loading page

Analysis of blue corona discharges at the top of tropical thunderstorm clouds in different phases of convection
  • +7
  • Krystallia Dimitriadou,
  • Olivier Chanrion,
  • Torsten Neubert,
  • Alain Protat,
  • Valentin Louf,
  • Matthias Heumesser,
  • Lasse Husbjerg,
  • Christoph Köhn,
  • Nikolai Østgaard,
  • Víctor Reglero
Krystallia Dimitriadou
National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Space)

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Olivier Chanrion
National Space Institute (DTU Space)
Author Profile
Torsten Neubert
Department of Solar System Physics, Denmark
Author Profile
Alain Protat
Australian Bureau of Meteorology
Author Profile
Valentin Louf
Monash University
Author Profile
Matthias Heumesser
National Space Institute (DTU Space)
Author Profile
Lasse Husbjerg
National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU Space)
Author Profile
Christoph Köhn
Technical University of Denmark
Author Profile
Nikolai Østgaard
Birkeland Centre for Space Science,University of Bergen
Author Profile
Víctor Reglero
University of Valencia
Author Profile

Abstract

We report on observations of corona discharges at the uppermost region of clouds characterized by emissions in a blue band of nitrogen molecules at 337 nm, with little activity in a red band of lightning leaders at 777.4 nm. Past work suggests they are generated in cloud tops reaching the tropopause and above. Here we explore their occurrence in two convection environments of the same storm: one is developing with clouds reaching above the tropopause, and one is collapsing with lower clouds. We focus on those that form a distinct category with fast risetimes below 20 µs, signifying they are at the very top of the clouds. The discharges are observed in both environments. In the collapsing cells they are related to substructures of convection. The observations suggest that a range of storm environments may generate corona discharges, and that they may be quite common in convective surges.
28 Mar 2022Published in Geophysical Research Letters volume 49 issue 6. 10.1029/2021GL095879