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Titel |
Global patterns of lightning properties derived by OTD and LIS |
VerfasserIn |
S. Beirle, W. Koshak, R. Blakeslee, T. Wagner |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1561-8633
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences ; 14, no. 10 ; Nr. 14, no. 10 (2014-10-08), S.2715-2726 |
Datensatznummer |
250118708
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/nhess-14-2715-2014.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
The satellite instruments Optical Transient Detector (OTD) and Lightning
Imaging Sensor (LIS) provide unique empirical data about the frequency of
lightning flashes around the globe (OTD), and the tropics (LIS), which have
been used before to compile a well-received global climatology of flash rate
densities.
Here we present a statistical analysis of various additional lightning
properties derived from OTD / LIS, i.e., the number of so-called "events"
and "groups" per flash, as well as the mean flash duration, footprint and
radiance. These normalized quantities, which can be associated with the flash
"strength", show consistent spatial patterns; most strikingly, oceanic
flashes show higher values than continental flashes for all properties. Over
land, regions with high (eastern US) and low (India) flash strength can be
clearly identified. We discuss possible causes for and implications of the
observed regional differences. Although a direct quantitative interpretation
of the investigated flash properties is difficult, the observed spatial
patterns provide valuable information for the interpretation and application
of climatological flash rates. Due to the systematic regional variations of
physical flash characteristics, viewing conditions, and/or measurement
sensitivities, parametrizations of lightning NOx based on total flash
rate densities alone are probably affected by regional biases. |
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