Investigation of Lightning and Storm Electrification Processes Using a Phased Array Radar and Lightning Mapping Array

Ice crystal alignment within thunderstorms is difficult to capture due to the temporal scale at which electrical charge build-up and breakdown occur. This study focuses on three principal objectives. First, determining how effective phased array radar’s (PARs) higher temporal resolution is for analyzing ice crystal alignment within thunderstorms. Second, determining correlations between the Specific Differential Phase (K_DP) and Differential Reflectivity (Z_DR) signatures, and the three-dimensional flash locations determined by a lightning mapping array (LMA). Lastly, advancing our understanding of electrification signatures and how important the temporal scale is to the process. The fully digital polarimetric rotating S-band PAR system, Horus, conducted a series of range-height indicator (RHI) scans of a tornadic supercell on 11 May 2023 at 23:38 to 12 May 2023 at 00:56 UTC, within range of the Oklahoma LMA (OKLMA). A simultaneous evaluation of these RHI scans along with the OKLMA data allowed for the examination of regions of negative K_DP or near-zero Z_DR values, which may correspond to vertical ice crystal alignment in large electric fields. In the end, Horus’s K_DP signatures did not align with the lightning flashes in this case, but many flashes were in areas with near-zero Z_DR values. The storm was very electrified with 22,351 flashes occurring during the study period with 2,138 RHI scans, potentially beyond the point that 2-second RHI scans can capture storm electrification and the process of ice crystal alignment. This presentation will examine the frequent lightning flashes around the rapid RHIs.