The Lightning And The Associated Precipitation Intensity Amplification
Abstract
The role of cloud microphysics and dynamics in cloud electrification are well established from many previous laboratory and observational studies. Although the effect of electrical forces on cloud microphysics and dynamics are not well understood. Previous radar observations reported echo intensification concurrent with lightning discharges. With the reported evidences of distinct association between lightning and rain intensity in the backdrop, the present work is intended to understand the effect of electrical forces introduced by the growth of electric field and subsequent electrical discharge on the Raindrop Size Distribution(RDSD) and subsequent rain rate after different type of lightning discharge in tropical clouds.
Surface-based JW Disdrometer data along with Maharashtra Lightning Location Network data was used to study lightning-rainfall correlation. A transient peak in the rainfall intensity was observed with an average time lag of around 2-4 minutes after all the lightning discharges considered in the present study. The corresponding Raindrop Size Distributions depicts presence of high concentration of larger drops after the discharges. Lag correlation analysis shows a correlation of r=0.75 between lightning frequency and rain intensity during a thunderstorm. The present study suggested that lightning discharges can generate high concentration of ions producing high space charge density inside the cloud. These charges make the precipitation particles highly electrified thereby accelerating the growth mechanism of the liquid phase particles producing high intensity precipitation commonly known as rain gush. The current results provide a basis for parameterization of the electrical processes in rain formation mechanism in weather and climate models.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMAE13B2720M
- Keywords:
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- 3304 Atmospheric electricity;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 3314 Convective processes;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 3324 Lightning;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSESDE: 3329 Mesoscale meteorology;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES