This paper provides an overview on the spatiotemporal distribution and evolution mechanism of lightning. The predominant mechanism of ozone formation in the upper troposphere is lightning-induced precursors such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbons (HC). Lightning-induced NOx (LNOx) is one of the major ordinary sources of NOx in the upper atmosphere, particularly in the tropical region, but it is still highly uncertain as to the exact quantity. Various ground measurements, satellite observations and modelling studies on the lightning and global NOx source rate have been extensively studied and compared to find the variability in estimated global lightning-induced NOx. Lightning can influence the climate via the production of nitrogen oxides (NO + NO₂ = NOx) followed by the production of ozone, another efficient greenhouse gas. The global annual lightning NOx of 5 ± 3 Tg year⁻¹ has been estimated by modelling studies with an ozone creation efficiency of 6.5 ± 4.7 times that of surface NOx sources. Understanding and quantifying the processes and production of lightning and LNOx is important for assessment of ozone concentrations and its associated impacts on the global climate.

本文概述了闪电的时空分布和演化机制。对流层上方臭氧形成的主要机理是闪电诱导的前驱物，例如氮的氧化物（NOx），一氧化碳（CO）和碳氢化合物（HC）。闪电引起的NOx（LNOx）是高层大气中特别是热带地区NOx的主要普通来源之一，但确切数量仍然不确定。已经广泛研究了各种地面测量，卫星观测以及关于闪电和全球NOx排放源率的模型研究，并进行了比较，以发现估计的全球闪电诱发的NOx的变化性。闪电会通过产生氮氧化物（NO + NO _2）来影响气候。 = NOx），然后产生另一种有效的温室气体臭氧。通过模拟研究估计，全球臭氧年排放NOx为5±3 Tg year ^-1，其臭氧产生效率是表面NOx源的6.5±4.7倍。了解和量化闪电和LNOx的过程和产生对于评估臭氧浓度及其对全球气候的相关影响非常重要。