ARE EQUATORIAL NEGATIVE LIGHTNING FLASHES MORE INTENSE THAN THOSE AT HIGHER LATITUDES

For the first time, direct peak-current measurements with an instrumen ted tower of 27 negative downward lightning flashes were obtained at l atitudes below 25 degrees. The measurements were carried out in Belo H orizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil (geographic latitude 20 degrees S) from 1985 to 1995. The medians of the peak current for the first and subse quent strokes are compared with the values obtained in other locations ;. The comparison suggests that the first-stroke peak current of negat ive flashes tends to increase (when moving from high latitudes) toward s 30 degrees of geographic latitude, and then remains approximately co nstant to the equator. The peak current of the subsequent strokes, in turn, seems not to be related to latitude. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science L td.