In situ ground-based mobile measurement of lightning events above central Europe

Abstract

This article describes the equipment (and the advantages of the equipment) used for in situ ground measurements of thunderstorm phenomena with measuring cars. By using all-sky high-speed cameras, radio receivers, and electric field measurements, typical lightning discharges in the central European region have been characterized. Measurements of ionizing radiation during storms using a gamma spectrometer were also performed. At ground level, no ionizing radiation originating from storm clouds was detected, although during other experiments (using the same equipment at lower altitudes corresponding to the lower part of storm clouds) ionizing radiation was detected. We showed that radio antennas with appropriately constructed receivers and all-sky high-speed cameras are devices that can significantly contribute to the understanding of processes taking place in storm clouds during lightning discharges. On the contrary, measurements of the vertical electric field did not provide any new information about the processes occurring in thunderclouds.