Temporal variations in hydrometeor particles and lightning discharge processes using dual-polarization phased array weather radar and LF-band lightning detection network

• Published in: Journal of Atmospheric Electricity Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 15 - 18
• Main Authors: 鹿倉, 周太郎, 菊池, 博史, 芳原, 容英, 吉川, 英一, 中村, 佳敬, 森本, 健志, 牛尾, 知雄
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Toyonaka Society of Atmospheric Electricity of Japan 2023; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Altitude; Cloud-to-ground lightning; Graupel; Hydrometeor classification; Lightning channel; Lightning channels; Lightning detection networks; Lightning discharges; Lightning location; Phased array weather radar; Weather radar
• ISSN: 0919-2050
• DOI: 10.1541/jae.42.15

This study investigates the relationship between propagation of lightning discharges and particles inside the cloud using the low frequency band 3-dimensional lightning location system and multi-parameter phased array weather radar. We visualized a bidirectional propagation that started the discharge in the boundary between ice-crystal and graupel areas (an altitude of 9 km) and then proceeded to split into the upper part of the ice-crystal region (an altitude of 12 km) and the upper part of the graupel region (an altitude of 7 km). Furthermore, in the case involving cloud-to-ground lightning, the discharge initiation altitude was relatively low at about 6 km, and the lightning channel was observed to propagate avoiding the multiple graupel regions in the cloud.