or multiple-station electric field measuring systems. In the analysis of the electric field signatures generated by negative CG flashes, different parameters are studied [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. In addition to presenting new data, in the present study, a comparative analysis of the electric field radiation from first PB, SL, RS and SRS pertinent to negative ground flashes with those available in the literature at wide- and narrowband has been carried out
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