Using Lightning Flashes to Image Thunderclouds
We report the optical energy emitted by lightning flashes interacts with the surrounding cloud medium through scattering and absorption. The optical signals recorded by space-based lightning imagers describe a convolution of lightning flash energetics and radiative transfer effects in the intervening cloud layer. A thundercloud imaging technique is presented that characterizes cloud regions based on how they are illuminated by lightning. This technique models the spatial distribution of optical energy in radiant lightning pulses to determine whether and to what extent each illuminated cloud pixel behaves like a homogeneous planar cloud layer. A gridded product is constructed that differentiates flashes that illuminate convective cells from stratiform flashes with long horizontal channels and anvil flashes whose optical emissions reflect off of nearby cloud surfaces. Lastly, producing this imagery with a rolling 15-min window allows us to visualize changes in convection with a rapid (20 s) update cycle.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001
- OSTI ID:
- 1570648
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-19-24641
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 124, Issue 17-18; ISSN 2169-897X
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
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