Response of thunderstorm and lightning activity to solar modulation of atmospheric electrification

Abstract

The influence of thunderstorms on the atmospheric radio noise field strength (ARNFS) over Kalyani (West Bengal) at 27 kHz has been analyzed over a two-year period. The results show that the median noise level decreases during the winter and reaches a maximum during the monsoon months. A comparison of the seasonal occurrence of thunderstorm-days with ARNFS indicates that both of them have similar trend over time. However, the trend is more pronounced during daytime, indicating relationship between solar activity, thunderstorms and ARNFS. In this paper, we have attempted to investigate how tropical thunderstorm and lightning activity might be responsible for the solar modulation of atmospheric electrification. The influence of ionizing radiation on the electrical global circuit of the atmosphere is also critically analyzed.