Owner's manual

R E A L - T I M E L I G H T N I N G D E T E C T I O N
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storm cell between the two main bodies of negative and
positive charge.
Organized Cell Complexes
If a cell is part of a squall line or a mesoscale convective
system (MCS) then it may have a charge distribution similar
to figure 6. Near the convective core there are two main
charge layers, an upper positive charge above the main lower
negative charge, just as in figure 1. There is a smaller positive
charge below the main negative charge. In the trailing
stratiform region there is an upper thin layer of negative
charge over a thin layer of positive charge.
The additional thin layers of negative over positive charge can
give rise to a few additional ways that both CG and IC strokes
can occur.
Figure 7 shows a –IC stroke between the thin negative charge
and the positive charge below it. The –IC stroke will have
many of the same characteristics as the +IC stroke (stroke
channel orientation, strength of the electromagnetic wave).