| Three-dimensional lightning mapping observations are compared to electric potential profiles inferred from balloon soundings of electric field in New Mexico mountain thunderstorms. Two types of comparisons are performed: comparisons of lightning data to individual balloon soundings and comparisons of lightning data to multiple measurements of the electric field. Also, a simulation using energy minimization is used to recreate the lightning data.; First, for six individual intracloud and cloud-to-ground flashes and for a sequence of 36 flashes in one storm, the comparisons to individual balloon soundings consistently show good agreement between the altitudes of horizontal lightning channels and the altitudes of electric potential extrema or wells. The observations reconcile the apparent dichotomy between the complex charge structures often inferred from balloon soundings through storms and the simpler structures often inferred from lightning measurements.; Second, two composites of lightning data are compared to multiple electric field measurements to establish a time independent comparison between the lightning data and the electric field measurements. This comparison shows strong evidence that the electric potential of a thundercloud controls lightning propagation.; Finally, a simulation using random charge distributions and energy minimization is used to recreate the lightning data from the sequence of 35 flashes mentioned above. The simulation is able to recreate several of the properties of the lightning data, for example a segregation seen in the lightning data between intracloud and cloud-to-ground flashes. |
