Abstract

TRONCOSO-LOZADA, O.. Twelve years of continuous measurements of atmospheric electrical activity in México's Tropical highland. Atmósfera [online]. 2004, vol.17, n.2, pp.56-67. ISSN 0187-6236.

Atmospheric electric activity measurements have been recorded continuously by a punctual lightning system at a tropical highland observatory from 1988 - onwards, and were analyzed to obtain lightning statistical confident results for thunderstorms occurrence onthe leeward side of the southern mountainridge of México's Valley. Shown, as examples, are individual profiles of the atmospheric electrical activity, associated with severe storms. The results make clear that the fastest possible sequence of electrical measurements is required to obtain significant and application oriented data in connection with a whole series of thunderstorms taking into account the mean time variation of the atmospheric electricity measurements at an altitude of 2270 m a.s.l. The seasonal variation indicates that the lightning flash peak currents were found to be larger in summer with less than 10% occurring in the autumn and winter. With rainfall data from a network of 66 stations, we obtained a significant correlation with the lightning frequency. Special attention was undertaken concerning the question of the atmospheric electrical activity and climate at the Valley of México.

Keywords : Atmospheric electricity; lightning; electrical discharges.