Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation Sources

Abstract The lightning channel morphology is closely related to developmental processes, which depends on the charge structure. There is currently a lack of understanding of how lightning channel morphology reveals developmental characteristics and charge structure. Based on the Lightning mapping ar...

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Main Authors: YuRui Li, Yang Zhang, YiJun Zhang, Paul R. Krehbiel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099586
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author YuRui Li
Yang Zhang
YiJun Zhang
Paul R. Krehbiel
author_facet YuRui Li
Yang Zhang
YiJun Zhang
Paul R. Krehbiel
author_sort YuRui Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The lightning channel morphology is closely related to developmental processes, which depends on the charge structure. There is currently a lack of understanding of how lightning channel morphology reveals developmental characteristics and charge structure. Based on the Lightning mapping array radiation source localization data of six lightning flashes, we studied the lightning channel morphology characterization method and obtained the spatial distribution of the fractal dimension (FD). We found that the fractal distribution had a consistent spatial and temporal correspondence with the channel development characteristics. Compared to regions with unidirectional extended channels, regions with more channel branches or direction change of channel development have a larger FD and a higher power density, where horizontal channel development is accelerated. These correspondence features reflect the inhomogeneous presence of pocket charge, which provides a new method to use lightning morphology information to reveal the characteristics of charge level distribution within thunderstorm clouds.
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institution OA Journals
issn 0094-8276
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publishDate 2022-08-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-c5b317c72cc949c7bef7d1a857401b2e2025-08-20T02:17:34ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072022-08-014915n/an/a10.1029/2022GL099586Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation SourcesYuRui Li0Yang Zhang1YiJun Zhang2Paul R. Krehbiel3Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Institute of Atmospheric Sciences Fudan University Shanghai ChinaState Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences Beijing ChinaDepartment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Institute of Atmospheric Sciences Fudan University Shanghai ChinaLangmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research Geophysical Research Center New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro NM USAAbstract The lightning channel morphology is closely related to developmental processes, which depends on the charge structure. There is currently a lack of understanding of how lightning channel morphology reveals developmental characteristics and charge structure. Based on the Lightning mapping array radiation source localization data of six lightning flashes, we studied the lightning channel morphology characterization method and obtained the spatial distribution of the fractal dimension (FD). We found that the fractal distribution had a consistent spatial and temporal correspondence with the channel development characteristics. Compared to regions with unidirectional extended channels, regions with more channel branches or direction change of channel development have a larger FD and a higher power density, where horizontal channel development is accelerated. These correspondence features reflect the inhomogeneous presence of pocket charge, which provides a new method to use lightning morphology information to reveal the characteristics of charge level distribution within thunderstorm clouds.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099586radiation source localizationchannel morphologyfractal dimensionpower densitycharge structure
spellingShingle YuRui Li
Yang Zhang
YiJun Zhang
Paul R. Krehbiel
Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation Sources
Geophysical Research Letters
radiation source localization
channel morphology
fractal dimension
power density
charge structure
title Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation Sources
title_full Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation Sources
title_fullStr Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation Sources
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation Sources
title_short Analysis of the Configuration Relationship Between the Morphological Characteristics of Lightning Channels and the Charge Structure Based on the Localization of VHF Radiation Sources
title_sort analysis of the configuration relationship between the morphological characteristics of lightning channels and the charge structure based on the localization of vhf radiation sources
topic radiation source localization
channel morphology
fractal dimension
power density
charge structure
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099586
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AT yangzhang analysisoftheconfigurationrelationshipbetweenthemorphologicalcharacteristicsoflightningchannelsandthechargestructurebasedonthelocalizationofvhfradiationsources
AT yijunzhang analysisoftheconfigurationrelationshipbetweenthemorphologicalcharacteristicsoflightningchannelsandthechargestructurebasedonthelocalizationofvhfradiationsources
AT paulrkrehbiel analysisoftheconfigurationrelationshipbetweenthemorphologicalcharacteristicsoflightningchannelsandthechargestructurebasedonthelocalizationofvhfradiationsources