Comparative Study of Predominantly Daytime and Nighttime Lightning Occurrences and Their Impact on Ionospheric Disturbances (original) (raw)
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Estimation of global lightning activity and observations of atmospheric electric field
Acta Geophysica, 2011
Variations in the global atmospheric electric circuit are investigated using a wide range of globally spaced instruments observing VLF (~10 kHz) waves, ELF (~300 Hz) waves, Schumann resonances (4-60 Hz), and the atmospheric fair weather electric field. For the ELF/VLF observations, propagation effects are accounted for in a novel approach using established monthly averages of lightning location provided by the Lightning Image Sensor (LIS) and applying known frequency specific attenuation parameters for daytime/nighttime ELF/VLF propagation. Schumann resonances are analyzed using decomposition into propagating and standing waves in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. Derived lightning activity is compared to existing global lightning detection networks and fair weather field observations. The results suggest that characteristics of lightning discharges vary by region and may have diverse effects upon the ionospheric potential.
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Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 1998
The satellite-borne NASA/MSFC Optical Transient Detector provides global distributions of lightning and lightning-stroke radiance. Measurements made during the first year of its operation show that lightning activity is particularly pronounced over the tropics, much greater over land than over the oceans, and exhibits great seasonal variability. The values of lightning-stroke radiance tend to be greater over the oceans, less when lightning activity is high, and greater in the northern hemisphere winter than summer.
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Ionospheric scintillations can affect the Global Navigation Satellite System’s (GNSS) signals by disrupting the radio waves as they travel through the upper atmosphere. Space weather events are known to cause variations in the total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere in high and low latitude regions, leading to these scintillations. However, the extent to which these scintillations occur in the mid-latitude region and their causes is under-examined. The goal of our research is to better analyze disruptions to ground-based receivers and GNSS signals by determining whether lightning strikes cause ionospheric scintillations and other interferences with GNSS satellites. As the lightning capital of the world, Florida is an ideal place to record a large data set of thunderstorms. Using high rate (50Hz) multi constellation GNSS receivers at Daytona Beach, FL on the Embry-Riddle University campus, we parse and filter the scintillation data to obtain signal phase and amplitude fluctuat...
Effect of lightning on ionospheric temperature determined by SROSS-C2 satellite
It has been realized in recent years that the ionospheric temperature and ion density may be influenced by lightning. The ionospheric ion densities (O + , O 2 + , H + and He +) and electron and ion temperatures were measured by the RPA payload aboard the Indian SROSS-C2 satellite. The data at low latitudes falling in the Indian subcontinent in the height range 425-625 km for the period 1995-1998 were chosen for this study. Thunderstorms are the main source of lightning (Gupta, 1999; Inan et al, 1991; Otsuyama, 1999). The data on thunderstorm activity for the same period was obtained from India Meteorological Department (IMD). For our analysis the measurements over Bhopal, Panji and Trivandrum were chosen for which the data on thunderstorm activity is also available. Comparison has also been made with IRI model (Bilitza, 1990). It has been found that the electron temperature was enhanced during thunderstorms activity by 1.4 to 2.3 times over the quite days. A similar enhancement has been found to be 1.2 to 1.7 times in the ion temperature. In all the events the ion density of above ions were found to be unaffected by the thunderstorms activity. It has been argued that the agencies like runaway electrons, UHF emissions from lightning and lightning sprites (Taranenko et al, 1992; Yukhimuk et al 1999; Bell et al, 1995) may cause the increase of ionospheric temperatures.
Remote Sensing, 2020
Continuous estimates of the vertical integrated precipitable water vapor content from the tropospheric delay of the signal received by the antennas of the global positioning system (GPS) are used in this paper, in conjunction with the measurements of the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) spinning enhanced visible and infrared imager (SEVIRI) radiometer and with the lightning activity, collected here by the ground-based lightning detection network (LINET), in order to identify links and recurrent patterns useful for improving nowcasting applications. The analysis of a couple of events is shown here as an example of more general behavior. Clear signs appear before the peak of lightning activity on a timescale from 2 to 3 h. In particular, the lightning activity is generally preceded by a period in which the difference between SEVIRI brightness temperature (TB) at channel 5 and channel 6 (i.e., ∆TB) presents quite constant values around 0 K. This trend is accompanied by an increase in p...
Disturbance detection due to lightning at ionospheric D-region over Malaysia
International Journal of Advances in Applied Sciences (IJAAS), 2024
Previous research on the interference of very low frequency (VLF) signals in the equator region was inadequate and largely concentrated in the middle and high latitude regions. Therefore, this research aims to determine the disruption of VLF waves in the ionospheric D-region above Malaysia, which is in the equator area. This paper presents observations of early/fast, early/slow, and lightning-induced electron precipitation (LEP) events in January 2010. Broadband and narrowband data are monitored and investigated using Japan’s JJI Ebino transmitter (32°40' N, 130°81' E) to the receiver at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (2°55' N, 101°46' E). Broadband and narrowband data are analyzed with theoretical considerations and linked to events from interference in the ionospheric D-region. Many early/fast, early/slow, and LEP events are found to originate from the lightning release activity emitted and may alter the amplitude and VLF signal phase in the lower layer ionosphere over Malaysia.
Revisiting Lightning Activity and Parameterization Using Geostationary Satellite Observations
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The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 16 (GOES-16) detects total lightning continuously, with a high spatial resolution and detection efficiency. Coincident data from the GLM and the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) are used to explore the correlation between the cloud top properties and flash activity across the continental United States (CONUS) sector from May to September 2020. A large number of collocated infrared (IR) brightness temperature (TBB), cloud top height (CTH) and lightning data provides robust statistics. Overall, the likelihood of lightning occurrence and high flash density is higher if the TBB is colder than 225 K. The higher CTH is observed to be correlated with a larger flash rate, a smaller flash size, stronger updraft, and larger optical energy. Furthermore, the cloud top updraft velocity (w) is estimated based on the decreasing rate of TBB, but it is smaller than the updraft velocity of the convective c...
Some Scientific Objectives of a Satellite-Borne Lightning Mapper
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 1983
The Lightning Mapper Sensor is proposed as an instrument for use on a geosynchronous satellite in the late 1980s to monitor lightning activity continuously over broad areas of the earth. The system was suggested in response to a variety of needs and the resulting data will provide important research information for such fields of geoscience as magnetospheric and ionospheric physics, atmospheric electricity, atmospheric chemistry, and storm physics. The research applications of Lightning Mapper Sensor data and related research programs are explored and sensor requirements are discussed. trical circuit, atmospheric chemistry, storm physics, solartropospheric effects, and lightning science are discussed in the following sections, followed by a brief discussion of system requirements and related research activities. The report was assembled and edited by M. H. Davis, USRA. The coauthors were participants at the meeting or contributed material. We acknowledge the helpful comments of John Latham,
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Over the last few decades, there has been a growing interest to develop and deploy an automated and continuously operating satellite-based global lightning mapper [e.g. Christian et al., 1989; Weber et al., 1998; Suszcynsky et al., 2000]. Lightning is a direct consequence of the electrification and breakdown processes that take place during the convective stages of thunderstorm development. Satellite-based lightning
This paper aimed to overview the interaction of the thunderstorm with the ionospheric electric fields during major geomagnetic storms in Antarctica through the GPS tropospheric delays. For the purpose of study, geomagnetic activity and electric fields data for the period from 13 to 21 March 2015 representing the St. Patrick's Day storm is analyzed. To strengthen the analysis, data for the period of 27 October to 1 st November 2003 representing for the Halloween storm is also compared. Our analysis showed that both geomagnetic storms were severe (Ap ≥ 100 nT), where the intensity of Halloween storm is double compared to St. Patrick's Day storm. For the ionospheric electric field, the peaks were dropped to-1.63 mV/m and-2.564 mV/m for St. Patrick and Halloween storms, respectively. At this time, the interplanetary magnetic field Bz component was significantly dropped to-17.31 nT with Ap > 150 nT (17 March 2015 at 19:20 UT) and-26.51 nT with Ap = 300 nT (29 October 2003 at 19:40 UT). For both geomagnetic storms, the electric field was correlated well with the ionospheric activity where tropospheric delays show a different characteristic. 1. Introduction Characterization the cause-effect mechanisms driving the formation and evolution of middle and the coupling between the upper and the lower levels of the atmosphere is challenging task. The physical mechanism on how the ionospheric activities interact directly or indirectly to troposphere is still not clear. It is well known theoretically that the high latitude ionosphere-troposphere contains the footprints of processes that have their origin in the planetary space. Many different techniques are now available for probing the ionosphere-troposphere, from radar measurements to the analysis of radio propagation noise. Among them the use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements allows to describe the 3D plus time evolution of the ionospheric plasma and water vapor over restricted regions [1,2]. Mathematical techniques combined with experimental observations provide the ability to study the ionosphere from high in the F-region to the lower atmosphere. Thus the coupling processes between the magnetosphere and the neutral atmosphere can be approximated. Therefore, the possible linkages between solar phenomena, solar-induced interplanetary disturbances, the magnetospheric state and the chemistry of the middle and lower terrestrial atmosphere have been explored over the years with intent to separate natural variations from the anthropogenic forcing [3]. However, a solar influence on water vapor over Antarctica during the intense magnetospheric disturbance [2] found that the coupling between the upper and lower levels of the atmosphere is less sensitive enough to sense the coupling process. In fact, there are many phenomena occurs from the ionosphere to the lower atmosphere such as precipitation events, including water vapor distribution, formation of clouds and aerosols and the chemistry of the lower atmosphere [3], formation of polar stratospheric clouds, lightning and atmospheric electricity [4], and a long-lived trace gas in the mesosphere provides a possibility atmospheric motion and drags as well as hazard material detection during active weather. In this sense, global electric circuit is identified as a possible physical mechanism for the coupling process. Lightning and thunderstorm activity, as related to global electric circuit plays an important role in the coupling between Earth's lower atmosphere and the ionosphere [5]. Thunderstorm activity has an effect on the E-sporadic layer and the global electric circuits are shown to be organized by lightning phenomena over the geomagnetic equator. Global thunderstorm charge ionosphere and current returns