北京地区闪电活动与气溶胶浓度的关系研究

Translated title of the contribution: Analysis of potential effects of aerosol on lightning activity in Beijing metropolitan region

Mengyu Sun, Xiushu Qie, Dongxia Liu, Yoav Yair, Xiangao Xia, Shanfeng Yuan, Dongfang Wang, Jingyu Lu, Abhay Srivastava, Didier Ntwali

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Based on the lightning data from Beijing Lightning Network (BLNET) and PM2.5 data from 35 automatic air-monitoring stations, spatiotemporal distributions of total lightning activities and aerosols have been analyzed in Beijing (39.5°N-41.0°N, 115.0°E-117.5°E). The response of lightning activities to aerosols is further investigated for a total of 117 thunderstorm days. The results indicated both spatial distributions of lightning density and pollutant demonstrated a gradual increase from northwest to southeast of Beijing metropolitan region. The peak lightning activity under relatively polluted condition occurred at 19:00 LT (Local Time), 4 hours later than that (15:00LT) under relatively clean condition, higher aerosol concentration enhanced the percentage of total flashes by a factor of ~2. Correlation analysis of PM2.5 prior to the occurrence of thunderstorms to lightning density showed a significant positive correlation when PM2.5 lower than 130 μg•m-3. This is likely because aerosols enhanced lightning activities by affecting the convective activities through microphysical processes. On the contrary, as PM2.5 exceeded 150 μg•m-3, total flashes showed a negative relationship to PM2.5. This might be attributed to lower solar radiation reaching the surface as a result of increasing aerosol loading. When PM2.5 ranged from 130 and 150 μg•m-3, the correlation between aerosols and lightning was very weak, which might be caused by the balance of microphysical and radiative effects of aerosols.

Translated title of the contributionAnalysis of potential effects of aerosol on lightning activity in Beijing metropolitan region
Original languageChinese (Simplified)
Pages (from-to)1766-1774
Number of pages9
JournalActa Geophysica Sinica
Volume63
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2020
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Science Press. All right reserved.

Keywords

  • Aerosol
  • Lightning activity
  • Microphysical effect
  • Radiative effect

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