Work

Dust Aerosol Effects on Charge Structure and Lightning Activity of a Continental Thunderstorm: A Modeling Study With Thompson‐Electrification Scheme

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A mesoscale electrification‐coupled model was established within the WRF model by integrating with the Thompson microphysics scheme. Based on the Thompson‐electrification scheme and MERRA‐2 aerosol reanalysis data, this study investigated the individual and synergistic impacts of dust aerosols acting as cloud condensation nuclei (cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)) and ice nuclei (IN) on microphysics, charge structures and lightning activity of a rare dust‐associated continental thunderstorm. By four sensitivity experiments, the results demonstrated that elevated CCN concentrations increased the mass content and number concentrations of cloud droplets, whereas high IN significantly amplified ice crystal and snow aggregates concentrations. Combined CCN and IN effects synergistically intensified hydrometeor modifications, the polarity reversal threshold for non‐inductive charging by increasing mixed‐phase liquid water content is lowered with increased CCN, and the charge separation efficiency through ice‐graupel collisions is increased by high IN. Under the influence of dust aerosol, the lower positive charge region is strengthened by CCN enhancement and main charge layer densities are intensified by IN increasing. The charge structure of thunderstorm demonstrated a classical tripole under dust free circumstance, converted to quadrupolar configurations with high dust aerosol increasing, which facilitated +CG lightning generation. In addition, under high CCN concentrations, total cloud‐to‐ground (CG) lightning frequency decreased but the positive CG (+CG) proportion increased, while both CG frequency and +CG proportion increased with high IN concentration, resulting in a maximum prevalence of +CG lightning.

Source: Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

DOI: 10.1029/2026jd047004

Authors: Dongxia Liu, Chunfa Sun, Xiushu Qie, Xian Xiao, Rubin Jiang

Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Meteorological Administration, Institute of Urban Meteorology

Language: English

Topic: Lightning and Electromagnetic Phenomena

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences