On the relationship between the cloud-to-ground lightning characteristics and th air quality over Guangzhou megacity, South China

摘要

The relationship between the cloud-to-ground lightning characteristics and the air quality data over Guangzhou megacity, South China was investigated in this report. A simple method was proposed to cluster lightning location data into two types of thunderstorms: the traverse thunderstorms and the local ones. It was found that the AQI (air quality index), PM10 concentration, PM2.5 concentration, NO2 concentration and O3 concentration were positively correlated to the number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes for the local thunderstorms. It was also found that the ratio of the positive cloud-to-ground flashes showed decreasing trend and the duration of the local thunderstorm showed increasing trend as the PM10 concentration increased. No obvious correlation was observed for the cloud-to-ground lightning count and the SO2 concentration.