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

Abstract

Further research into the glaciation of convective clouds of-the type that produce lightning has revealed that the early stages of ice formation can be detected by measurement of the supercooled droplet radius - a result which also has climatological implications. Further laboratory experiments have shown that the most effective methods of lightning initiation are likely to involve supercooled raindrops, with threshold fields around 300kV/m. A new model of thundercloud electrification and lightning production has been developed, from which it is possible to deduce the sensitivity of lightning frequency to meteorological and cloud microphysical parameters. Lightning, Ice, Corona, Electric field.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA280033

Entities

People

  • John Latham

Organizations

  • University of Manchester

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Clouds
  • Cumulonimbus Clouds
  • Cumulus Clouds
  • Drops
  • Electric Fields
  • Emission
  • Hail
  • Hydrometeors
  • Ice Formation
  • Isotherms
  • Lightning
  • Measurement
  • Particles
  • Precipitation
  • Production
  • Raindrops

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Remote Sensing.
  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology