Variation in Regional and Global Lightning

R. H. Holzworth, J. B. Brundell, M. P. McCarthy, K. S. Virts, M. L Hutchins, A. R. Jacobson, S. Heckman

Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WAUltraMSK, Dunedin, New ZealandEarth Networks, Germantown, MD

Virts et al, BAMS, 2013

Outline:Global Lightning Detection: WWLLNENGLNStrokes Clustered into storms• UT variability of Clusters (storms)• Stroke Energy: ocean versus land• Tropical Cyclone online data set• Transient Gamma Flashes• Lightning sferics in the ionosphere and magnetosphere

Virts et al, BAMS, 2013 Using WWLLN data from 2008 - 2011

ENGLN=WWLLN + Earth NetworksDecember 1, 2015

One Day

ENGLN=WWLLN + Earth NetworksJune 1, 2015

One Day

WWLLN ONLYJune 1, 2015

One Day

Strokes(6.5 times increase)(mostly from adding new stations)

Clusters(2.3 times increasefrom 2005 and just )

10 Years WWLLN DATA

Per day

Cluster

s (black

)Total hourly Clusters fairly constant over four years

Hutchins et al, JGR, 2013

Median Strokes/Cluster : 5Mean Strokes/Cluster: 13 Median Strokes/Cluster : 6Mean Strokes/Cluster: 25

Sample Day in 2005 Sample Day in 2014

Note:Southern Hemisphere Summer (ONDJFM) is lower thanNorthern Hemisphere Summer (AMJJAS)AndContribution from Africa/Europe is relatively larger

Whipple&Scrase, 1936

Virts et al, BAMS, 2013

Showing strong detection differences for TRMM/LIS and WWLLN over Oceans and over continents

Average Stroke Energy over Ocean versus land

Africa Coast (WWLLN data)

ENTLN data

Sharp Transition –within 10 km pf coast

Hutchins et al, GRL, 2013

Gulf Stream Lightning Daily Variation

Virts et al, JAS, 2015

USAGI2013(black circles: WWLLN strokes)

WWLLN Strokes +-15min of TRMM passeyewall Rain bands

All TC’s from 2009 to present now on line: contactProfs. Jeremy Thomas or Robert Holzworth

Lightning

Lightning

NASA Press Release2013

Typhoon Usagi2013

Transient Gamma FlashesMulti-MeV Photons seen by Fermi and RHESSIStroke location and timing from WWLLNConnaughton et al, JGR 2010

Each Point is a lightning stoke location for a whistler seen on CNOFS (>400 km altitude)

Reconvergence

¼ way around the world (10,000 km)

Jacobson et al, Ann. Geophys., 2011

Typical Nose Whistler from Lightning Sfericdetected on Van Allen Probes (EFW and EMFISIS wave instruments)

Summary• Clustered Thunderstorms have clear diurnal variation• Clusters increase slightly in 10 yearsExamples Given of• Sharp stroke energy transition at coast• Stroke variation over Gulf Stream peaks after midnight• High Resolution Tropical Cyclone tracking• Lightning relation to TGF production• Whistler source locations and energy study with RBSP

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