Electrification and simple discharge schemes are coupled into a 3D Regional Atmospheric Model System （RAMS） as microphysical parameterizations, in accordance with electrical experiment results. The dynamics, microph...Electrification and simple discharge schemes are coupled into a 3D Regional Atmospheric Model System （RAMS） as microphysical parameterizations, in accordance with electrical experiment results. The dynamics, microphysics, and electrifi- cation components are fully integrated into the RAMS model, and the inductive and non-inductive electrification mechanisms are considered in the charging process. The results indicate that the thunderstorm mainly had a normal tripole charge structure. The simulated charge structure and lightning frequency are basically consistent with observations of the lightning radiation source distribution. The non-inductive charging mechanism contributed to the electrification during the whole lifetime of the thunderstorm, while the inductive electrification mechanism played a significant role in the development period and the mature stage when the electric field reached a large value. The charge structure in the convective region and the rearward region are analyzed, showing that the charge density in the convective region was double that in the rearward region.展开更多
ABSTRACT Data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network （WWLLN） were used to analyze the lightning activity and the relationship between maximum sustained wind and lightning rate in 69 tropical cyclones over t...ABSTRACT Data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network （WWLLN） were used to analyze the lightning activity and the relationship between maximum sustained wind and lightning rate in 69 tropical cyclones over the Northwest Pacific Ocean from 2005 to 2009. The minimum lightning density was observed in the category 2 typhoon Kong-Rey （2007）, with a value of only 1.15 d-1 （100 kin）-2. The maximum lightning density occurred in the category 2 typhoon Mitag （2007）, with a value of 510.42 d-1 （100 km）-2. The average lightning density decreased with radius from the typhoon center in both weak （categories 1-3） and super （categories 4-5） typhoons. The average lightning density in the inner core of super typhoons was more than twice as large as that for weak typhoons. Both groups of typhoons showed a near-monotonic decrease in lightning density with radius. Results also showed that lightning activity was more active in typhoons that made landfall than in those that did not. The mean correlation coefficient between the accumulated flashes within a 600-kin radius and the maximum wind speed in the weak typhoons and super typhoons was 0.81 and 0.74, respectively. For more than 78% （56%） of the super （weak） typhoons, the lightning activity peaked before the maximum sustained wind speed, with the most common leading time being 30 （60） h. The results suggest that, for the Northwest Pacific Ocean, lightning activity might be used as a measurement of the intensification of typhoons.展开更多
The importance of atmospheric electricity research has been increasingly recognized in recent decades. Research on atmospheric electricity has been actively conducted since the 1980 s in China. Lightning physics and i...The importance of atmospheric electricity research has been increasingly recognized in recent decades. Research on atmospheric electricity has been actively conducted since the 1980 s in China. Lightning physics and its effects, as important branches of atmospheric electricity, have received more attention because of their significance both in scientific research and lightning protection applications. This paper reviews atmospheric electricity research based primarily on ground-based field experiments at different regions in China in the last decade. The results described in this review include physics and effects of lightning, rocket-triggered lightning and its physical processes of discharge, thunderstorm electricity on the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas, lightning activity associated with severe convective storms, the effect and response of lightning to climate change, numerical simulation of thunderstorm electrification and lightning discharge, lightning detection and location techniques, and transient luminous events above thunderstorms.展开更多
In this report we summarize the research results by Chinese scientists in 2012–2014. The focuses are placed on the researches of the middle and upper atmosphere, specifically the researches related to ground-based ob...In this report we summarize the research results by Chinese scientists in 2012–2014. The focuses are placed on the researches of the middle and upper atmosphere, specifically the researches related to ground-based observation capability development, dynamical processes, the property of circulation and chemistry-climate coupling of the middle atmospheric layers.展开更多
The lightning-induced-damages in the mid-latitude regions are usually caused during severe thunderstorms. But the discharge parameters of natural lightning are difficult to be measured. Five lightning flashes have bee...The lightning-induced-damages in the mid-latitude regions are usually caused during severe thunderstorms. But the discharge parameters of natural lightning are difficult to be measured. Five lightning flashes have been artificially triggered with the rocket-wire technique during the passage of two severe thunderstorms. The discharge current and close electric field of return stroke in artificially triggered lightning have been obtained in microsecond time resolution by using current measuring systems and electric field change sensors. The results show that the five triggered lightning flashes include 1 to 10 return strokes, and the average return stroke current is 11.9 kA with a maximum of 21.0 kA and a minimum of 6.6 kA, similar to the subsequent return strokes in natural lightning. The half peak width of the current waveform is 39 us, which is much larger than the usual result. The peak current of stroke I_p(kA) and the neutralized charge Q(C) has a relationship of I_p = 18.5Q^(0.65). The radiation field of return stroke is 5.9 kV ? m^(-1) and 0.39 kV ? m^(-1) at 60 m and 550 m, respectively. The radiation field decreases as r^(-1.119) with increase of horizontal distance r from the discharge channel. Based on the well-accepted transmission line model, the speed of return stroke is estimated to be about 1.4 × 10~8m·s^(-1), with a variation range of (1.1-1.6)×10~8m·s^(-1). Because of the similarities of the triggered lightning and natural lightning, the results in this article can be used in the protection design of natural lightning.展开更多
A narrowband radio interferometer has been developed and used to locate the entire sources of VHF radiations from a negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning discharge which contains 19 strokes. This system uses five an...A narrowband radio interferometer has been developed and used to locate the entire sources of VHF radiations from a negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning discharge which contains 19 strokes. This system uses five antennas to form an array consisting of short- and long-baselines along two or- thogonal directions. The system error which comes from frequency conversion is reduced by phase detection through direct high frequency amplifying. An interactive graphic analysis procedure is used to remove the fringe ambiguities which exist inherently in interferometry and to determine the direction of lightning radiation sources in two dimensions (azimuth and elevation) as a function of time at a time resolution of microsecond orders. With the developed system, the whole progression process in time and space of a lightning flash can be reconstructed. In this paper, combining the synchronous data of electric filed change and VHF radiation, the whole processes of an example negative CG flash have been studied in detail. It is found that the preliminary breakdown event of the CG flash started from negative charge region and exhibited firstly a downward pregression and then an upward propagation. There were very intense and continuous radiations during stepped leaders which became much stronger when the first return stroke began. In contrast, there were less and only discrete radiations during dart leaders. Stepped leader and dart leader may transform to each other depending on the state of the ionization of the path. The progression speed of initial stepped leaders was about 105 ms?1, while that was about 4.1×106 and 6.0×106 ms?1 for dart leaders and dart-stepped leaders, respectively. M events produced hook-shaped field changes accompanied by active burst of radiations at their begin- nings. Followed these active radiation processes, M events appeared to contact finally into conducting main discharge channels. The mean progression speed of M events was about 7×107 ms?1, greater than that of the dart leaders and dart-step leaders. K events and attempted leaders were essentially the same as dart leaders except that they could not reach the ground and initiate return strokes.展开更多
A strong electric (E) field sounding system was designed to measure the vertical component of the E-fields, temperature, relative humidity and GPS data along the sounding path. In the summer of 2008, in situ measureme...A strong electric (E) field sounding system was designed to measure the vertical component of the E-fields, temperature, relative humidity and GPS data along the sounding path. In the summer of 2008, in situ measurements of E-field inside the thunderstorms were conducted in Pingliang, Gansu Provience, with the cooperation of an X-band weather radar. One E-field profile inside a thunderstorm was successfully acquired. The sounding data indicated four charge layers along the sounding trajectory, three in-side the thuderstorm and one at its lower boundary. The lower cloud boundary charge layer was negative, acting as a screening layer, and laid between 4.3 to 4.5 km a.s.l. The lower positive charge center (LPCC) existed between 4.5–5.3 km a.s.l. (from 3°C to -2°C); the main negative charge area was present between 5.4–6.6 km a.s.l. (-3°C to -10°C); the upper positive charge layer was between 6.7–7.2 km a.s.l. (-11°C to -14°C). The results support the tripole charge structure inside thunderstorms (above 0°C isotherm altitude), but the LPCC is much larger-than-usual in Chinese inland plateau.展开更多
Using 12 years of data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission(TRMM)-based Precipitation Radar(PR),spatial and diurnal variations of deep convective systems(DCSs)over the Asian monsoon region are analyzed.The DCS...Using 12 years of data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission(TRMM)-based Precipitation Radar(PR),spatial and diurnal variations of deep convective systems(DCSs)over the Asian monsoon region are analyzed.The DCSs are defined by a 20 dBZ echo top extending 14 km.The spatial distribution of DCSs genesis is also discussed,with reference to the National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP)reanalysis data.The results show that DCSs occur mainly over land.They concentrate in south of 20°N during the pre-monsoon season,and then move distinctly to mid-latitude regions,with the most active region on the south slope of the Himalayas during monsoon season.DCSs over the Tibetan Plateau are more frequent than those in central-eastern China,but smaller in horizontal scale and weaker in convective intensity.DCSs in central-eastern China have more robust updrafts and generate more lightning flashes than in other Asian monsoon regions.The horizontal scale of DCSs over the ocean is larger than that over the other regions,and the corresponding minimum infrared(IR)brightness temperature is lower,whereas the convective intensity is weaker.Continental DCSs are more common from noon through midnight,and DCSs over the Tibetan Plateau are more frequently from noon through evening.Oceanic DCSs frequency has a weaker diurnal cycle with dawn maximum,and diurnal variation of DCSs over the tropical maritime continent is consistent with that over the continent.展开更多
The spatial and temporal characteristics of lightning activities have been studied in seven super typhoons from 2005 to 2008 over the Northwest Pacific, using data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN...The spatial and temporal characteristics of lightning activities have been studied in seven super typhoons from 2005 to 2008 over the Northwest Pacific, using data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN). The results indicated that there were three distinct lightning flash regions in mature typhoon, a significant maximum in the eyewall regions (20-80 km from the center), a minimum from 80-200 km, and a strong maximum in the outer rainbands (out of 200 km from the center). The lightning flashes in the outer rainbands were much more than those in the inner rainbands, and less than 1% of flashes occurred within 100 km of the center. Each typhoon produced eyewall lightning outbreak during the periods of its intensification, usually several hours prior to its maximum intensity, indicating that lightning activity might be used as a proxy of intensification of super typhoon. Little lightning occurred near the center after landing of the typhoon.展开更多
Red sprites, different from lightning flashes occurring in the troposphere, are large and brief dis-charges which appear in the altitude range from about 40 to 90 km above large thunderstorms and are usually caused by...Red sprites, different from lightning flashes occurring in the troposphere, are large and brief dis-charges which appear in the altitude range from about 40 to 90 km above large thunderstorms and are usually caused by cloud-to-ground lightning discharges (CGs). A total of 17 sprites over two thunder-storms were first observed during the summer of 2007. One of the sprites occurred on July 28 above a thunderstorm in Guan County and the center of the storm was about 272 km from the observation site. The other sprites were recorded at the late night of August 1 and in the early morning of August 2, and the storm center was about 315 km away. All of the observed sprites occurred in cluster, and their appearances were very different, including 'columniform sprites', 'columniform sprites' with angel-like wings, 'carrot sprites', 'dancing sprites', etc. The duration of the sprites varied from a minimum of 40 ms to a maximum of 160 ms with a geometric mean (GM) of 61 ms. The time delay between parental positive cloud-to-ground lightning flashes (+CGs) and the associated sprites varied from 3.4 to 11.8 ms with a GM of 7.1 ms. The ratio of the number of +CGs to the total number of CGs during the time period with sprites was 7 times larger than that when no sprites occurred. Sprites did not appear fre-quently at the time when the convective activity is strong but when the thunderstorm starts to become weak.展开更多
Spectra of seven cloud lightning discharges are reported for the first time after captured with a Slit-less Spectrograph on Chinese Tibet Plateau. The structural characters are analyzed and compared with the spectra o...Spectra of seven cloud lightning discharges are reported for the first time after captured with a Slit-less Spectrograph on Chinese Tibet Plateau. The structural characters are analyzed and compared with the spectra of cloud-to-ground lightning, and the results indicate that the spectra of cloud lightning show two different kinds of structure characteristics. One has the similar structure as those of cloud-to-ground lightning discharge, and the other is absolutely different. Meanwhile, more lines of OII with high excited energy are recorded in the spectra of cloud lightning discharge in comparison with that of cloud-to-ground lighting happening in the same region. Temperatures at different positions are calculated and temperature characteristics of these two sorts are analyzed, based to the wavelength, relative intensities and other transition parameters. We suggest that the physical process in the cloud discharge channels changes with much more rapid velocity and wider range compared to cloud-to-ground lightning. The differences between the two types of cloud discharge also reflect some discrepancies between the discharge characteristics.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.41175002, 40930949)National Key Basic Research Program of China (2014CB441401)
文摘Electrification and simple discharge schemes are coupled into a 3D Regional Atmospheric Model System （RAMS） as microphysical parameterizations, in accordance with electrical experiment results. The dynamics, microphysics, and electrifi- cation components are fully integrated into the RAMS model, and the inductive and non-inductive electrification mechanisms are considered in the charging process. The results indicate that the thunderstorm mainly had a normal tripole charge structure. The simulated charge structure and lightning frequency are basically consistent with observations of the lightning radiation source distribution. The non-inductive charging mechanism contributed to the electrification during the whole lifetime of the thunderstorm, while the inductive electrification mechanism played a significant role in the development period and the mature stage when the electric field reached a large value. The charge structure in the convective region and the rearward region are analyzed, showing that the charge density in the convective region was double that in the rearward region.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.41005004 and 40930949)the "One-Hundred Talents Project" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘ABSTRACT Data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network （WWLLN） were used to analyze the lightning activity and the relationship between maximum sustained wind and lightning rate in 69 tropical cyclones over the Northwest Pacific Ocean from 2005 to 2009. The minimum lightning density was observed in the category 2 typhoon Kong-Rey （2007）, with a value of only 1.15 d-1 （100 kin）-2. The maximum lightning density occurred in the category 2 typhoon Mitag （2007）, with a value of 510.42 d-1 （100 km）-2. The average lightning density decreased with radius from the typhoon center in both weak （categories 1-3） and super （categories 4-5） typhoons. The average lightning density in the inner core of super typhoons was more than twice as large as that for weak typhoons. Both groups of typhoons showed a near-monotonic decrease in lightning density with radius. Results also showed that lightning activity was more active in typhoons that made landfall than in those that did not. The mean correlation coefficient between the accumulated flashes within a 600-kin radius and the maximum wind speed in the weak typhoons and super typhoons was 0.81 and 0.74, respectively. For more than 78% （56%） of the super （weak） typhoons, the lightning activity peaked before the maximum sustained wind speed, with the most common leading time being 30 （60） h. The results suggest that, for the Northwest Pacific Ocean, lightning activity might be used as a measurement of the intensification of typhoons.
基金supported by the National Key Basic Research and Development (973) Program of China (2014CB441400)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41475002)
文摘The importance of atmospheric electricity research has been increasingly recognized in recent decades. Research on atmospheric electricity has been actively conducted since the 1980 s in China. Lightning physics and its effects, as important branches of atmospheric electricity, have received more attention because of their significance both in scientific research and lightning protection applications. This paper reviews atmospheric electricity research based primarily on ground-based field experiments at different regions in China in the last decade. The results described in this review include physics and effects of lightning, rocket-triggered lightning and its physical processes of discharge, thunderstorm electricity on the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas, lightning activity associated with severe convective storms, the effect and response of lightning to climate change, numerical simulation of thunderstorm electrification and lightning discharge, lightning detection and location techniques, and transient luminous events above thunderstorms.
文摘In this report we summarize the research results by Chinese scientists in 2012–2014. The focuses are placed on the researches of the middle and upper atmosphere, specifically the researches related to ground-based observation capability development, dynamical processes, the property of circulation and chemistry-climate coupling of the middle atmospheric layers.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40135010 and 40325013) the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2004DEA71070)
文摘The lightning-induced-damages in the mid-latitude regions are usually caused during severe thunderstorms. But the discharge parameters of natural lightning are difficult to be measured. Five lightning flashes have been artificially triggered with the rocket-wire technique during the passage of two severe thunderstorms. The discharge current and close electric field of return stroke in artificially triggered lightning have been obtained in microsecond time resolution by using current measuring systems and electric field change sensors. The results show that the five triggered lightning flashes include 1 to 10 return strokes, and the average return stroke current is 11.9 kA with a maximum of 21.0 kA and a minimum of 6.6 kA, similar to the subsequent return strokes in natural lightning. The half peak width of the current waveform is 39 us, which is much larger than the usual result. The peak current of stroke I_p(kA) and the neutralized charge Q(C) has a relationship of I_p = 18.5Q^(0.65). The radiation field of return stroke is 5.9 kV ? m^(-1) and 0.39 kV ? m^(-1) at 60 m and 550 m, respectively. The radiation field decreases as r^(-1.119) with increase of horizontal distance r from the discharge channel. Based on the well-accepted transmission line model, the speed of return stroke is estimated to be about 1.4 × 10~8m·s^(-1), with a variation range of (1.1-1.6)×10~8m·s^(-1). Because of the similarities of the triggered lightning and natural lightning, the results in this article can be used in the protection design of natural lightning.
基金the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sci-ences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-206-2)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40775004)the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (Grant No. 40325013)
文摘A narrowband radio interferometer has been developed and used to locate the entire sources of VHF radiations from a negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning discharge which contains 19 strokes. This system uses five antennas to form an array consisting of short- and long-baselines along two or- thogonal directions. The system error which comes from frequency conversion is reduced by phase detection through direct high frequency amplifying. An interactive graphic analysis procedure is used to remove the fringe ambiguities which exist inherently in interferometry and to determine the direction of lightning radiation sources in two dimensions (azimuth and elevation) as a function of time at a time resolution of microsecond orders. With the developed system, the whole progression process in time and space of a lightning flash can be reconstructed. In this paper, combining the synchronous data of electric filed change and VHF radiation, the whole processes of an example negative CG flash have been studied in detail. It is found that the preliminary breakdown event of the CG flash started from negative charge region and exhibited firstly a downward pregression and then an upward propagation. There were very intense and continuous radiations during stepped leaders which became much stronger when the first return stroke began. In contrast, there were less and only discrete radiations during dart leaders. Stepped leader and dart leader may transform to each other depending on the state of the ionization of the path. The progression speed of initial stepped leaders was about 105 ms?1, while that was about 4.1×106 and 6.0×106 ms?1 for dart leaders and dart-stepped leaders, respectively. M events produced hook-shaped field changes accompanied by active burst of radiations at their begin- nings. Followed these active radiation processes, M events appeared to contact finally into conducting main discharge channels. The mean progression speed of M events was about 7×107 ms?1, greater than that of the dart leaders and dart-step leaders. K events and attempted leaders were essentially the same as dart leaders except that they could not reach the ground and initiate return strokes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40675008) Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-206)Hundred Tal-ents Program of CAS
文摘A strong electric (E) field sounding system was designed to measure the vertical component of the E-fields, temperature, relative humidity and GPS data along the sounding path. In the summer of 2008, in situ measurements of E-field inside the thunderstorms were conducted in Pingliang, Gansu Provience, with the cooperation of an X-band weather radar. One E-field profile inside a thunderstorm was successfully acquired. The sounding data indicated four charge layers along the sounding trajectory, three in-side the thuderstorm and one at its lower boundary. The lower cloud boundary charge layer was negative, acting as a screening layer, and laid between 4.3 to 4.5 km a.s.l. The lower positive charge center (LPCC) existed between 4.5–5.3 km a.s.l. (from 3°C to -2°C); the main negative charge area was present between 5.4–6.6 km a.s.l. (-3°C to -10°C); the upper positive charge layer was between 6.7–7.2 km a.s.l. (-11°C to -14°C). The results support the tripole charge structure inside thunderstorms (above 0°C isotherm altitude), but the LPCC is much larger-than-usual in Chinese inland plateau.
基金supported jointly by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2010CB428601)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos. 40930949&40905008)
文摘Using 12 years of data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission(TRMM)-based Precipitation Radar(PR),spatial and diurnal variations of deep convective systems(DCSs)over the Asian monsoon region are analyzed.The DCSs are defined by a 20 dBZ echo top extending 14 km.The spatial distribution of DCSs genesis is also discussed,with reference to the National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP)reanalysis data.The results show that DCSs occur mainly over land.They concentrate in south of 20°N during the pre-monsoon season,and then move distinctly to mid-latitude regions,with the most active region on the south slope of the Himalayas during monsoon season.DCSs over the Tibetan Plateau are more frequent than those in central-eastern China,but smaller in horizontal scale and weaker in convective intensity.DCSs in central-eastern China have more robust updrafts and generate more lightning flashes than in other Asian monsoon regions.The horizontal scale of DCSs over the ocean is larger than that over the other regions,and the corresponding minimum infrared(IR)brightness temperature is lower,whereas the convective intensity is weaker.Continental DCSs are more common from noon through midnight,and DCSs over the Tibetan Plateau are more frequently from noon through evening.Oceanic DCSs frequency has a weaker diurnal cycle with dawn maximum,and diurnal variation of DCSs over the tropical maritime continent is consistent with that over the continent.
基金supported by Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.KZCX2-YW-206) and 100 Talents Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘The spatial and temporal characteristics of lightning activities have been studied in seven super typhoons from 2005 to 2008 over the Northwest Pacific, using data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN). The results indicated that there were three distinct lightning flash regions in mature typhoon, a significant maximum in the eyewall regions (20-80 km from the center), a minimum from 80-200 km, and a strong maximum in the outer rainbands (out of 200 km from the center). The lightning flashes in the outer rainbands were much more than those in the inner rainbands, and less than 1% of flashes occurred within 100 km of the center. Each typhoon produced eyewall lightning outbreak during the periods of its intensification, usually several hours prior to its maximum intensity, indicating that lightning activity might be used as a proxy of intensification of super typhoon. Little lightning occurred near the center after landing of the typhoon.
基金the Main Direction Program of the Knowledge Innovation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-206)the National Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (Grant No. 40325013)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40774083)
文摘Red sprites, different from lightning flashes occurring in the troposphere, are large and brief dis-charges which appear in the altitude range from about 40 to 90 km above large thunderstorms and are usually caused by cloud-to-ground lightning discharges (CGs). A total of 17 sprites over two thunder-storms were first observed during the summer of 2007. One of the sprites occurred on July 28 above a thunderstorm in Guan County and the center of the storm was about 272 km from the observation site. The other sprites were recorded at the late night of August 1 and in the early morning of August 2, and the storm center was about 315 km away. All of the observed sprites occurred in cluster, and their appearances were very different, including 'columniform sprites', 'columniform sprites' with angel-like wings, 'carrot sprites', 'dancing sprites', etc. The duration of the sprites varied from a minimum of 40 ms to a maximum of 160 ms with a geometric mean (GM) of 61 ms. The time delay between parental positive cloud-to-ground lightning flashes (+CGs) and the associated sprites varied from 3.4 to 11.8 ms with a GM of 7.1 ms. The ratio of the number of +CGs to the total number of CGs during the time period with sprites was 7 times larger than that when no sprites occurred. Sprites did not appear fre-quently at the time when the convective activity is strong but when the thunderstorm starts to become weak.
基金Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40475007) Foundation of Northwest Normal University (Grant No. NWNU-KJCXGC- 03-21)
文摘Spectra of seven cloud lightning discharges are reported for the first time after captured with a Slit-less Spectrograph on Chinese Tibet Plateau. The structural characters are analyzed and compared with the spectra of cloud-to-ground lightning, and the results indicate that the spectra of cloud lightning show two different kinds of structure characteristics. One has the similar structure as those of cloud-to-ground lightning discharge, and the other is absolutely different. Meanwhile, more lines of OII with high excited energy are recorded in the spectra of cloud lightning discharge in comparison with that of cloud-to-ground lighting happening in the same region. Temperatures at different positions are calculated and temperature characteristics of these two sorts are analyzed, based to the wavelength, relative intensities and other transition parameters. We suggest that the physical process in the cloud discharge channels changes with much more rapid velocity and wider range compared to cloud-to-ground lightning. The differences between the two types of cloud discharge also reflect some discrepancies between the discharge characteristics.
