Journal Article

Inverted Charge Structure in a Tibetan Plateau Thunderstorm

Qie, Xiushu, Liu, Dongxia, Wang, Yu, Wei, Lei, Sun, Chunfa, Sun, Zhuling, Zhu, Kexin, Lyu, Huimin, Li, Fengquan, YiXi, QuZhen

2025

Overview

The inverted tripole charge structure in thunderstorm over the central Tibetan Plateau was discovered for the first time, primarily through observations from lightning very high frequency interferometer capable of high‐precision lightning channel mapping. The dominant cell exhibited an inverted tripole charge structure initially, characterized by a negative charge region at temperatures near 0°C, a main positive charge region between −30°C and −5°C, and an upper negative charge region at T < −20°C. The cell's rear portion exhibited a normal tripole before detaching, leaving a pure inverted tripole. Dissipation of the lower negative charge transitioned the structure to an inverted dipole, consisting of an upper negative (T < −20°C) and lower positive (T > −20°C). Throughout this thunderstorm, no positive cloud‐to‐ground (+CG) flashes were detected, while five −CG flashes were recorded. Among 109 intracloud (IC) flashes detected, 90% occurred between the upper inverted dipole. Radar reflectivity showed that this thunderstorm was more intense than conventional plateau thunderstorms.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subject: Altitude / Charged particles / Dipoles / Doppler radar / Electric fields / High frequency / Lightning / Lightning channels / Lightning flashes / Neutrons / Plateaus / Propagation / Radar reflectivity / Radiation / Reflectance / Thunderstorms / Very high frequencies / Wind shear