A numerical study of hail process effects on charge structure and lightning flash rate of thunderstorms

Abstract

By use of French mesoscale non-hydrostatic numerical model Meso-NH, using two kinds of ice phase particles scheme: ICE3 scheme (no hail), ICE4 scheme (with hail), simulate the thunderstorm clouds charge structure, lightning flash rates to explore the impact of the hail process on the microphysical and electrical processes of the thunderstorm clouds. The results showed that: 1) ICE4 scheme of thunderstorm duration is shorter than ICE3 scheme, from ICE3 to ICE4, lightning flash rates display significantly reduced; 2) After addition of hail, thunderstorm cloud charge structure changes very little, charge density of ICE4 scheme significantly less than ICE3 scheme; 3) With the ICE4 scheme, lightning flash peak occurred after precipitation of hail.