Seasonal variations of global lightning activity extracted from Schumann resonances using a genetic algorithm method

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Vol. 114; no. D1
• Main Authors: Yang, Heng, Pasko, Victor P., Sátori, Gabriella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Blackwell Publishing Ltd 16.01.2009; American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; ELF; Exact sciences and technology; FDTD; Finite difference time domain method; Genetic algorithms; Lighting; Lightning; Schumann resonance; Schumann resonances; Seasonal variations; Three dimensional; Thunderstorms; South America; Southeast Asia; Asia; Africa; models; finite difference analysis; global; ionosphere; Thunderstorm; resonance; frequency; intensity; Earth; conductivity; Genetic algorithm; Lightning; seasonal variations
• ISSN: 0148-0227; 2169-897X; 2156-2202; 2169-8996
• DOI: 10.1029/2008JD009961

A three‐dimensional Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) model of the Earth‐ionosphere cavity with a realistic conductivity profile is employed to study the global lightning activity using the observed intensity variations of Schumann resonances (SR). Comparison of the results derived from our FDTD model and the previous studies by other authors on related subjects shows that Schumann resonance is a good probe to indicate the seasonal variations of lightning activity in three main thunderstorm regions (Africa, southeast Asia, and South America). An inverse method based on genetic algorithms is developed to extract information on lightning intensity in these three regions from observed SR intensity data. Seasonal variations of the lightning activity in three thunderstorm centers are clearly observed in our results. Different SR frequency variations associated with seasonal variations of global lighting activity are also discussed.