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Quantification of Electric Fields in Fast Breakdown During Lightning Initiation From VHF-UHF Power Spectra

Publication ,  Journal Article
Pu, Y; Liu, N; Cummer, SA
Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
March 16, 2022

This work applies a new remote sensing approach to indirectly probe the electric fields in the discharge region of fast breakdown (FB) processes during lightning initiation. A VHF-UHF broadband (1–750 MHz) measurement system is used to record the radiation spectra of FB. The average spectrum over 4 FB events exhibits a −10 dB spectral cutoff at 430 MHz, which yields an electrical field of 1.96–2.02 times the conventional breakdown field at 8–9 km altitudes. This in turn implies a localized field enhancement inside the region dominating the VHF-UHF emissions of >7 times the expected pre-discharge background field for lightning initiation. Such a high field has implications for the dynamics of individual streamers and their impact on the immediate environment, and also constrains the geometry of parts of the FB structure, suggesting that streamers initiate continuously in the enhanced field ahead of a narrow (aspect ratio >4) and conducting region.

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Published In

Geophysical Research Letters

DOI

EISSN

1944-8007

ISSN

0094-8276

Publication Date

March 16, 2022

Volume

49

Issue

5

Related Subject Headings

  • Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
 

Citation

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Pu, Y., Liu, N., & Cummer, S. A. (2022). Quantification of Electric Fields in Fast Breakdown During Lightning Initiation From VHF-UHF Power Spectra. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(5). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL097374
Pu, Y., N. Liu, and S. A. Cummer. “Quantification of Electric Fields in Fast Breakdown During Lightning Initiation From VHF-UHF Power Spectra.” Geophysical Research Letters 49, no. 5 (March 16, 2022). https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL097374.
Pu Y, Liu N, Cummer SA. Quantification of Electric Fields in Fast Breakdown During Lightning Initiation From VHF-UHF Power Spectra. Geophysical Research Letters. 2022 Mar 16;49(5).
Pu, Y., et al. “Quantification of Electric Fields in Fast Breakdown During Lightning Initiation From VHF-UHF Power Spectra.” Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 49, no. 5, Mar. 2022. Scopus, doi:10.1029/2021GL097374.
Pu Y, Liu N, Cummer SA. Quantification of Electric Fields in Fast Breakdown During Lightning Initiation From VHF-UHF Power Spectra. Geophysical Research Letters. 2022 Mar 16;49(5).
Journal cover image

Published In

Geophysical Research Letters

DOI

EISSN

1944-8007

ISSN

0094-8276

Publication Date

March 16, 2022

Volume

49

Issue

5

Related Subject Headings

  • Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences