Atmospheric Electricity Research in China: A Review

Research on atmospheric electricity mainly involves studying electrical processes occurring in the Earth’s atmosphere and near-Earth space and their mechanisms and effects. The core research contents are lightning physics and thunderstorm electricity. Since the 1980s, atmospheric electricity research in China has continuously made progress. Owing to the advances in high-time-resolution lightning detection technology, atmospheric electricity research has achieved important results in terms of lightning physics, thunderstorm cloud charge structure, the effect of lightning and thunderstorms on near-Earth space, and the characteristics of lightning in severe convective weather. Furthermore, lightning data assimilation and early warning and forecasting of lightning have made important progress. This paper summarizes the important progress of the research on atmospheric electricity in China over the past five years in terms of the technology of high-precision lightning detection, physical process and mechanism of lightning, effect of thunderstorms on the middle and upper atmosphere, observation and numerical simulation of thundercloud charge structure, characteristics and forecasting of lightning in severe convective weather, and effect and response of lightning on climate change. Based on this review, key priorities for future atmospheric electricity research are highlighted.