Based on the VHF lightning locating system,a three-dimensional-space cell-gridded approach is used to extract the lighting channel and calculate the length of the channel.Through clustering of the located radiation sources and then extracting the lightning channel,it can accurately obtain the length of the channel.To validate the feasibility of the approach,a simulation experiment is designed,and it shows the length error is no more than 10%.The relationship between the NO production of per unit arc length and atmospheric pressure obtained in laboratory is applied to the NOX production of per unit flash length at different altitudes in this paper.The channel length and the NOX production of 11 negative cloud-to-ground flashes and 59 intracloud flashes in an isolated thunderstorm in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are calculated.The results show that the average channel lengths of per cloud-to-ground and intracloud flash are 28.9 and 22.3 km respectively;the average NOX productions of per cloud-to-ground and intracloud flash are 1.89×1025 and 0.42×1025 molecules,respectively.
A three-dimensional（3D） charging-discharging cloud resolution model was used to investigate the impact of the vertical velocity field on the charging processes and the formation of charge structure in a strong thunderstorm. The distribution and evolution of ice particle content and charges on ice particles were analyzed in different vertical velocity fields. The results show that the ice particles in the vertical velocity range from 1 to 5 m s-1obtained the most charge through charging processes during the lifetime of the thunderstorm. The magnitude of the charges could reach 1014 n C. Before the beginning of lightning activity,the charges produced in updraft region 2（updraft speed 13 m s-1） and updraft region 1（updraft speed between 5 and 13 m s-1） were relatively significant. The magnitudes of charge reached 1013 n C, which clearly impacted upon the early lightning activity. The vertical velocity conditions in the quasi-steady region（updraft speed between -1 and 1 m s-1） were the most conducive for charge separation on ice particles on different scales. Accordingly, a net charge structure always appeared in the quasi-steady and adjacent regions. Based on the results, a conceptual model of ice particle charging, charge separation, and charge structure formation in the flow field was constructed. The model helps to explain observations of the＂lightning hole＂ phenomenon.
Cloud-to-ground （CG） lightning data,storm intensity and track data,and the data from a Doppler radar and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission （TRMM） satellite,are used to analyze the temporal and spatial characteristics of lightning activity in Typhoon Molave （0906） during different periods of its landfall （pre-landfall,landfall,and post-landfall）.Parameters retrieved from the radar and the satellite are used to compare precipitation structures of the inner and outer rainbands of the typhoon,and to investigate possible causes of the different lightning characteristics.The results indicate that lightning activity was stronger in the outer rainbands than in the eyewall and inner rainbands.Lightning mainly occurred to the left （rather than ＂right＂ as in previous studies of US cases） of the moving typhoon,indicating a significant spatial asymmetry.The maximum lightning frequency in the tropical cyclone （TC） eyewall region was ahead of that in the whole TC region,and the outbreaks of eyewall lightning might indicate deepening of the cyclone.Stronger lightning in the outer rainbands is found to be associated with stronger updraft,higher concentrations of rain droplets and large ice particles at elevated mixed-phase levels,and the higher and broader convective clouds in the outer rainbands.Due to the contribution of large cloud nuclei,lightning intensity in the outer rainbands has a strong positive correlation with radar reflectivity.The ratio of positive CG lightning in the outer rainbands reached its maximum 1 h prior to occurrence of the maximum typhoon intensity at 2000 Beijing Time （BT） 18 July 2009.During the pre-landfall period （0300 BT 18 July-0050 BT 19 July）,the typhoon gradually weakened,but strong lightning still appeared.After the typhoon made landfall at 0050 BT 19 July,CG lightning density rapidly decreased,but the ratio of positive lightning increased.Notably,after the landfall of the outer rainbands at 2325 BT 18 July （approximately 1.5 h prior to the landfall of
