A new automated method to retrieve charge layer polarity from flashes, named Chargepol, is presented in this paper. Using data from the NASA Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) deployed during the Remote sensing of Electrification, Lightning, And Mesoscale/microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations (RELAMPAGO) field campaign in Cordoba, Argentina, from November 2018 to April 2019, this method estimates the polarity of vertical charge distributions and their altitudes and thicknesses (or vertical depth) using the very-high frequency (VHF) source emissions detected by LMAs. When this method is applied to LMA data for extended periods of time, it is capable of inferring a storm's bulk electrical charge structure throughout its life cycle. This method reliably predicted the polarity of charge within which lightning flashes propagated and was validated in comparison to methods that require manual assignment of polarities via visual inspection of VHF lightning sources. Examples of normal and anomalous charge structures retrieved using Chargepol for storms in Central Argentina during RELAMPAGO are presented for the first time. Application of Chargepol to five months of LMA data in Central Argentina and several locations in the United States allowed for the characterization of the charge structure in these regions and for a reliable comparison using the same methodology. About 13.3% of Cordoba thunderstorms were defined by an anomalous charge structure, slightly higher than in Oklahoma (12.5%) and West Texas (11.1%), higher than Alabama (7.3%), and considerably lower than in Colorado (82.6%). Some of the Cordoba anomalous thunderstorms presented enhanced low-level positive charge, a feature rarely if ever observed in Colorado thunderstorms.

中文翻译：

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利用新的电荷层极性识别方法表征 RELAMPAGO 期间阿根廷中部雷暴的电荷结构

本文提出了一种从闪光中检索电荷层极性的新自动化方法，称为 Chargepol。使用 2018 年 11 月至 2019 年 4 月在阿根廷科尔多瓦进行电气化、闪电和中尺度/微尺度过程遥感自适应地面观测 (RELAMPAGO) 现场活动期间部署的 NASA 闪电测绘阵列 (LMA) 的数据，该方法估计使用 LMA 检测到的甚高频 (VHF) 源发射来确定垂直电荷分布的极性及其高度和厚度（或垂直深度）。当这种方法长时间应用于 LMA 数据时，它能够推断风暴整个生命周期的整体电荷结构。该方法可靠地预测了闪电传播的电荷极性，并与需要通过目视检查 VHF 闪电源手动分配极性的方法进行了比较。首次介绍了使用 Chargepol 在 RELAMPAGO 期间阿根廷中部风暴中检索到的正常和异常电荷结构的示例。将 Chargepol 应用到阿根廷中部和美国几个地点五个月的 LMA 数据中，可以表征这些地区的电荷结构，并使用相同的方法进行可靠的比较。大约 13.3% 的科尔多瓦雷暴是由异常电荷结构定义的，略高于俄克拉荷马州（12.5%）和西德克萨斯州（11.1%），高于阿拉巴马州（7.3%），并且大大低于科罗拉多州（82.6%）。一些科尔多瓦异常雷暴呈现出增强的低水平正电荷，这一特征在科罗拉多雷暴中很少观察到。