Lightning and dual-polarization radar structure of small convective storms

During the summer of 1999, detailed observations were obtained of the complete sequence of lightning discharges in small convective storms over Langmuir Laboratory, in conjunction with dual-polarization radar measurements of storm structure. The lightning observations were obtained with the Lightning Mapping Array and show both the 3-dimensional structure and temporal development of the individual discharges. The radar observations were obtained with the New Mexico Tech dual-polarization radar using the simultaneous transmission technique (Scott et al., 2001*). In this paper we investigate the basic aspects of how the lightning was related to the radar-inferred storm structure. In addition to showing the presence of liquid and solid precipitation, the dual-polarization measurements detected the presence of electrically aligned ice crystals. We present examples showing how the lightning activity was related to the radar-inferred precipitation structure and how lightning initiation points were related to the electrical alignment regions. In addition we compare the electrical charge structure of the storms, as inferred both from the lightning observations and balloon-borne electric field soundings, to the storms' radar structure.

*Scott, R.D., P.R. Krehbiel, and W. Rison, The use of simultaneous horizontal and vertical transmissions for dual-polarization radar meteorological observations, J. Atmos. and Oceanic Tech., 18, 629-648, 2001.