Method of studying infrasound waves from thunderstorms

Abstract

The paper provides an overview of studies of infrasound signals from thunderstorms over a period of more than 30 years. We deal with several types of infrasound signals from thunderstorms detected at the ISTP SB RAS infrasound station Badary in Buryatia. Special attention is paid to signals arising during the rarefaction phase. A mechanism for generating signals of this type by converting the energy of the electrostatic field into fluctuations in the pressure field was proposed by Dessler in 1973. We propose a method for identifying thunderstorm infrasound signals of various types: 1 — signals from an expanding thermal lightning channel; 2 — signals with an electrostatic generation mechanism. Using infrasound signals recorded earlier at the station in Buryatia as an example, we discuss the validity of the thunderstorm cloud model and assess some parameters of the thunderstorm source of infrasound.