HR: 11:05h
AN: AE32A-03    [Abstracts]
TI: Electrical Structures in the Stratiform Precipitation Region of Mesoscale Convective Systems
AU: * Stolzenburg, M
EM: mstolzen@olemiss.edu
AF: University of Mississippi, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University, MS 38677 United States
AU: Marshall, T C
EM: marshall@olemiss.edu
AF: University of Mississippi, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University, MS 38677 United States
AU: Rust, W D
EM: dave.rust@nssl.noaa.gov
AF: U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA/OAR National Severe Storms Laboratory, 1313 Halley Circle, Norman, OK 73069 United States
AU: Mareev, E A
EM: mareev@appl.sci-nnov.ru
AF: Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Science, Plasma Physics and High Power Electronics Department, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russian Federation
AU: Davydenko, S S
EM: davyd@appl.sci-nnov.ru
AF: Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Science, Plasma Physics and High Power Electronics Department, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950 Russian Federation
AB: The electrical structure inside stratiform cloud regions of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) has been of interest since early studies showed that large amounts of charge reside in these regions. Additional recent interest stems from the observations of sprites and other transient luminous events above MCSs with extensive trailing stratiform clouds. This presentation will review the classification scheme of Type A and Type B [Marshall and Rust, 1993] in consideration of more than 40 vertical soundings of electric field through MCS stratiform regions acquired between 1986 and 1998. An expanded scheme will be described, along with a composite sounding of each known type. Statistics will be given on how many MCSs and soundings of each type have been observed, which charge polarity is most often found at the 0C isotherm, whether there is a screening layer near the cloud top, and what are the typical polarity and magnitude of the above-cloud electric field. We will also discuss charging mechanisms relevant to the melting level and the likely overall contribution to the global electric circuit (based on Davydenko et al., 2005, this conference) of MCS stratiform clouds. Davydenko, S. S., M. Stolzenburg, E. A. Mareev, and T. C. Marshall, Steady-state contributions of mesoscale convective systems to the global circuit, Eos (abstract), Fall 2005 Meeting of the AGU, 2005. Marshall, T.C., and W.D. Rust, Two types of vertical electrical structures in stratiform precipitation regions of mesoscale convective systems, Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 74, 2159, 1993.
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3329 Mesoscale meteorology
DE: 3354 Precipitation (1854)
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005