Mixed mode of charge transfer to ground for initial continuous current pulses in upward lightning

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss properties of initial continuous current (ICC) pulses superimposed on the slow varying initial stage current in upward flashes initiated from the Gaisberg Tower (GBT) based on simultaneous current, near/far electric field measurements. ICC pulses are usually associated with M-component mode of charge transfer to ground, if only one branch of the lightning channel is active. However, there are several cases in which ICC pulses involve a predominantly leader/return-stroke mode of charge transfer to ground in a new channel that connects to the old channel carrying continuous current. With the help of high-speed video camera records, we find that this mixed mode of charge transfer for ICC pulses, leader-return stroke in one channel and continuous current in another channel, occurring simultaneously during the initial stage current in upward lightning from tall towers is very common. This is in contrast to triggered-lightning where usually only one channel is dominant and ICC pulses are associated predominantly with M-component mode of charge transfer. Also, ICC pulses with mixed-mode of charge transfer have shorter risetimes, larger peaks, and shorter half-peak widths.