Award Abstract # 2046043
CAREER: Self-consistent and Data-constrained Simulations of the Leader and Return Stroke Processes in Lightning Discharges

NSF Org: AGS
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Recipient: NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY
Initial Amendment Date: March 1, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: May 20, 2021
Award Number: 2046043
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Nicholas Anderson
nanderso@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4715
AGS
 Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: August 1, 2021
End Date: July 31, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $523,159.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $523,159.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $523,159.00
History of Investigator:
  • Caitano da Silva (Principal Investigator)
    caitano.dasilva@nmt.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
801 LEROY PL
SOCORRO
NM  US  87801-4681
(575)835-5496
Sponsor Congressional District: 02
Primary Place of Performance: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
801 Leroy Place
Socorro
NM  US  87801-4681
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): HZJ2JZUALWN4
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Physical & Dynamic Meteorology
Primary Program Source: 01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 102Z, 1045, 9150
Program Element Code(s): 152500
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

Despite lightning being such a common natural phenomenon, a large portion of its fundamental physics remains to be uncovered. Even its most studied element ? the return stroke ? remains to be fully quantified. A central question in lightning physics has to do with how the widely-observed asymmetry in positive- and negative-leader propagation maps into the overall contrasting differences between cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes of both positive and negative polarities (leader is the term used to describe the elongation lightning channel before its connection to the ground). One important example is the origin of recoil leaders, which are observed to only retrace the channels of positively-charged leader channels. Recoil leaders in its turn may be the root cause for the asymmetry in stroke multiplicity between positive and negative CGs. Understanding the physics of lightning at a fundamental level is required for quantifying its effects in our planet's atmosphere (e.g., production of nitrogen oxide compounds) and to mitigate its societal impacts (e.g., power transmission and distribution disruptions). Through the development of novel computer models, this project addresses outstanding questions in lightning physics outlined in the second paragraph below. The broader impacts of this project are heavily tied with the educational plan. The backbone of our educational plan is to develop teaching strategies based on the simple idea that a physics instructor can use lightning and thunderstorms ? something that any student is familiar with ? to introduce complex physics concepts.

This project tackles two key problems in lightning physics. Problem 1: When leader channels connect to a ground structure, a strong current surge known as the return stroke travels upward. The most widely-employed type of return stroke model assumes that the wave propagation velocity and its attenuation with height are free parameters of the model. Despite a few attempts from previous investigation, a detailed characterization of the return stroke dynamics from first-principles remains an open problem. Problem 2: Positive and negative leaders have different propagation mechanisms (different velocities and channel branching rates, and continuous vs. stepped propagation). It has been hypothesized that this polarity asymmetry maps into how differently current cutoff and recoil leader formation takes place in positive and negative CG flashes. However, there is no computational simulation tool available that can fully answer this complicated question. The main goal of this project is to advance the current understand of lightning by introducing two novel physics-based models to describe the main stages of a lightning flash, and address the two problems outlined above: (1) a return stroke model that calculates the velocity of current and optical luminosity waves and their attenuation as they propagate upward towards the cloud, and (2) a stochastic, 3-dimensional model of the leader channel network, which accounts for probabilistic branching and has different propagation mechanisms for positive and negative extremities. The most important advance aimed here is the coupling of these two electrodynamics models with a realistic treatment of the plasma channel's nonlinear resistance.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

Note:  When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a charge during the embargo (administrative interval).

Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.

da_Silva, C_L and Winn, W_P and Taylor, M_C and Aulich, G_D and Hunyady, S_J and Eack, K_B and Edens, H_E and Sonnenfeld, R_G and Krehbiel, P_R and Eastvedt, E_M and Trueblood, J_J "Polarity Asymmetries in RocketTriggered Lightning" Geophysical Research Letters , v.50 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL105041 Citation Details
Pantuso, John G and da_Silva, Caitano L "Modeling the Inception and Stepped Propagation of Upward Positive Lightning Leaders" Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres , v.129 , 2024 https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JD041596 Citation Details
Saba, Marcelo M. F. and da Silva, Diego Rhamon R. and Pantuso, John G. and da Silva, Caitano L. "Close View of the Lightning Attachment Process Unveils the Streamer Zone Fine Structure" Geophysical Research Letters , v.49 , 2022 https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101482 Citation Details
Senay, Seda and Krehbiel, Paul R. and da Silva, Caitano L. and Edens, Harald E. and Bennecke, David and Stanley, Mark A. "Analysis of Narrow Bipolar Events Using Mode Decomposition Methods" Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres , v.128 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JD038444 Citation Details
Smith, B. and McHarg, M_G and da_Silva, C_L and Sonnenfeld, R_G and Koile, J. and Leal, A_F_R and Jones, I_R "Sprite Durations Measured With a Neuromorphic Sensor" Geophysical Research Letters , v.51 , 2024 https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL109353 Citation Details
Taylor, Michael C. and da Silva, Caitano L. and Walker, T. Daniel and Christian, Hugh J. "Data-Driven Simulations of the Lightning Return Stroke Channel Properties" IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility , 2022 https://doi.org/10.1109/TEMC.2022.3189590 Citation Details
Wemhoner, Jacob and da_Silva, Caitano_L and Leal, Adonis_F_R and Bandara, Sampath and Pantuso, John_G and Sonnenfeld, Richard_G "NearInfrared Atomic Oxygen Photometry of Lightning" Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres , v.130 , 2025 https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JD042256 Citation Details
Wemhoner, Jacob and Wermer, Lydia and da Silva, Caitano L. and Barnett, Patrick and Radosevich, Cameron and Patel, Sonal and Edens, Harald "Lightning radiometry in visible and infrared bands" Atmospheric Research , v.292 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2023.106855 Citation Details

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.

Print this page

Back to Top of page