An interactive computer program .has been developed to compute accurate values of lightning-caused changes in the cloud electric field (ΔE). The ΔE' s for individual discharges in eight Florida thunderstorms have been analyzed using a nonlinear, least-squares minimization procedure and point charge (Q) and point dipole (P) models of the change in cloud charge. The results indicate that the temporal and spatial behavior of the Q- and P- model parameters are similar to those reported previously by Koshak and Krider [1989]. In all storms, the high altitude P-vectors tend to point downward toward a narrow altitude band of Q-solutions that is centered at about 8 km; low altitude P-vectors tend to point upward toward the Q-region: and the P-vectors that are at the same altitude as the Q-solutions tend to be horizontal. Because there are inherent limitations in the above least-squares analysis method and models, a new, fundamentally different approach for analyzing lightning field changes has been developed. This method finds an optimum volume charge distribution on a grid of finite dimensions and resolution. with this linear approach, we now have the ability to describe complex field change patterns subject to a variety of external constraints. We also have a framework in which a standard eigenanalysis can be used to access the general information content of data and the effects of measurement errors. Tests of the linear method with simulated lightning sources show that a centroid of the lightning charge distribution can be retrieved to within the grid resolution (2 km) when a Landweber iterative algorithm is used. Tests on three natural lightning events show that there is good agreement with previous Q- and P- model solutions and a resonable result for one event that could not be described with either a Q- or a Pmodel.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/185259 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Koshak, William John. |
| Contributors | Krider, E. Phillip, Schotland, Richard M., Herman, Benjamin M., Garcia, Jose D., Toussaint, William D. |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
Page generated in 0.0038 seconds