Electric field waveform characteristics of natural cloud-to-ground lightning at different distances

Abstract

The electric field measurements of lightning-produced electromagnetic fields are of great importance for lightning location system. In 2014, based on the simultaneously obtained electric fields from multiple sensors of Foshan Total Lightning Location System (FTLLS), 27 natural negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes containing 168 electric field waveforms at a distance of 10–86 km in Foshan area were examined in detail. The arithmetic mean (AM) value of initial electric field peak normalized to 100 km for 168 field waveforms is 5.1 V/m. The AM zero-to-peak and 10-90% risetime are 5.6μm and 1.4μm, the AM half-peak width and slow-front duration is 2.5μm and 3.7μm, respectively. The AM zero-crossing time and ratio of peak value to opposite polarity overshoot for 142 waveforms are 31.2μm and 10.5%. The AM second sub-peak amplitudes relative to the initial and the time interval between initial and second peaks are 43.3% and 2.5μm, respectively. In addition, the correlation between electric field waveform characteristics and propagation distance was examined. Some degree of distance dependence for several parameters were also observed.