Total lightning detections of lightning flashes recorded by means of high-speed videos

Abstract

A detailed analysis of two lightning flashes is presented. High speed video, total lightning detections and electric field measurements are the basis of the study. In general, the observed negative cloud-to-ground flashes do not produced many VHF detections . In the negative flash, most of the detections are given in the fast increase of electric field at the beginning of the dart leader. An intriguing feature during negative leaders is the fast illumination of some branches especially at the time when the leader is approaching the ground. In the case of positive cloud-to-ground flashes, a frenetic recoil leader activity occurs before the return stroke. In the presented case, recoil leader rates increase before the return stroke. The VHF network reported a large amount of detections. Those detections are not correlated with recoil leaders but with continuous current transfer to the ground.

Postprint (published version)