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Possible implications of global climate change on global lightning distributions and frequenciesThe Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) general circulation model (GCM) is used to study the possible implications of past and future climate change on global lightning frequencies. Two climate change experiments were conducted: one for a 2 x CO2 climate (representing a 4.2 degs C global warming) and one for a 2% decrease in the solar constant (representing a 5.9 degs C global cooling). The results suggest at 30% increase in global lightning activity for the warmer climate and a 24% decrease in global lightning activity for the colder climate. This implies an approximate 5-6% change in global lightning frequencies for every 1 degs C global warming/cooling. Both intracloud and cloud-to-ground frequencies are modeled, with cloud-to-ground lightning frequencies showing larger sensitivity to climate change than intracloud frequencies. The magnitude of the modeled lightning changes depends on season, location, and even time of day.
Document ID
19950032597
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Price, Colin
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA United States)
Rind, David
(NASA Goddard Inst. of Space Studies, Columbia Univ. NY, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
May 20, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 99
Issue: D5
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
95A64196
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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