Stimulation of discharge of an artificial thunderstorm cell by arrays of model hydrometeors

Abstract

The results of experimental investigation of the influence of model hydrometeor arrays on the stimulation of discharging processes of an artificial thunderstorm cell of negative or positive polarity are presented. It has been revealed that insertion into the thunderstorm cell of model hydrometeors of different kinds brought together in an array by different methods can increase the effectiveness of charged-cloud discharging by several times. It has been established that model hydrometeors of ellipsoid form are most effective for neutralization of the charge of a negatively charged artificial thunderstorm cell. Under conditions of a positive polarity of an artificial thunderstorm cell, its discharge is most effectively provided by model hydrometeors of cylindrical form. It has been revealed that introduction of model hydrometeor arrays also has an effect on the duration of the main discharge stage, during which the artificial thunderstorm cell discharges. It has been shown that the duration of the main stage of discharge initiated by arrays of model hydrometeors of different shapes from a negatively charged artificial thunderstorm cell is several times longer than that for a positively charged cell. The obtained data open up new possibilities for using methods of discharge intensification of a natural thundercloud.