Lightning generates relatively large but uncertain quantities of nitrogen oxides, critical precursors for ozone and hydroxyl radical (OH), the primary tropospheric oxidants. Lightning nitrogen oxide strongly influences background ozone and OH due to high ozone production efficiencies in the free troposphere, effecting small but non-negligible contributions to surface pollutant concentrations. Lightning globally contributes 3-4 ppbv of simulated annual-mean policy-relevant background (PRB) surface ozone, comprised of local, regional, and hemispheric components, and up to 18 ppbv during individual events. Feedbacks via methane may counter some of these effects on decadal time scales. Lightning contributes approximately 1 percent to annual-mean surface particulate matter, as a direct precursor and by promoting faster oxidation of other precursors. Lightning also ignites wildfires and contributes to nitrogen deposition. Urban pollution influences lightning itself, with implications for regional lightning-nitrogen oxide production and feedbacks on downwind surface pollution. How lightning emissions will change in a warming world remains uncertain.

/pdf/lightning-nox-and-impacts-on-air-quality-4dme437cmp.pdf

Lightning NOx and Impacts on Air Quality

. Lightning activity constitute the major destructive component of
thunderstorms over India. Hence, an understanding of the long-term variability
in lightning occurrence and intensity and their interrelation with various
causative factors is required. Long-term (1998–2014) Tropical Rainfall
Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite-based lightning observations depict the
most frequent lightning occurrences along the Himalayan foothills, the
Indo-Gangetic plains and coastal regions, while the intensity of these
lightning strikes is found to be strongest along the coastal regions and in the
Bay of Bengal. In addition, both of the abovementioned lightning properties show a very strong
intensification ( ∼  1 %–2.5 % annually) across all Indian
regions during the 1998–2014 period with the maximum trends along the coasts.
Accordingly, a detailed statistical dominance analysis is performed which
reveals total column water vapor (TCWV) to be the dominant factor behind the
intensification in lightning events, while instability, measured by the
convective available potential energy (CAPE), and aerosol optical depth
(AOD) jointly control the lightning frequency trends. An increase in surface
temperatures has led to enhanced instability and, hence, stronger moisture
transport to the upper-troposphere and lower-stratosphere regions, especially along the coasts. This transported moisture helps deplete the ozone
concentration, leading to reduced temperatures and elevated equilibrium
levels, which finally results in stronger and more frequent lightning events,
as also evidenced by the trend analysis. Consequently, the relationships
between lightning and its causative factors have been expressed in the form of
multilinear regression equations, which are then employed in multiple global
circulation models (GCMs) to understand the long-term impact of urbanization
on lightning over the period from 1950 to 2100. The analysis reveals a uniform
increase in lightning occurrence and intensity using both urbanization
scenarios; however, accelerated growth is observed in the RCP8.5
projections after the year 2050, as also observed from the surface warming
trends. As a result, lightning frequency and intensity values across the
Indian region are expected to increase ∼  10 %–25 % and 15 %–50 %, respectively, by the end of the century with the
highest risk along the coasts; hence, this requires immediate attention
from policymakers.

/pdf/lightning-occurrences-and-intensity-over-the-indian-region-3p5tclan8e.pdf

Lightning occurrences and intensity over the Indian region: long-term trends and future projections

 The joint effects of aerosol, thermodynamic, and cloud-related factors on cloud-to-ground lightning in Sichuan were investigated by a comprehensive analysis of ground measurements made from 2005 to 2017 in combination with reanalysis data Data include aerosol optical depth, cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning density, convective available potential energy (CAPE), mid-level relative humidity, lower- to mid-tropospheric vertical wind shear, cloud-base height, total column liquid water (TCLW), and total column ice water (TCIW) Results show that CG lightning density and aerosols are positively correlated in the plateau region and negatively correlated in the basin region Sulfate aerosols are found to be more strongly associated with lightning than total aerosols, so this study focuses on the role of sulfate aerosols in lightning activity In the plateau region, the lower aerosol concentration stimulates lightning activity through microphysical effects Increasing the aerosol loading reduces the cloud droplet size, reducing the cloud droplet collision-coalescence efficiency and inhibiting the warm-rain process More small cloud droplets are transported above the freezing level to participate in the freezing process, forming more ice particles and releasing more latent heat during the freezing process Thus, an increase in aerosol loading increases CAPE, TCLW, and TCIW, stimulating CG lightning in the plateau region In the basin region, by contrast, the higher concentration of aerosols inhibits lightning activity through the radiative effect An increase in aerosol loading reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching the ground, thereby lowering CAPE The intensity of convection decreases, resulting in less supercooled water transported to the freezing level and fewer ice particles forming, thus increasing the total liquid water content Therefore, an increase in aerosol loading suppresses the intensity of convective activity and CG lightning in the basin region

/pdf/distinct-aerosol-effects-on-cloud-to-ground-lightning-in-the-1b94osrg40.pdf

Distinct aerosol effects on cloud-to-ground lightning in the plateau and basin regions of Sichuan, Southwest China

Lightning flash density in relation to aerosol over Nanjing (China)

The Precipitation Radar (PR), the first space-borne precipitation radar onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, could observe three-dimensional precipitation in global tropical regions and acquire continuous rainfall information with moderate temporal and high spatial resolutions. TRMM PR had carried out 17 years of observations and ended collecting data in April, 2015. So far, comprehensive and abundant research results related to the application of PR data have been analyzed in the current literature, but overall precipitation features are not yet identified, a gap that this review intends to fill. Studies on comparisons with ground-based radars and rain gauges are first introduced to summarize the reliability of PR observations or estimates. Then, this paper focuses on general precipitation features abstracted from about 130 studies, from 2000 to 2018, regarding lightning analysis, latent heat retrieval, and rainfall observation by PR data. Finally, we describe the existing problems and limitations as well as the future prospects of the space-borne precipitation radar data.

Studies of General Precipitation Features with TRMM PR Data: An Extensive Overview

Aerosol effect on the land-ocean contrast in thunderstorm electrification and lightning frequency

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Aerosol effect on the land-ocean contrast in thunderstorm electrification and lightning frequency