Lightning and Thunderstorm Studies

这个项目是利用对不同类型暴风雨中闪电的结构和时间演变的观测来研究雷暴中的起电过程，其中包括起电和闪电极性相反的电异常暴风雨。 闪光是使用一个可部署的，基于GPS的，三维映射系统在以前的NSF资助下开发的。 在大约100公里的网络上，在多达10个站点上非常精确地测量同一闪电事件的到达时间。 从这些信息中，可以推断出三维闪光的时间历史，其时间和空间精度超过了以前的任何观测结果。 该网络将于2000年夏季部署，作为堪萨斯东部STEPS计划（强雷暴电气化和降水研究）的一部分。 将把数据与雷达观测到的整个风暴结构以及飞机和气球现场测量的电场进行比较，以全面描述雷暴的电气特征。 结果预计将是显着的，不仅了解电气化过程，而且在使用闪电作为风暴类型和强度的指标。

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.