W. P. Winn

Rocket and balloon observations of electric field in two thunderstorms

Instruments that measure the intense electric field strengths in thunderclouds (∼100 kV m−1) are designed to minimize the production of ions by small electrical discharges (coronas) emanating from the instruments themselves. The nearby charge of these ions would unpredictably disturb the natural field of the cloud. In an attempt to assess this disturbance, two different instruments (one carried by a rocket and one carried by a balloon) were launched on two occasions into thunderstorms. In spite of differing trajectories, the soundings were similar, which gives us some confidence in both instruments. In addition, the measurements revealed some interesting features of the two storms. Each storm appeared to have six significant and distinct regions of charge. The balloon soundings also revealed that lightning flashes temporarily increased the electric field strength above the thunderclouds (at altitudes from 9.7 to 14.3 km) by amounts up to 10 kV m−1, after which the fields decayed away in 50 to 125 s. One pair of ascent and descent rocket soundings, separated in time by a maximum of 60 s and horizontally by 1 to 3 km, showed little change in the thunderstorm electric field between ground and 7.5 km altitude.

Pressure at the ground in a large tornado

A number of instruments were placed on the ground across the path of a large tornado that passed west of the town of Allison, Texas, on June 8, 1995. The center of the tornado came within 660 m of the closest instrument, which recorded a pressure drop of 55 mbar and a subsequent pressure rise of 60 mbar. During the lowest recorded pressures (near r = 660 m), there were large and rapid pressure fluctuations; the largest fluctuation was a 10-mbar spike lasting 2 s. A second instrument on the opposite side of the tornado recorded a pressure drop of 26 mbar. From the pressure variations with time P(t) at the two instruments, the variation of pressure with distance p(r) from the center of the tornado has been deduced for r>660 m. As r decreases, the measured pressure function p(r) drops more abruptly than would be expected from conservation of angular momentum of air spiraling inward near the ground level.

Electric field at the ground in a large tornado

A number of observers have reported lightning, diffuse luminosity, or other manifestations of electrical activity in tornadoes. To try to quantify these observations, eight instruments with sensors for electric field and other parameters were placed in front of a large tornado that passed by Allison, Texas, on June 8, 1995. The edge of the tornado vortex passed over two of the instruments and near other instruments. When the two instruments were in the low-pressure region near the edge of the vortex, they indicated electric field amplitudes less than about 3 kV/m, which is low compared with amplitudes of 10 kV/m or greater that are often present below thunderclouds. The thunderstorm produced frequent lightning, but there is no evidence from the measurements or from visual observations of lightning in the vortex. However, there was one interesting electrical effect associated with the tornado: the electric field at the two instruments in the vortex relaxed to zero quickly after lightning flashes, whereas the electric field at nearby instruments outside the vortex did not relax quickly after the same lightning flashes. The most likely cause of the rapid relaxation is shielding of the electric field at the ground by charge induced on soil, leaves, grass, and other debris lofted by the strong winds.