Conduction currents in relation to cloud properties of different storm types

Electrified lightning and non-lightning producing clouds of various types are thought to play a major role in supplying current to the global electric circuit (GEC). However, the contribution of these storm conduction currents of different cloud types to the GEC is still not entirely known. Estimates of storm total conduction currents for the general categories of oceanic and continental electrified clouds were recently estimated from data collected over two decades during multiple field campaigns involving the NASA ER-2 aircraft. Building on this previous work, in this study we seek to differentiate cloud categories into more specific cloud types and relate their conduction currents to dynamical and microphysical storm properties. We also investigate the temporal evolution of storm total conduction currents during the lifecycle of electrified clouds to the extent the data coverage allows. The ultimate goal of this study is to improve the modeling of the GEC via quantification and improved parameterization of the conduction current contribution of different cloud types.