Lightning Detection And Ranging (LDAR II) Network Operation and Analyses Over a Highly Polluted City - Houston, Texas

智力优势：根据该合同，首席研究员（PI）将操作和分析德克萨斯州休斯顿周围的十二站总闪电探测网络（闪电探测和测距，LDAR II）的数据。 美国国家科学基金会根据重大研究计划（MRI）拨款资助购买LDAR II网络的设备。 此前在休斯顿上空发现了高云地闪电密度异常，这引发了一些科学问题。这项研究的主要科学目标是解决许多悬而未决的问题，CG和云内（IC）闪光的特点总闪电发生在休斯敦和周边地区使用LDAR II网络和国家闪电探测网络（NLDN）。 来自LDAR II和NLDN的数据的组合将允许PI确定1）风暴内第一次闪电的位置和幅度，2）云闪率，3）云对地闪率，4）云/CG闪比的演变，5）云放电通道的几何范围，6）云和CG闪的起始点，7）初始电荷降低的高度，8）电荷被闪电改变的区域和体积，9）CG冲程的极性，10）CG冲程中峰值电流的估计，和11）雷暴中CG闪光中冲程的多样性的测量。 研究的更广泛影响：来自LDAR II的数据将对在该奖项范围之外进行研究的科学家和学生的研究计划产生直接影响。 目前，已有十多个合作机构表示对该项目和相关信息感兴趣。 该网络的持续运行将提供仪器，并加强休斯顿的基础设施，以了解和预测天气，休斯顿是美国第四大人口城市。 此外，一般公众可通过以下网站免费获得实验性LDAR II实时闪电显示：http://www.met.tamu.edu/ciams/ldar/index.html。 非正式的报告表明，这是一个受欢迎的免费网站为休斯顿社区。这项研究将有助于教育的几个研究生谁将直接参与研究，这将包括他们在数据采集和分析的共享。 研究成果将纳入云物理学和中尺度现象高级课程。 最后，本研究将利用正在进行的推广和教育德克萨斯A M大学的计划，从事本科生和高中生的辅导，特别努力让代表性不足的学生参与。

Intellectual Merit: Under this award the Principal Investigator (PI) will operate and analyze data from a twelve-station total lightning detection network (Lightning Detection and Ranging, LDAR II) around Houston, Texas. The National Science Foundation under a Major Research Initiative (MRI) grant funded the purchase of the equipment for the LDAR II network. A high cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning density anomaly had been previously identified over Houston, which raised a number of scientific questions. The primary scientific goal of this research is to address many outstanding questions about CG and intracloud (IC) flashes that characterize the total lightning occurring over Houston and the surrounding areas using the LDAR II network and the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). The combination of data from the LDAR II and the NLDN will allow the PI to determine 1) the location and amplitude of the first lightning flash within storms, 2) cloud flash rates, 3) cloud-to-ground flash rates, 4) the evolution of cloud/CG flash ratios, 5) the geometric extent of cloud discharge channels, 6) the initiation points of cloud and CG flashes, 7) the altitude from which the primary charge is lowered, 8) the area and volume in which charge is altered by lightning, 9) the polarity of CG strokes, 10) estimates of the peak currents in CG strokes, and 11) measurements of the multiplicity of strokes in CG flashes in the thunderstorms. Broader impacts of the research: Data from the LDAR II will have an immediate impact on the research programs of scientists and students who are performing research outside the bounds of this award. At the moment, more than ten cooperating institutions have expressed an interest in this project and the associated information. The continuing operation of the network will provide instrumentation and enhance the infrastructure of understanding and forecasting weather in Houston, the fourth largest city in population in the United States. In addition, general public access to the experimental LDAR II real-time lightning displays is provided at no cost through the following web site: http://www.met.tamu.edu/ciams/ldar/index.html. Informal reports suggest that this is a popular free web site for the Houston community. This research will contribute to the education of several graduate students who will directly participate in the research, which will include their sharing in data acquisition and analysis. Research results will be incorporated into advanced courses on cloud physics and mesoscale phenomena. Finally, this research will take advantage of ongoing outreach and educational Texas A&M University programs to engage in mentorship of undergraduate and high school students with special effort to involve under-represented students.