CAPE AND LIGHTNING

• How is distribution of CAPE more diffused than distribution of lightning?

• Positive corelation between convective cloud layer, columnar ozone, total cloud cover and convective rain.

• Cosmic rays initiate lightning discharges?

• Microscopic studies on role of topography?

Siingh et al

Total number of lightning flashes, temperature anomaly and CAPE shows maxima in the pre-monsoon (May and early June months) for region R1 and minima in the winter (November and December months). The variation in CAPE could clearly explain the trend of total lightning flash variation.

The selected two regions have different topology, vegetation,

industrialization level and habitat. However, the selected regions are

expected to have almost the same incident solar flux and cosmic

ray flux

These increasing trends in lightning activity and ice content suggest that either cloud top heights or amount of deep clouds during monsoon have increased in last few years.

Afternoon peak in the diurnal cycle of convection over land that is linked to boundary layer destabilization caused by daytime insolation.Lightning in monsoon period, over central India shows a strong diurnal variation with a pronounced peak in the afternoon.Precipitation also shows a peak in the afternoon approximately coinciding with lightning peak. However, the diurnal variation in precipitation is not as strong as lightning??

Pawar et al 2011

LIGHTNING AND CLIMATE IMPACTS

• Lightning impacts climate of earth by production of NOX, a precursor of atmospheric ozone, an important greenhouse gas

• Future changes in lightning and thunderstorm activity?

• High surface temperature- more lightning? Depends on vertical temperature profile in the atmosphere, change in water balance and aerosol loading.

• Lightning has non-linear relationship between temperature, upper tropospheric water vapor and cloud cover.

• Hence, might be a tool for tracking climate change in future??