In:
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, American Geophysical Union (AGU), Vol. 104, No. D11 ( 1999-06-20), p. 13911-13922
Abstract:
This paper investigates the role of lightning in the production of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and their subsequent distribution by thunderstorms. These questions were addressed by the field experiment LINOX (lightning produced NO x ), which was performed in southern Germany in July 1996. The structure of thunderstorms was observed by radar and satellite, the lightning activity was recorded by a lightning detection network, and airborne chemical measurements were performed aboard a jet aircraft penetrating the storm anvils. NO x concentrations in the storm anvils were found to typically range from 1 to 4 parts per billion by volume. The NO contribution to the total NO x was found to be dominant in narrow peaks produced by flashes as well as near cloud boundaries, probably because of increased photolysis rates of NO 2 . Using CO 2 as an air mass tracer, the lightning‐produced NO x amount was discriminated from the contribution due to transport of air from the boundary layer. It was found from a case study of a large storm anvil that lightning‐produced NO x was present in the same order of magnitude as the amount of NO x originating from lower levels; during later stages of cloud development, the content of the former even exceeded the latter one. A simple two‐dimensional model of advection and dispersion of the lightning‐produced NO x was able to reproduce the general structure of the anvil NO x plume. Some NO x peaks could directly be attributed to flash observations close to the aircraft track.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0148-0227
DOI:
10.1029/1999JD900019
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Publication Date:
1999
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2033040-6
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3094104-0
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2130824-X
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2016813-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2016810-X
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2403298-0
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2016800-7
detail.hit.zdb_id:
161666-3
detail.hit.zdb_id:
161667-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2969341-X
detail.hit.zdb_id:
161665-1
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3094268-8
detail.hit.zdb_id:
710256-2
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2016804-4
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3094181-7
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3094219-6
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3094167-2
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2220777-6
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3094197-0
SSG:
16,13
Bookmarklink