Influence of the Canton Tower on the cloud-to-ground lightning in its vicinity

This paper analyzed the influence of the Canton Tower on cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning in its vicinity based on the data obtained by Lightning Location System (LLS) of the Guangdong Power Grid Corporation from 1999 to 2015. The LLS data obtained before (1999-2005) and after (2010-2015) the erection of the Canton Tower were compared. The flash/stroke density showed a significant increase in the immediate vicinity around the Canton Tower within a radius of 1 km, and a clear decrease in the annular vicinity with a radius from 1 km to 4 km. The arithmetic mean and median LLS-inferred peak current of strokes occurred in 1 km radius area around the Canton Tower exhibited a significant increase, while that of the strokes occurred beyond 1 km did not show a clear change. The percentage of negative flashes (ratio of negative flashes to total flashes) showed a slight increase in the immediate vicinity around the Canton Tower, which could be caused by the upward lightning (often negative) initiated from the tower. Due to the existence of the Canton Tower, the lightning multiplicity presented a decreasing trend to some extent within 4 km radius around the tower compared with the arithmetic mean value within 10 km radius. It is speculated that the Canton Tower induced lots of upward flashes and attracted some downward flashes around it within several kilometers radius to itself.