CAREER: Wideband, Integrated Instrumentation to Investigate the Electrical Properties of Lightning

GSTDTAP

项目编号	1654576
	CAREER: Wideband, Integrated Instrumentation to Investigate the Electrical Properties of Lightning
	Phillip Bitzer
主持机构	University of Alabama in Huntsville
项目开始年	2017
	2017-08-01
项目结束日期	2022-07-31
资助机构	US-NSF
项目类别	Continuing grant
项目经费	217532(USD)
国家	美国
语种	英语
英文摘要	As instrumentation to detect lightning improves, opportunities to pursue more in depth understanding of the underlying physics of the discharge and possible applications are enabled. This research will develop a new, integrated sensor capable of remotely sensing both the electric field change for lightning processes and the ambient electric field environment near a thunderstorm. In particular, this work will modernize measurements of the charge neutralized by a lightning discharge and provide important experimental contributions to the field of atmospheric electricity and meteorology to better model the process and understand theoretical development. The new instrumentation will enable basic research into lightning leader physics, and its relationship to the storm environment and other available lightning attributes. Further, current investigations relating storm evolution and lightning activity rely on indirect measurements of the energetics of lightning. This work will directly measure this quantity and provide experimental data to improve theoretical understanding of the relationship between storm evolution and lightning. Research will be pursuant to the NSF Big Ideas Initiative, in which data-driven discovery and decision-making are enabled through modeling and analysis of complex data. Intellectual Merit: Many investigations in the basic science and applications of lightning and its associated attributes rely on indirect measurements of the energetics of the discharge. This work will provide direct measurements of the charge neutralized by lightning, thereby enabling an improved understanding of how to use lightning in a variety of applications. This work focuses on two scientific applications: (1) the modeling of the environment in which a lightning leader propagates, and (2) the variation of charge neutralized by lightning in relation to thunderstorm development. Various models of the electrical environment will be used to investigate what conditions exists that lead to higher leader speeds and large peak current return strokes. In addition, the attributes of failed leaders (leaders that do not immediately lead to return strokes) will be analyzed. To further investigate existing promising results relating severe weather development and lightning activity, this work will use direct measurements of the energetics of lightning. This will provide a more robust experimental input to the theoretical understanding of the connection between a strengthening storm and lightning activity. Broader Impacts: Lightning is one of the most familiar atmospheric phenomena, yet research to fully realize the societal impacts of high quality lightning data continues to evolve. The ability to create this data via instrument development will help ensure a competitive STEM workforce; the development of sensors for this research will help provide important training in the next generation of scientists. The correlation of lightning and severe weather has yielded tantalizing possibilities in the use of lightning data to aid severe storm warnings. Research from this project will be used for real-time displays of the electrical environment and not just current lightning activity, increasing lead time to get personnel to safety. In addition, the improved understanding of ongoing storms and lightning activity, particularly ones that may become severe, will have the capability to further show the benefit of quality lightning instrumentation. This is particularly useful, as the launch of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) is scheduled in November 2016. This instrument will provide total lightning data and measurement of lightning energetics across a large section of the Western Hemisphere. In addition, two education initiatives will be enabled by this work. The basic design of a digitizing system will be incorporated into a currently in-development course on data typically used by atmospheric and earth scientists. In addition, a lightning module suitable for high school science classes will be created. This will include development of an instrument that can be assimilated into current research, providing a unique STEM educational experience.
URL	查看原文
文献类型	项目
条目标识符	http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/71402
专题	环境与发展全球科技态势
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Phillip Bitzer.CAREER: Wideband, Integrated Instrumentation to Investigate the Electrical Properties of Lightning.2017.