Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Activity in Guangdong Province, South China During the Period 2004–2017

Abstract. An analysis of the cloud-to-ground discharges (CGD) over Portugal is carried out using data collected by a network of sensors maintained by the Portuguese Meteorological Institute for 2003–2009 (7 yr). Only cloud-to-ground flashes are considered and negative polarity CGD are largely dominant. The total number of discharges reveals a considerable interannual variability and a large irregularity in their distribution throughout the year. However, it is shown that a large number of discharges occur in the May–September period (71%), with a bimodal distribution that peaks in May and September, with most of the lightning activity recorded in the afternoon (from 16:00 to 18:00 UTC). In spring and autumn the lightning activity tends to be scattered throughout the country, whereas in summer it tends to be more concentrated over northeastern Portugal. Winter generally presents low lightning activity. Furthermore, two significant couplings between the monthly number of days with discharges and the large-scale atmospheric circulation are isolated: a regional forcing, predominantly in summer, and a remote forcing. In fact, the identification of daily lightning regimes revealed three important atmospheric conditions for triggering lightning activity: regional cut-off lows, cold troughs induced by remote low pressure systems and summertime regional low pressures at low-tropospheric levels combined with a mid-tropospheric cold trough.

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Distinct aerosol effects on cloud-to-ground lightning in the plateau and basin regions of Sichuan, Southwest China

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-20-13379-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (21) ◽

pp. 13379-13397

Author(s):

Pengguo Zhao ◽

Zhanqing Li ◽

Hui Xiao ◽

Fang Wu ◽

Youtong Zheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cloud Droplet ◽

Lightning Activity ◽

Freezing Process ◽

Plateau Region ◽

Freezing Level ◽

Aerosol Loading ◽

Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽

Basin Region ◽

Total Column ◽

Cg Lightning

Abstract. The joint effects of aerosol, thermodynamic, and cloud-related factors on cloud-to-ground lightning in Sichuan were investigated by a comprehensive analysis of ground-based measurements made from 2005 to 2017 in combination with reanalysis data. Data include aerosol optical depth, cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning density, convective available potential energy (CAPE), mid-level relative humidity, lower- to mid-tropospheric vertical wind shear, cloud-base height, total column liquid water (TCLW), and total column ice water (TCIW). Results show that CG lightning density and aerosols are positively correlated in the plateau region and negatively correlated in the basin region. Sulfate aerosols are found to be more strongly associated with lightning than total aerosols, so this study focuses on the role of sulfate aerosols in lightning activity. In the plateau region, the lower aerosol concentration stimulates lightning activity through microphysical effects. Increasing the aerosol loading decreases the cloud droplet size, reducing the cloud droplet collision–coalescence efficiency and inhibiting the warm-rain process. More small cloud droplets are transported above the freezing level to participate in the freezing process, forming more ice particles and releasing more latent heat during the freezing process. Thus, an increase in the aerosol loading increases CAPE, TCLW, and TCIW, stimulating CG lightning in the plateau region. In the basin region, by contrast, the higher concentration of aerosols inhibits lightning activity through the radiative effect. An increase in the aerosol loading reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching the ground, thereby lowering the CAPE. The intensity of convection decreases, resulting in less supercooled water being transported to the freezing level and fewer ice particles forming, thereby increasing the total liquid water content. Thus, an increase in the aerosol loading suppresses the intensity of convective activity and CG lightning in the basin region.

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Hedyotis nanlingensis (Rubiaceae), a new species from South China

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.206.1.6 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 206 (1) ◽

pp. 37 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ruijiang Wang ◽

Shujun Deng ◽

Xiangxu Huang

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Dna Barcoding ◽

South China ◽

Guangdong Province ◽

Monophyletic Lineage ◽

A New Species

A new species, Hedyotis nanlingensis from Guangdong province, China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to H. nankunshanensis but differs in the smaller and more slender habit, the sessile leaves, the usually two to three secondary veins on each side of the midvein, the inflorescences with monochasial branching and the shorter style in the long-styled flowers. DNA barcoding analysis demonstrates that all accessions from H. nanlingensis form a monophyletic lineage closely related to H. cantoniensis.

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The genus Crypsithyris Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) in Guangdong Province, China, with comments on the biology and the description of a new species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2310.1.5 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2310 (1) ◽

pp. 51-58

Author(s):

GUO-HUA HUANG ◽

TOSHIYA HIROWATARI ◽

MIN WANG

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

South China ◽

New Records ◽

Guangdong Province ◽

A New Species

Species of the genus Crypsithyris Meyrick, 1907 in Guangdong Province, South China are reviewed. Crypsithyris nanlingensis Huang, Hirowatari & Wang, sp. nov., is described and illustrated, and C. sp. and C. japonica Petersen & Gaedike, 1993, which are new records for China, also are described and illustrated. Biological notes for C. japonica and C. sp. are provided, and a key to the Crypsithyris of South China is presented.

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Traccatichthys tuberculum, a new species of nemacheiline loach from Guangdong Province, South China (Pisces: Balitoridae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3586.1.28 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3586 (1) ◽

pp. 304 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

CHUN-XIAN DU ◽

E ZHANG ◽

BOSCO PUI LOK CHAN

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

South China ◽

Guangdong Province ◽

Color Pattern ◽

Caudal Peduncle ◽

Peduncle Length ◽

Coastal River ◽

Fin Length ◽

A New Species ◽

Preanal Length

Traccatichthys tuberculum, new species, is herein described from the Jian-Jiang, a coastal river in Guangdong Province,South China. Photo by Bosco P.L. Chan. This new species differs from all other Chinese congeners (i.e., T. pulcher and T.zispi) in interorbital width, caudal-peduncle length, and pectoral-fin length. It, together with T. zispi, lacks the colorpatterns of the dorsal and anal fins in T. pulcher, and differs from T. zispi in preanal length. Traccatichthys tuberculum,together with all other Chinese congeners, is distinct from the Vietnamese species, T. taeniatus, in the shape of the black bar on the caudal-fin base, and the color pattern of the anal fin.

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