Study On The Relationship Between Lightning And Thunderstorms In Summer Over Northeast China And Jianghuai Area

In this study we present studies on the relationship between lightning activities and thunderstorms over Northeast China (45°N-55°N,110°N-125°N) and JiangHuai Area (28°N-36°N,114°N-121°N). We used the lightning data obtained by a3-station VLF/LF lightnig networks in conjunction with Doppler radar data and NCEP/CPC Global IR Data to analyze the relationship between thunderstorms and lightning at spatial and temporal scales from2009to2010. While in Jianghuai Area we used TRMM data, including VIRS1B01, PR2A25and LIS, to analysis the characteristic of thunderstorm and lightning in summer of2012. We compare the phenomenon and meteorology context of the activity of thunderstorms and the relationship between lightning and thunderstorms at different latitude. The results are as following:(1) In Northeast China, most lightning discharges occurred in the region where the radar echo exceeds40dBz, with the maximum height of30dBz radar echo surpassing6km. In JiangHuai area, lightning discharges occurred in the region where the radar echo exceeds30dBz, with the maximum height of30dBz radar echo greater than8km。(2) In Northeast China, lightning flash rates slightly peaked behind the height of30dBz radar echo at a time about10-40min in most of the thunderstorms.(3) There existed a power law relationship between Flash rates and the maximum height of30dBz in Northeast China and JiangHuai Area. The average of the maximum height of30dBz radar echo was10.2km in Northeast China, and about11.2km in JiangHuai Area, possibly implying that thunderstorms in JiangHuai Area developed higher than those over Northeast China.(4)According to the distribution of lightning in the whole development of thunderstorms in Northeast China, Lightning in mature stage is wider than development phase and disperse phase in distribution, cloud-top temperature of radar storm in disperse phase is higher than others.(5) Most of Lightning discharges occurred in the cloud with the top temperature of210-240k in Northeast China; while in JiangHuai Area, lightning discharges occurred in the cloud with the top temperature of the190-220k.(6) One the basis of the TRMM precipitation profiles of thunderstorms in JiangHuai Area, the precipitation rate of convective region is higher than that of stratiform region. The surface precipitation (both convective precipitation and stratiform precipitation) in the regions where lightning occurs is larger than the regions without lightning. The height of rain top in the regions with lightning is higher than the regions without lightning. It can be inferred that the higher precipitation and rain top will help to produce more lightning.