The Initiation of Lightning and the Growth of Electric Fields in Thunderstorms

Abstract

As specified in the original proposal, there exits mounting evidence that the growth of strong electric fields - culminating in lightning - in the great majority of thunderstorms is intimately linked with - and probably contingent upon - the concomitant development of the ice-phase. Thus, significant progress in the elucidation of electrification mechanisms requires an improved understanding of the complex set of processes involved in cloud glaciation. Accordingly, primary emphasis has been devoted in this first year of a proposed 3-year study, to the analysis and interpretation of data emanating from major airborne experiments in which a primary objective was to seek a superior understanding of the initiation and development in cumulus clouds of the type which often become strongly electrified.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA261455

Entities

People

  • John Latham

Organizations

  • University of Manchester

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Atmospheric Electricity
  • Climate Change
  • Cloud Physics
  • Clouds
  • Critical Temperature
  • Cumulonimbus Clouds
  • Cumulus Clouds
  • Forward Scattering
  • Hydrometeors
  • Measurement
  • New Mexico
  • Scattering
  • Transition Temperature
  • Transitions
  • Two Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Theoretical Analysis.