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Upward electrical discharges observed above Tropical Depression Dorian

Author

Listed:
  • Ningyu Liu

    (Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, Florida 32901, USA)

  • Nicholas Spiva

    (Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, Florida 32901, USA)

  • Joseph R. Dwyer

    (Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, Florida 32901, USA
    Present address: Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA)

  • Hamid K. Rassoul

    (Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, Florida 32901, USA)

  • Dwayne Free

    (Space Coast Intelligent Solutions)

  • Steven A. Cummer

    (Duke University)

Abstract

Observation of upward electrical discharges from thunderstorms has been sporadically reported in the scientific literature. According to their terminal altitudes, they are classified as starters (20–30 km), jets (40–50 km) and gigantic jets (70–90 km). They not only have a significant impact on the occupied atmospheric volumes but also electrically couple different atmospheric regions. However, as they are rare and unpredictable, our knowledge of them has been built on observations that typically record only one type of such discharges. Here we report a close-distance observation of seven upward discharges including one starter, two jets and four gigantic jets above Tropical Depression Dorian. Our optical and electromagnetic data indicate that all events are of negative polarity, suggesting they are initiated in the same thundercloud charge region. The data also indicate that the lightning-like discharge channel can extend above thunderclouds by about 30 km, but the discharge does not emit low-frequency electromagnetic radiation as normal lightning.

Suggested Citation

  • Ningyu Liu & Nicholas Spiva & Joseph R. Dwyer & Hamid K. Rassoul & Dwayne Free & Steven A. Cummer, 2015. "Upward electrical discharges observed above Tropical Depression Dorian," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms6995
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6995
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    Cited by:

    1. Feifan Liu & Torsten Neubert & Olivier Chanrion & Gaopeng Lu & Ting Wu & Fanchao Lyu & Weitao Lyu & Christoph Köhn & Dongshuai Li & Baoyou Zhu & Jiuhou Lei, 2024. "Polarity transitions of narrow bipolar events in thundercloud tops reaching the lower stratosphere," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Feifan Liu & Gaopeng Lu & Torsten Neubert & Jiuhou Lei & Oliver Chanrion & Nikolai Østgaard & Dongshuai Li & Alejandro Luque & Francisco J. Gordillo-Vázquez & Victor Reglero & Weitao Lyu & Baoyou Zhu, 2021. "Optical emissions associated with narrow bipolar events from thunderstorm clouds penetrating into the stratosphere," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.

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