CALCULATING STUDY OF ELECTRIC FIELD ACTING ON VORTICITY IN THUNDERSTORMS

Based on electric parameters measured in actual storms and considering that charges distribute along an axisymmetric cylinder, in this paper the changing rates of vertical electric vorticity with time in shear and anvil storms are calculated respectively, The results indicate that the changing rate of vertical electric vorticity with time caused by electric field force is about 10-8-10-7/s2 in shear storms. For stronger electrified clouds, it can reach 10-6-10-5/s2 in local area and be almost matched with the action of dynamics. The magnitude is larger at storm bottom and decreases with height. The electric energy concentrates mainly in middle and low layers of a storm. The results are same as in anvil storms, but the magnitude is an order smaller. Meanwhile, the results also indicate that the convective motion of charged hydrometeor particles due to electric field force can form horizontal vortex of air current. The electric circulation is an important factor.