Statistical Distributions of Lightning Currents Associated With Upward Negative Flashes Based on the Data Collected at the Säntis (EMC) Tower in 2010 and 2011

This paper presents statistical distributions of lightning current parameters based on the lightning current and current-derivative waveforms measured at the Säntis Tower site in 2010 and 2011. The total number of flashes analyzed in this study was 167, which includes nearly 2000 pulses. The statistical distributions refer to upward negative flashes. It is shown that negative flashes are mainly concentrated in the summer months during the convective season. Statistical data on the salient lightning current parameters, namely, peak current, peak current derivative, risetime, pulse charge, pulse duration, interpulse interval, and flash multiplicity are presented and discussed. The obtained data that constitute the largest dataset available to this date for upward negative flashes are also compared with other available statistical distributions.