Welcome to visit Scientia Silvae Sinicae，Today is

Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2025, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (3): 50-62.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.LYKX20240428

• Research papers • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Characteristics of Temporal and Spatial Variations of Lightning in China’s Key Forest Areas

Liqing Si1,2,Wei Li1,2,Mingyu Wang1,2,*(),Lifu Shu1,2,Shangbo Yuan3,Weike Li1,2,Hui Zhang4,Yifan Shi4,Nuanyang Zhou1,2   

  1. 1. Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, CAF　Beijing 100091
    2. National Forestry and Grassland Fire Monitoring Early Warning and Prevention Engineering Technology Research Center　Beijing 100091
    3. Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences　Beijing 100190
    4. Beijing Academy of Emergency Management Science and Technology　Beijing 100070
  • Received:2024-07-10 Online:2025-03-25 Published:2025-03-27
  • Contact: Mingyu Wang E-mail:oldchoff@163.com

RichHTML

9

PDF (PC)

70

Abstract:

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of lightning in key forest areas across the country, in order to enhance the accuracy of predicting lightning-caused fires. Method: Based on the three-dimensional very low frequency/low frequency (VLF/LF) lightning monitoring data in 2023, this study analyzes the quantity, peak current intensity, cloud flash height and spatiotemporal distribution of lightning (intra-cloud lightning; cloud to ground lightning; positive lightning; negative lightning) in seven key forest areas in China, including the Liangshan forest area of Sichuan Province, Daxing?anling forest area in Heilongjiang, Daxing?anling forest area in Inner Mongolia, Saihanba forest area of Hebei Province, Altai forest area of Xinjiang, Beijing, and Fujian Wuyishan National Park. Result: 1) The Liangshan forest area of Sichuan Province experienced the highest frequency of lightning strikes, followed by the Daxing?anling forest area in Heilongjiang and Daxing?anling forest area in Inner Mongolia, with the Saihanba forest area of Hebei Province recording the lowest. The proportion of negative lightning was significantly higher than that of positive lightning in all regions. The total lightning density and cloud to ground lightning density in the liangshan forest area of Sichuan Province were the highest, reaching 9.12 and 5.03 times?km?2a?1, respectively, whereas the Altai forest area of Xinjiang had the lowest total lightning density and cloud to ground lightning density, with only 0.16 and 0.11 times?km?2a?1, respectively. 2) In Beijing, the Daxing?anling forest area in Heilongjiang, and the Daxing?anling forest area in Inner Mongolia, the distribution of current intensity for positive lightning was more concentrated, with the vast majority ranging from 0 and 40 kA, accounting for 93.91%, 91.50%, and 87.83% of the total lightning occurrences, respectively. In contrast, the other four regions were more widely distributed, particularly in Altai forest area of Xinjiang. 3) The intra-cloud lightning heights in the Daxing?anling forest area in Heilongjiang, the Daxing?anling forest area in Inner Mongolia, Beijing and the liangshan forest area of Sichuan Province were predominantly below 16 000 m. In contrast, the intra-cloud lightning heights in the Altai forest area of Xinjiang, the Saihanba forest area of Hebei Province and the Fujian Wuyishan National Park were predominantly below 22 000 m. The proportion of intra-cloud lightning at a height of 1 250 m was the highest across all forest regions. 4) The maximum number of lightning in different regions occured in various months. The Daxing?anling forest area in Heilongjiang, the Daxing?anling forest area in Inner Mongolia, Beijing and the Fujian Wuyishan National Park mainly occurred in July, the Altai forest area of Xinjiang and the Saihanba forest area of Hebei Province in August, and the Liangshan forest area of Sichuan Province peaked in September. The Daxing?anling forest area in Heilongjiang and the Daxing?anling forest area in Inner Mongolia experienced a longer period of high lightning activity within a day, with high numbers of lightning events from 12:00 and 19:00. In contrast, the Liangshan Forest Area in Sichuan showed a high concentration of lightning events from 15:00 to 24:00, indicating a greater frequency of nocturnal occurrences. Except for the Liangshan Forest Area in Sichuan, the daily distribution of lightning events in other forest regions exhibited a unimodal pattern, predominantly occurring during the daytime. 5) The lightning in the Daxing?anling forest area in Heilongjiang was mainly distributed in the northwest, central and southern parts. The lightning in the Daxing?anling forest area in Inner Mongolia was mainly concentrated in the north central areas between the Jinhe and the Khanma, as well as near the Ganhe. In Beijing, the lightning was concentrated in the Huairou District, Miyun District, Pinggu District, and Mentougou districts. In the Saihanba forest area of Hebei Province, lightning was concentrated in the area of Sandaohekou and Qaincengban. In the Liangshan forest area of Sichuan Province, lightning was mainly distributed in Yuexi County, Mianning County, and Xide County. In the Altay forest area of Xinjiang, lightning was mainly concentrated in the west of Habahe, the northwest of Burqin, and the Altay. In the Fujian Wuyishan National Park, lightning was concentrated in the southeastern and central south general control areas, as well as the southwestern core protected areas. Conclusion: Lightning occurrence in China exhibited significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Based on the impact of lightning on the occurrence of lightning-caused fires, more attention should be paid to lightning activities in mountainous areas from July to September. Particularly in the monitoring and early warning process of lightning-caused fire, emphasis should be placed on nocturnal lightning-caused fire events in the Sichuan area.

Key words: 3D lightning location system, lightning characteristics, lightning activity, lightning fire, spatiotemporal heterogeneity, key forest areas, night fire

CLC Number: