Positive lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower from May 2010 to January 2012. Issue 23 (5th December 2013)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Positive lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower from May 2010 to January 2012. Issue 23 (5th December 2013)
- Main Title:
- Positive lightning flashes recorded on the Säntis tower from May 2010 to January 2012
- Authors:
- Romero, Carlos
Rachidi, Farhad
Rubinstein, Marcos
Paolone, Mario
Rakov, Vladimir A.
Pavanello, Davide - Abstract:
- <abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>[1] We analyze currents of 30 positive flashes recorded on the Säntis tower, Switzerland, from May 2010 to January 2012. The currents were classified into two types. Type 1 events exhibit a large, unipolar main pulse with a risetime of tens of microseconds, followed by subsidiary peaks separated by millisecond‐scale intervals. The main pulse in three flashes was preceded by a slowly rising ramp lasting several milliseconds and was followed by a relatively steady current with superimposed positive and negative pulses, constituting the first direct evidence of <italic>M</italic> components of both polarities. In four of the five type 1 flashes, the main current was preceded by pulse bursts, presumably due to attempted negative leaders. Type 2 events are characterized by a millisecond‐scale waveform with large, oscillatory pulse trains on its rising portion. These pulse trains are inferred to be due to upward negative stepped leaders. Peak currents of type 2 flashes are associated with the fast pulses. Our positive flashes of both types have a median peak current of 11.1 kA and a median duration of 80 ms, consistent with data recorded in Austria. Our measured median transferred charges are about 6 times larger than those at Switzerland's Monte San Salvatore and in Japan and about 3 times larger than in Austria. Eight type 2 flashes in our data set transported over 500 C of positive charge to ground. Our five type 1<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>[1] We analyze currents of 30 positive flashes recorded on the Säntis tower, Switzerland, from May 2010 to January 2012. The currents were classified into two types. Type 1 events exhibit a large, unipolar main pulse with a risetime of tens of microseconds, followed by subsidiary peaks separated by millisecond‐scale intervals. The main pulse in three flashes was preceded by a slowly rising ramp lasting several milliseconds and was followed by a relatively steady current with superimposed positive and negative pulses, constituting the first direct evidence of <italic>M</italic> components of both polarities. In four of the five type 1 flashes, the main current was preceded by pulse bursts, presumably due to attempted negative leaders. Type 2 events are characterized by a millisecond‐scale waveform with large, oscillatory pulse trains on its rising portion. These pulse trains are inferred to be due to upward negative stepped leaders. Peak currents of type 2 flashes are associated with the fast pulses. Our positive flashes of both types have a median peak current of 11.1 kA and a median duration of 80 ms, consistent with data recorded in Austria. Our measured median transferred charges are about 6 times larger than those at Switzerland's Monte San Salvatore and in Japan and about 3 times larger than in Austria. Eight type 2 flashes in our data set transported over 500 C of positive charge to ground. Our five type 1 events appear to be similar (except for the pulse duration) to their counterparts examined by Berger et al. (1975). Our type 2 events are "classical" upward flashes.</p> </abstract> … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Journal of geophysical research. Volume 118:Issue 23(2013)
- Journal:
- Journal of geophysical research
- Issue:
- Volume 118:Issue 23(2013)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 118, Issue 23 (2013)
- Year:
- 2013
- Volume:
- 118
- Issue:
- 23
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2013-0118-0023-0000
- Page Start:
- 12, 879
- Page End:
- 12, 892
- Publication Date:
- 2013-12-05
- Subjects:
- Atmospheric physics -- Periodicals
Geophysics -- Periodicals
551.5 - Journal URLs:
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2169-8996 ↗
http://www.agu.org/journals/jd/ ↗
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1002/2013JD020242 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 2169-897X
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 4995.001000
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 4162.xml