Variation of Atmospheric Temperature with Height in the Phenomena of Lightning Waveforms

Abstract

The temperature at different height at different places is different, it may depend on various factors. The variation of atmospheric temperature varies as a function of height taken from the sea level. The temperature decreases with height in the troposphere. The location of the charge centre appears to be determined by temperature and not by the height of the cloud above the ground. The main negative charge centre is generally located between the-10°C and-25°C isotherms with the main positive charges some km higher up. Due to the variation of temperature, the ice crystal, super cooled water droplet etc. move updraft and downdraft, forms the charge in the cloud due to which the lightning phenomena occurs. In the cloud, the negative charge lies in the central part of the cloud, positive charge remains on above the negative charge centre in the cloud and small amount of positive charge as a pocket charge remains on the bottom part of the cloud. The positive ground flashes are initiated from the upper positive charge region and the negative ground flashes are initiated from the negative charge region in the thunder-cloud. The lower positive charge also play an important role for determining the different types of lightning.