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How Thunderstorms Differ Over Ocean and Land
  • Jeff Lapierre,
  • Michael Stock
Jeff Lapierre
Earth Networks Inc.

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Michael Stock
Earth Networks Inc.
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Abstract

Many studies have shown that the characteristics of lightning such as size and peak current differ between ocean and continental thunderstorms. In general, the lightning in oceanic thunderstorms are larger and have higher peak current than in continental thunderstorms. The reason for these differences have been stipulated to be related to differences in thermal properties and aerosol concentration, however, there is still disagreement over which is the dominant mechanism. In this study, we focus on how thunderstorm trends, as opposed to lightning trends (i.e., flash density), are affected by these mechanisms. We develop a lightning clustering algorithm that takes individual lightning strokes and creates thunderstorms based on their spatiotemporal proximity. We use lightning data from the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network and compare storms from the Eastern U.S.A. to storms off that coast, where the detection efficiency of the network is still good. Once these thunderstorms are obtained, we can split them into ocean and land thunderstorms and compare various characteristics (size, duration, flash rate, polarity and IC/CG ratio, etc.) to determine if any differences stand out. In this presentation, we will discuss the clustering algorithm used, analyze the results of the study, and discuss implications.