Numerical model of cloud-to-ground lightning for pyroCb thunderstorms
- Authors: Barman, Surajit , Shah, Rakibuzzaman , Islam, Syed , Kumar, Apurv
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing Vol. 16, no. (2023), p. 8689-8701
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- Description: This paper demonstrates a 2-D numerical model to represent two conceptual pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) thundercloud structures: i) tilted dipole and ii) tripole structure with enhanced lower positive charge layer, which are hypothesized to explain the occurrence of lightning flashes in pyroCb storms created from severe wildfire events. The presented model considers more realistic thundercloud charge structures to investigate the electrical states and determine surface charge density for identifying potential lightning strike areas on Earth. Simulation results on dipole structure-based pyroCb thunderclouds confirm that the wind-shear extension of its upper positive (UP) charge layer by 2-8 km reduces the electric field and indicates the initiation of negative surface charge density around the earth periphery underneath the anvil cloud. These corresponding lateral extensions have confined the probable striking zone of-CG and +CG lightning within 0-23.5 km and 23.5-30 km in the simulation domain. In contrast, pyroCb thundercloud possessing the tripole structure with enhanced lower positive charge develops a negative electric field at the cloud's bottom part to block the progression of downward negative leader and cause the surface charge density beneath the thundercloud to become negative, which would lead to the formation of +CG flashes. Later, a parametric study is conducted assuming a positive linear correlation between the charge density and aerosol concentration to examine the effect of high aerosol concentration on surface charge density in both pyroCb thunderclouds. The proposed model can be expanded into 3-D to simulate lightning leader movement, aiding wildfire risk management. © 2008-2012 IEEE.
Prediction of positive cloud-to-ground lightning striking zones for tilted thundercloud based on line charge model
- Authors: Barman, Surajit , Shah, Rakibuzzaman , Islam, Syed , Kumar, Apurv
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 14th IEEE PES Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2022, Melbourne, 20-23 November 2023, 2022 IEEE PES 14th Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference (APPEEC) Vol. 2022-November
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- Description: Bushfire is known as one of the ascendant factors to create pyrocumulus thundercloud that causes the ignition of new fires by pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) lightning strikes mostly of positive polarity, and causes massive damage to nature and infrastructure. A conceptual model-based risk planning would be beneficial to predict the lightning striking zones on the surface of the earth underneath the pyroCb thundercloud. In this paper, a simple line charge structured thundercloud model is constructed in 2-D coordinates using the method of images to predict the probable +CG (positive cloud-To-ground) lightning striking zones on the earth's surface for tilted dipole thundercloud charge configuration. The electric potential distribution and ground surface charge density for tilted dipole thundercloud is investigated via continuously adjusting the position and charge density of its charge regions. Simulation results confirm the initiation of negative charged density for the wind shear extension of upper positive charge region by 2 to 8 km, and would expect +CG lightning to strike within 7.88 to 20 km around the earth periphery particularly in the direction of the cloud's forward flank. The proposed model would serve as the foundation to identify the probable lightning affected area as well as can also be extended to analyze the hazardous situation appears in wind energy farms or agricultural fencing situated nearby the power grid during pyroCb events. © 2022 IEEE.