HR: 0830h
AN: AE11A-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Spatio-temporal variability of lightning activity over the Indian region
AU: * Kandalgaonkar, S S
EM: sskandal@tropmet.res.in
AF: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, NCL P.O. Pashan, PUNE-411008, Pune-Maharashtra, Ma 411008 India
AU: Kulkarni, J R
EM: jrk@tropmet.res.in
AF: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, NCL P.O. Pashan, PUNE-411008, Pune-Maharashtra, Ma 411008 India
AB: Spatio-temporal variability of lightning activity over the Indian land mass region (8o-33oN, 73o-86oE) has been studied by using monthly satellite based lightning flash grid (5 deg. x 5 deg) data for 5-year (1998-2002) period. These data have been examined for depicting the annual, seasonal and spatial distribution of the lightning activity. The study revealed the positive relationship between lightning flash density and latitude on the annual time scale. There exists a positive relationship of lightning flash density with latitude and it is linked with the convective activity, large-scale circulations, land mass gradient and orography of the region under study. On the seasonal time scale, the positive relationships were observed in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons where as a negative relationship is observed in the post monsoon season. The comparison of flash density with maximum surface air temperature shows the existence of nonlinear relationship between the two parameters giving an approximate increasing rate of flash density as 32% per 1oC rise in temperature. The lightning flash density shows a pronounced semi annual oscillation over the latitude belts 8-28 deg. N.
UR: http://www.tropmet.res.in
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3314 Convective processes
DE: 3322 Land/atmosphere interactions
DE: 3324 Lightning
DE: 3399 General or miscellaneous
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly