TEA-IS: Thunderstorm Effects on the Atmosphere-Ionosphere System

This is the kick-off meeting of the ESF Research Networking Programme TEA-IS. It provides the opportunity to propose and to coordinate research collaborations within Europe and beyond.

The objectives of the workshop are to understand the role of thunderstorms in the atmosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere system and anthropogenic influences on thunderstorms. A holistic approach is adopted to explore a multitude of processes and their interdependencies; some processes are of such a fundamental nature that the insights gained are expected to have impacts even beyond the field of atmospheric science. The scientific topics of the meeting are:

1.    The physics of atmospheric electricity

a.    Fundamentals of thundercloud formation and electrification

b.    Fundamentals of atmospheric electric discharges

2.    Lightning field-induced perturbations to the atmosphere-ionosphere

a.    Ionisation and conductivity perturbations, and their larger scale effects

b.    Perturbations to atmospheric chemical composition

3.    Convection-induced perturbations to the atmosphere-ionosphere

a.    The upper-troposphere/lower stratosphere interface

b.    Gravity wave perturbations to the stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere

4.    Applications

a.    Technological plasma systems

b.    The Earth’s atmosphere, weather, climate and climate change

We will also:

1.    Identify collaborative projects between research groups

2.    Consolidate plans for summer school in June 2012

3.    Identify missing topics, persons, groups, and how to get them involved