Observation of cloud-to-ground lightning channels with high-speed video camera

Abstract

Between May and October 2013 (period of sustained thunderstorm activity in France), several cloud-to-ground lightning flashes have been observed in Paris area with a high-speed video camera (14000 frames per second). The localization and the polarity of the recorded cloud-to-ground flashes have been obtained from the French lightning detection network M{\'e}t{\'e}orage which is equipped with the same low frequency sensors used by the US NLDN. In this paper we focused on 7 events (3 positive cloud-to-ground lightning flashes and 4 negative cloud-to-ground lightning flashes). The propagation velocity of the leaders and its temporal evolution have been estimated; the evolution of branching of the negative leaders have been observed during the propagation of the channel which get connected to ground and initiate the first return stroke. One aim of this preliminary study is to emphasize the differences between the characteristics of the positive and of the negative leaders.