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School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China
Hefei, China
1
lvfc@mail.ustc.edu.cn
1
zhuby@ustc.edu.cn
2
madong@mail.ustc.edu.cn
3
mingma@ustc.edu.cn
Abstract—From analysis of VLF/LF bandwidth electric radiation from lightning discharges and reported that NBEs to
and magnetic fields and associated VHF emission of 245 be the initial event of otherwise normal intracloud discharges
NBE-related records during a thunderstorm, the temporal while Jacobson and Heaver ([2]) reported that NBEs neither
context of NBEs with ordinary lightning discharges was consistently precede nor consistently follow the centroid of
studied. Both negative and positive NBEs could occur in non-NBE occurrences and suggested that NBEs behave the
the thunderstorm and -NBEs tended to occur at a much same as non-NBEs for deep convective-cloud structures. And
higher altitude than +NBEs. 26 of 377 NBEs were Sharma et al. ([6]) found that no subsequent activity up to
identified as isolated ones since the narrow bipolar pulse 30ms for the +NBEs and they confirmed that no direct
was not followed or preceded by any detectable signals relation could be established between theses pulse and any
within 100ms, while 169 were identified as CG-associated other known activity. Recently, Nag and Rakov et al.([1])
NBEs since the narrow bipolar pulse was followed or reported NBEs(CIDs) occurred within CGs and ICs, and also
preceded by detectable return stroke pulse within 100ms, isolated ones which consist of the majority of NBEs(CIDs).
and the other 182 were identified as IC-associated NBEs. In this presentation, we will report the study on NBEs’
The IC-associated or CG-associated NBEs tend to occur temporal context with ordinary lightning discharges.
randomly with respect to normal lightning rather than
II. DATA AND ANALYSIS
occurring ahead of them. We conclude that NBEs will be
Observations were conducted in Shanghai (31.001ºN,
produced under conditions which favor the production of
121.885ºE), East China from local time 18:14 to 20:43(UT
normal lightning discharges, but they are unnecessarily
10:14-12:43) on 16 August 2004. Simultaneous electric field,
related to the initiation of normal lightning discharges.
horizontal magnetic fields, and VHF emission were recorded
I. INTRODUCTION for each record. Both the vertical electric field and magnetic
Narrow Bipolar Events (NBEs) are known as classes of fields were sensed with a bandwidth from 800Hz-400 kHz,
special intra-cloud discharges that characterized by their and a linear VHF receiver was used to sense the envelope of
extremely strong VHF radiation and large amplitude but VHF emission from 112.5 MHz to 117.5 MHz. These signals
short-duration bipolar electric field change pulse ([3], [9]). were simultaneously digitized by a 12-bit digitizer at the rate
Smith et al.([7]) termed this distinct type of discharge as of 1 MHz with recording duration of 1s. The digitizer was
‘compact intracloud discharges (CIDs)’ and gave the location pre-triggered by the electric field. In this paper, the ‘‘physics’’
of events, which occurred at altitude 8 ~ 11km MSL and sign convention for atmospheric electricity is used, namely a
identified as in the close proximity to high reflectivity storm discharge between the upper positive charge and lower
cores, the same region where intra-cloud discharges began. negative charge produces a positive electric field change.
Rison et al. ([5]) used a GPS-based three-dimensional TOA We identified NBEs from records mainly based on the VHF
Lightning Mapping System located the sources of VHF signals. The VHF receiver was designed to receive VHF
0
-1 0 0 0 0
20000
10000
on temporal context of them. Because the records we detected
B2
0
-1 0 0 0 0 were from different cells, the VLF/LF magnetic fields were
30000
20000 used to eliminate the interferer from the other cell in order to
VHF
10000
0
0 .0 0 .1 0 .2 0 .3 0 .4 0 .5 0 .6 0 .7
ensure that the NBEs and normal lightning which associated
T im e ( m s )
with NBEs were from the same cell (direction finding). Here
Fig 1. The vertical electric field, two horizontal magnetic field components we describe the relationship between NBEs and normal
and VHF emission of a +NBE
lightning by classifying it into three classes, isolated NBE,
Overall 763 records were obtained during our observation, CG-associated NBE, and IC-associated NBE. When an NBE
but only 245 records were registered as NBEs-related records. pulse was not followed or preceded by any detectable
The total number of NBEs was 377, with 297 +NBEs and 80 lightning signals within 100ms, it was defined as an isolated
-NBEs. It is interesting to note that there were more than one one. Similarly, when an NBE pulse was followed or preceded
NBEs detected in a record. by a return stroke within 100ms, regardless of the possible
The range and height of each NBE were determined from intra-cloud signals, it was termed as a CG-associated one. If
the time interval between the source pulse and its two delayed an NBE neither belongs to the isolated type nor belongs to the
reflections following the method introduced by Smith et al. CG-associated type, it was classified as the IC-associated one.
([7]), with an assumed ionosphere height. The ionosphere Fig 3, 4 and 5 show the NBEs associated with CGs and ICs.
height was assumed to be 70Km at this period of time. The result of the statistical analysis is shown in TableⅠ.
15 Positive N BEs
According to the analysis, of the total 377 NBEs, there are 26
14 N egative N BEs
13
12
(6.90%) of isolated events, while the events associate with
Height(Km)
11
10
9
normal lightning (CG or ICs) constitute 93.1% of the total
8
7
6
NBEs. Among 182 IC-associated NBEs, 44 cases (39 +NBEs
5
18.25 18.50 18.75 19.00 19.25 19.50 19.75 20.00 20.25 20.50 20.75 and 5 -NBEs) occurred at the beginning of the discharges,
300
280
260 while the amount of the NBEs occurring before the first return
Range(Km)
240
220
200 stroke was 42(24.85% of the CG-Associated ones). Nag and
180
160
140
Rakov et al.([1]) also give a distribution of NBEs (CIDs)
120
18.25 18.50 18.75 19.00 19.25 19.50 19.75 20.00 20.25 20.50 20.75 occurred with normal lightning, but they found about 18%
Tim e(H our)
were associated with “normal” cloud flashes and 6% with
Fig 2. The range and height distributions of NBEs with occurrence time
ground ones, and the majority (72%) of CIDs appeared to
Fig 2 gives the range and height distributions of NBEs with occur in isolation from any other lightning process. And we
occurrence time. It can be seen that these NBEs tended to can’t explain the 12 cases of -NBEs occurring before the first
cluster in different separated cells, with both polarity of NBEs negative return stroke, since -NBEs occurred at an altitude of
from each cell. -NBEs occurred at a higher altitude than
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11~15km, which is much higher than the breakdown height of 265 cases which occurred during the normal lightning process.
normal negative CGs ([4]). So we could conclude that NBEs neither consistently precede
Table Ⅰ nor consistently follow the normal lightning discharges. They
The number and percentage of three classes of NBEs seemed to occur randomly during the lightning discharges.
We are not sure whether 26 cases of isolated NBEs
Number Percentage
Type occurred associated with much weaker intra-cloud discharges.
Isolated 26 6.90% However the fact that almost 93% of NBEs associated with
CG-associated 169 44.82% normal lightning discharges, possibly indicates that NBEs will
IC-associated 182 48.28% produce under special conditions inside a thunderstorm which
will favor production of normal lightning discharges. To note
3000
2000 NBE
that Rison et al.([5]) concluded that bipolar breakdown events
F irs t R S
1000
E
0
-5 0 0 0
-1 0 0 0 0 indicates that NBEs are unnecessarily related to the initiation
20000
15000
10000
5000
of normal lightning discharges.
B2
0
-5 0 0 0
-1 0 0 0 0
In order to give a better understand of the thunderstorm
40000
30000
circumstances, we make a simple description of the storm by
VHF
20000
10000
0
254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 using TRMM’s Global-merged IR Brightness Temperature
T im e (m s )
Data and the radar reflectivity data obtained from AnHui
Fig 3. The NBE occurred before the CG first return stroke Meteorological Bureau.
Fig 6 gives the location of NBEs during the period of 19:25
to 19:35(LT) with the IR cloud top temperature at the time of
19:30(LT). 56 NBEs detected during this period, including 4
–NBEs and 52 +NBEs. Most of the NBEs occurred within the
scope of below -66℃(207K), which can be recognized as the
storm cores. It is obviously that both +NBEs and –NBEs are
clustered very well in the two regions marked as A and B.
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Both regions are at the height of 11Km with maximum radar The authors would like to acknowledge the joint support of
reflectivity of 55~58dBz. From another elevation angle of Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of
1.5°, the maximum reflectivity of region A is 35~38dBz at the Sciences under grant KZCX2-YW-206 and National Nature
height of 16.9Km and region B is 45~48dBz at 16.9Km. Science Foundation of China under grant 40775003. And also
Region C whose maximum reflectivity is 50~53dBz at the would like to acknowledge NASA to provide the TRMM
height of 11.6Km is the third core which a few NBEs occur. Ancillary data products and AnHui Meteorological Bureau
with the radar reflectivity data products.
REFERENCES
[1] A. Nag, V.A. Rakov, and D. Tsalikis, New Experimental Data on
Lightning Events Producing Intense VHF Radiation Bursts, Eos Trans.
AGU, 89(53), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract AE11A-0292,
[2] Jacobson, A. R., and M. J. Heavner (2005), Comparison of narrow
biplolar events with normal lightning as proxies for severe convection,
Mon.Weather Rev., 133, 1144– 1154.
[3] LeVine, D. M. (1980), Source of the strongest RF radiation from
Fig 7. The radar reflectivity of the storm
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the thunderstorm, we can see that the NBEs probably occur at [4] Rhodes C T,X M Shao,P R Krehbiel et al.Observations of lighting
the region whose IR cloud top temperature lower than -66 ℃ phenomena using radio interferometry. J. Geophys. Res.,1994,99
and nearly the highest radar reflectivity. This can give a good (D6):13059-13082
validation of Smith’s conclusion that NPBPs appear to occur [5] Rison, W., R. J. Thomas, P. R. Krehbiel, T. Hamlin, and J. Harlin (1999),
only in close proximity to thunderstorm cores. ([7]) A GPS-based three-dimensional lightning mapping system: Initial
observations in central New Mexico, Geophys. Res. Lett., 26(23), 3573–
III. CONCLUSIONS
3576.
We summarize our results as follows: [6] S.R.Sharma, M.Fernando, Vernon Cooray (2008), Narrow positive
z Both negative and positive NBEs could occur during bipolar radiation from lightning observed in Sri Lanka, Journal of
the thunderstorms lightning discharges. The amount Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 70, 1251-1260,
of positive NBEs is overwhelming larger than that of dio:10.1016/j.jastp.2008.03.002
negative ones and in general negative NBEs [7] Smith, D. A., X. M. Shao, D. N. Holden, C. T. Rhodes, M. Brook, P. R.
occurred at a much higher altitude than positive Krehbiel, M. Stanley, W. Rison, and R. J. Thomas (1999), A distinct
NBEs, which confirms the results of previous study. class of isolated intracloud lightning discharges and their associated radio
z 93% of NBEs are in close relation to normal emissions, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 4189– 4212.
lightning discharges, possibly indicating that NBEs [8] Smith, D. A., M. J. Heavner, A. R. Jacobson, X. M. Shao, R. S. Massey,
will produce under conditions which will favor the R. J. Sheldon, and K. C. Wiens (2004), A method for determining
production of normal lightning discharges. intracloud lightning and ionospheric heights from VLF/LF electric field
z NBEs tended to occur randomly with respect to records, Radio Sci., 39, RS1010, doi:10.1029/2002RS002790.
normal lightning discharges. In other words, NBEs [9] Willett, J. C., J. C. Bailey, and E. P. Krider (1989), A class of unusual
did not show a strong tendency to occur at the lightning electric field waveforms with very strong high-frequency
beginning of normal CG or IC lightning discharges. radiation, J. Geophys. Res., 94, 16,255– 16,267.
We conclude that NBEs are unnecessarily related to [10] Wiens, K. C., T. Hamlin, J. Harlin, and D. M. Suszcynsky (2008),
the initiation of normal lightning discharges. Relationships among Narrow Bipolar Events, ‘‘total’’ lightning, and
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