Investigations of the development of thunderstorm with hail. Part 1. Cloud development and formation of electric discharges

Abstract

The results of synchronous radar, radiometric, and lightning-detection measurements are analyzed to reveal interrelations between the parameters of electric discharges and the parameters of cumulonimbus clouds developing in the North Caucasus. The dependences of electric activity of the cloud on radar parameiers as well as on the parameiers reirieved from Meteosat SEVIRI radiometer measurements are considered. Electric discharges (intracloud discharges and lightnings) were registered for 1 hour 40 minutes (the maximum frequency was equal to 448 discharges per minute). The relation ships are identified that connect the parameters of electric discharges with the precipitation rate and with the field of cloud top temperaiure. It was found that the frequency of eleciric discharges increases as the precipitation rate increases. The maximum frequency is reached at the precipitation rate equal to 70 mm/hour. Normalized autocorrelation functions ofthe field ofcloud top temperature retrieved from the satellite data are constructed. The high correlation is revealed between the scale of inhomogeneity of the field of cloud top temperature and the frequency of electrical discharges.