Lightning and Thunderstorm Studies

这个项目是通过观测不同类型风暴中闪电的结构和时间演变来研究雷暴中的带电过程，其中包括带电和闪电具有反转极性的电性异常风暴。闪光是使用一种可部署的、基于GPS的三维地图系统来观察的，该系统是根据之前的NSF拨款开发的。同一闪电事件的到达时间是在边上大约100公里的网络上的十个站点中以极高的精度测量的。从这些信息可以推断出闪光在三维空间中的时间历史，其时间和空间精度超过了以往任何可获得的观测数据。该网络将于2000年夏天部署，作为堪萨斯州东部STEPS计划(强雷暴通电和降水研究)的一部分。数据将与雷达对整个风暴结构的观测以及飞机和气球对电场的现场测量进行比较，以全面描述雷暴的电特性。预计结果将不仅对于理解电气化过程，而且对于将闪电用作风暴类型和强度的指标方面也具有重要意义。

This project is a study of electrification processes in thunderstorms using observations of the structure and temporal evolution of lightning flashes in different types of storms, including electrically anomalous storms in which the electrification and lightning are of inverted polarity. The flashes are observed using a deployable, GPS-based, three-dimensional mapping system developed under a previous NSF grant. The time of arrival of the same lightning event is measured with great precision at as many of ten stations over a network of approximately 100 km on the side. From this information, the time history of the flash in three dimensions can be inferred with temporal and spatial accuracy that exceeds any observations previously available. The network will be deployed in the summer of 2000 as part of the STEPS program (Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study) in eastern Kansas. Data will be compared with radar observations of overall storm structure and in-situ measurements of the electric field by aircraft and balloons, to provide a comprehensive description of the electrical characteristics of thunderstorms. Results are expected to be significant not only for understanding electrification processes but also in the use of lightning as an indicator of storm type and intensity.