Microphysical impact of aerosols on cloud electrification efficiencies over the Indian region

Abstract

In the present study, an attempted has been done to explain the non-linear inter-relationships between lightning and its various controlling factors. It has been demonstrated both physically and statistically how an enhanced aerosol loading leads to formation of smaller ice radii which drastically decreases the cloud electrification processes especially over the land regions where ice forming dust aerosols are much more abundant. Accordingly, this relationship has been utilized on global model simulations to reveal a further intensification of lightning radiance efficiencies in the marine environments and a relative dimming in land regions based on prevalent aerosol concentrations in future decades which may be alarming for policy makers.