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Observations of two sprite-producing storms in Colorado

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lang, TJ; Lyons, WA; Cummer, SA; Fuchs, BR; Dolan, B; Rutledge, SA; Krehbiel, P; Rison, W; Stanley, M; Ashcraft, T
Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research
January 1, 2016

Two sprite-producing thunderstorms were observed on 8 and 25 June 2012 in northeastern Colorado by a combination of low-light cameras, a lightning mapping array, polarimetric and Doppler radars, the National Lightning Detection Network, and charge moment change measurements. The 8 June event evolved from a tornadic hailstorm to a larger multicellular system that produced 21 observed positive sprites in 2 h. The majority of sprites occurred during a lull in convective strength, as measured by total flash rate, flash energy, and radar echo volume. Mean flash area spiked multiple times during this period; however, total flash rates still exceeded 60 min-1, and portions of the storm featured a complex anomalous charge structure, with midlevel positive charge near -20°C. The storm produced predominantly positive cloud-to-ground lightning. All sprite-parent flashes occurred on the northeastern flank of the storm, where strong westerly upper level flow was consistent with advection of charged precipitation away from convection, providing a pathway for stratiform lightning. The 25 June event was another multicellular hailstorm with an anomalous charge structure that produced 26 positive sprites in less than 1 h. The sprites again occurred during a convective lull, with relatively weaker reflectivity and lower total flash rate but relatively larger mean flash area. However, all sprite parents occurred in or near convection and tapped charge layers in adjacent anvil cloud. The results demonstrate the sprite production by convective ground strokes in anomalously charged storms and also indicate that sprite production and convective vigor are inversely related in mature storms.

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Published In

Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI

EISSN

2156-2202

ISSN

0148-0227

Publication Date

January 1, 2016

Volume

121

Issue

16

Start / End Page

9675 / 9695

Related Subject Headings

  • Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
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MLA
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Lang, T. J., Lyons, W. A., Cummer, S. A., Fuchs, B. R., Dolan, B., Rutledge, S. A., … Ashcraft, T. (2016). Observations of two sprite-producing storms in Colorado. Journal of Geophysical Research, 121(16), 9675–9695. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JD025299
Lang, T. J., W. A. Lyons, S. A. Cummer, B. R. Fuchs, B. Dolan, S. A. Rutledge, P. Krehbiel, W. Rison, M. Stanley, and T. Ashcraft. “Observations of two sprite-producing storms in Colorado.” Journal of Geophysical Research 121, no. 16 (January 1, 2016): 9675–95. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JD025299.
Lang TJ, Lyons WA, Cummer SA, Fuchs BR, Dolan B, Rutledge SA, et al. Observations of two sprite-producing storms in Colorado. Journal of Geophysical Research. 2016 Jan 1;121(16):9675–95.
Lang, T. J., et al. “Observations of two sprite-producing storms in Colorado.” Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 121, no. 16, Jan. 2016, pp. 9675–95. Scopus, doi:10.1002/2016JD025299.
Lang TJ, Lyons WA, Cummer SA, Fuchs BR, Dolan B, Rutledge SA, Krehbiel P, Rison W, Stanley M, Ashcraft T. Observations of two sprite-producing storms in Colorado. Journal of Geophysical Research. 2016 Jan 1;121(16):9675–9695.

Published In

Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI

EISSN

2156-2202

ISSN

0148-0227

Publication Date

January 1, 2016

Volume

121

Issue

16

Start / End Page

9675 / 9695

Related Subject Headings

  • Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences