Electromagnetic radiation following the first return strokes of negative and positive cloud-to-ground lightning flashes

All evolution stages of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes, both positive (+CG) and negative (-CG), generate electromagnetic radiation, which can be used for their investigation. We focus on the electromagnetic activity immediately following the first return stroke (RS). We combine measurements of the broadband receiver BLESKA and the lightning mapping array (LMA) network SAETTA, capable of detecting sources of narrowband very high frequency (VHF) radiation. The French lightning location system Météorage provided us with the information about 2D location, polarity and peak currents for studied CG and intracloud (IC) discharges. From our data collected in the northwestern Mediterranean region from September to December 2015, we have selected and investigated the electromagnetic activity following 16 +CG and 38 -CG flashes.

Using the data from individual SAETTA stations we found that 36 -CG flashes exhibited a fast decrease in the counts and in the power of VHF radiation sources immediately after the RS pulse. The maximum count of 2000 VHF radiation sources was detected by the closest SAETTA station at an average time delay of 66 μs after the RS pulse peak. At a delay of 1.85 ms after the RS pulse peak or sooner, the VHF radiation rate decreased below 1500 VHF radiation sources, with the median value of this time equal to 195 μs, and kept decreasing.

In the case of all inspected +CG flashes, we observed an unexpectedly fast increase in the counts of the VHF radiation sources and their power after the RS pulse. Up to 161.95 ms after the RS pulse, the VHF radiation rate decreased below 1500 VHF radiation sources, with the median value of this time equal to 34.53 ms, much longer than in case of –CGs. At the same time, we observed a visible sequence of bipolar pulses lasting up to 50 ms in the magnetic-field waveforms recorded by BLESKA, with the amplitude of the biggest pulse varying from 2 to 10 nT.

This observed longer presence of VHF radiation after +CG flashes may be caused by a potential difference between the end of neutralized RS channel and the positive charge layer in the thundercloud in case of +CGs, which might result in a new electrical breakdown. Then a stepwise propagation of a new negative leader inside the thundercloud is possible, emitting electromagnetic radiation in a wide range of frequencies. This radiation can be detected by narrowband LMA stations in the form of VHF radiation sources, same as by a broadband receiver in the form of pulses.