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Radar and lightning analyses of gigantic jet-producing storms

Publication ,  Journal Article
Meyer, TC; Lang, TJ; Rutledge, SA; Lyons, WA; Cummer, SA; Lu, G; Lindsey, DT
Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
April 16, 2013

An analysis of thunderstorm environment, structure, and evolution associated with six gigantic jets (five negative polarity, one positive) was conducted. Three of these gigantic jets were observed within detection range of very high frequency lightning mapping networks. All six were within range of operational radars and two-dimensional lightning network coverage: five within the National Lightning Detection Network and one within the Global Lightning Detection (GLD360) network. Most of the storms producing the jets formed in moist tropical or tropical-like environments (precipitable water ranged from 37 to 62 kg m-2, and 0-6 km shear from 3.5 to 24.8 m s-1), featuring high convective available potential energy (1200-3500 J kg -1) and low lifted indices (-2.8 to -6.4). The storms had maximum radar reflectivity factors of 54 to 62 dBZ, and 10 dBZ echo contours reached 14-17 km. Storms covered by three-dimensional lightning mappers were near peak altitude of lightning activity (modes of the vertical distributions of radio sources were at altitudes colder than -50°C) and vertical reflectivity intensity, with overshooting echo tops around the times of their jets. Two of the other three jet-producing storms produced their jet around the time of a convective surge as indicated by radar data and likely featured overshooting tops. The observations suggest a link between convective surges, overshooting tops, and the occurrence of gigantic jets, similar to prior modeling studies. © 2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

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Published In

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

DOI

EISSN

2169-8996

Publication Date

April 16, 2013

Volume

118

Issue

7

Start / End Page

2872 / 2888

Related Subject Headings

  • 3702 Climate change science
  • 3701 Atmospheric sciences
  • 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
  • 0401 Atmospheric Sciences
 

Citation

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MLA
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Meyer, T. C., Lang, T. J., Rutledge, S. A., Lyons, W. A., Cummer, S. A., Lu, G., & Lindsey, D. T. (2013). Radar and lightning analyses of gigantic jet-producing storms. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 118(7), 2872–2888. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50302
Meyer, T. C., T. J. Lang, S. A. Rutledge, W. A. Lyons, S. A. Cummer, G. Lu, and D. T. Lindsey. “Radar and lightning analyses of gigantic jet-producing storms.” Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres 118, no. 7 (April 16, 2013): 2872–88. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrd.50302.
Meyer TC, Lang TJ, Rutledge SA, Lyons WA, Cummer SA, Lu G, et al. Radar and lightning analyses of gigantic jet-producing storms. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres. 2013 Apr 16;118(7):2872–88.
Meyer, T. C., et al. “Radar and lightning analyses of gigantic jet-producing storms.” Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, vol. 118, no. 7, Apr. 2013, pp. 2872–88. Scopus, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50302.
Meyer TC, Lang TJ, Rutledge SA, Lyons WA, Cummer SA, Lu G, Lindsey DT. Radar and lightning analyses of gigantic jet-producing storms. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres. 2013 Apr 16;118(7):2872–2888.

Published In

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

DOI

EISSN

2169-8996

Publication Date

April 16, 2013

Volume

118

Issue

7

Start / End Page

2872 / 2888

Related Subject Headings

  • 3702 Climate change science
  • 3701 Atmospheric sciences
  • 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
  • 0401 Atmospheric Sciences