Radar echoes from lightning and their microphysical environment

Abstract

A UHF Profiler radar has detected lightning echoes which occurred preferentially in a "balance layer", the stratum of mean zero Doppler velocity with rising small ice particles and falling graupel and hail, thus providing the conditions for collisional charging and lightning. The results support prior findings of the role of the balance layer in lightning generation. The 32.8 cm Profiler radar is particularly well suited for these observations because the lightning echoes are not masked by the precipitation echoes, thus allowing simultaneous measurement of the microphysical and kinematic properties.