Cloud ice fraction governs lightning rate at a global scale

Yong Han; Hao Luo; Yonghua Wu; Yijun Zhang; Wenjie Dong

doi:10.1038/s43247-021-00233-4

Communications Earth & Environment (Aug 2021)

Cloud ice fraction governs lightning rate at a global scale

Yong Han,
Hao Luo,
Yonghua Wu,
Yijun Zhang,
Wenjie Dong

Affiliations

Yong Han: Advanced Science & Technology of Atmospheric Physics Group, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University
Hao Luo: Advanced Science & Technology of Atmospheric Physics Group, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University
Yonghua Wu: NOAA-CESSRST, City College of the City University of New York
Yijun Zhang: Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Fudan University
Wenjie Dong: Advanced Science & Technology of Atmospheric Physics Group, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00233-4
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Lightning rate varies non-linearly with cloud ice fraction and between ocean and continent regions due to differences in convection depth, according to analyses of 20-years of lightning observations and cloud water data.

Published in Communications Earth & Environment

ISSN: 2662-4435 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Geology; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.nature.com/commsenv/

About the journal