Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-73
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2023-73
24 May 2023
 | 24 May 2023
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal AMT.

Thundercloud structures detected and analyzed based on coherent Doppler wind lidar

Kenan Wu, Tianwen Wei, Jinlong Yuan, Haiyun Xia, Xin Huang, Gaopeng Lu, Yunpeng Zhang, Feifan Liu, Baoyou Zhu, and Weidong Ding

Abstract. The studies of intracloud (IC) discharges might shed light on the microphysical structure of thunderclouds. As both the magnitude and the sign of charge separation due to graupel collides with ice crystals within the strong updrafts are influenced by the surrounding environment. Here, a compact all-fiber coherent Doppler wind lidar (CDWL) working at the 1.5 µm wavelength is applied for probing the dynamics and microphysics structure of thunderstorms. Thanks to the precise spectrum measurement, multi-component spectra signals of thunderstorms can be analyzed by the CDWL. The spectrum width, skewness, and Doppler velocity of CDWL is used to separate and identify the particle composition and polarity. In experiment, the thundercloud properties are detected by the CDWL, 10.6 cm Doppler weather radar (DWR), and Advanced Geosynchronous Radiation Imager (AGRI) onboard Fengyun-4 satellites. In particular, the spectrum width and skewness of the thundercloud below the 0 ℃ isotherm are increased, and when a cloud-ground lightning occurs, there has additional graupel with a velocity greater than 5 m/s. It indicates that this region is a melting layer, and lightning activity changes the motion characteristics of graupel, affecting the charge structure of the whole thundercloud. In general, our findings provide details on the velocity, phase, and composition of particles in the outside updraft region of the thunderstorm. The identification and analysis of graupel is particularly important. It is proved that the precise spectrum of CDWL is a promising indicator to study the charge structure of thunderstorms.

Kenan Wu et al.

Status: open (until 29 Jun 2023)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse

Kenan Wu et al.

Video supplement

raw data and Converted data video of CDWL during this experiment Kenan Wu https://figshare.com/articles/media/raw_data_video_of_CDWL_during_this_experiment/21590433

Kenan Wu et al.

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Short summary
Here, a compact all-fiber coherent Doppler wind lidar (CDWL) working at the 1.5 µm wavelength is applied for probing the dynamics and microphysics structure of thunderstorms. The detection found that the thunderclouds below the 0 ℃ isotherm have significant spectrum broadening and skewness increase, and lightning affects the microphysics structure of the thundercloud. It is proved that the precise spectrum of CDWL is a promising indicator to study the charge structure of thunderstorms.