Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9459797 | Atmospheric Research | 2005 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
The observed reduction in cloud-to-ground lightning in the near-equatorial zone is examined from the perspective of the width of the main negative charge region. Thermodynamic observations of cloud base height also show a climatological minimum value in the near-equatorial region. The association of low cloud bases with both narrow updrafts and narrow charging zones may impede the bridging of the large air gap to ground, and thereby suppress cloud-to-ground lightning activity. This width dependence may be more important than the  â¼Â 10% variation in height of the freezing level in encouraging flashes to ground.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Atmospheric Science
Authors
V.C. Mushtak, E.R. Williams, D.J. Boccippio,