Global distribution and characteristics of intense lightning discharges as deduced from ELF transients observed at Moshiri (Japan)

The ELF data during one year (July 15 – September 27, 2004 and October 1, 2005 to June 30) at a single station of Moshiri (Japan) are used to investigate the global distribution and characteristics of intense lightning discharges. The statistics of those ELF transients whose locations are sufficiently accurately determined, has yielded the following; (1) Enhanced activity is found in Asia (for both polarities), and small charge moment change (Qds) events are dominant in Asia, (2) Large Qds (≥500C·km) is dominant in Africa and America, with Qds >1000C•km being predominant in Africa. (3) Continents are rich in +CGs, while –CGs are dominant in the maritime Asia, and (4) The UT (universal time) dependence of occurrence rate of intense ELF transients is found to be completely in opposite phase to that of conventional worldwide thunderstorm activity, being concentrated in the UT interval from 20 h to 5 h.