Atmospheric discharges and particle fluxes

Abstract

Fluxes of the electrons, gamma rays, and neutrons observed by particle detectors located on the Earth's surface during thunderstorms originate so‐called Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs). The relativistic runaway electron avalanches giving rise to TGEs originate in the thundercloud's lower dipole between the main negatively charged region in the middle of the thundercloud and transient lower positively charged region. Acceleration of electrons in the upper dipole between main negative and main positive charge regions leads to initiation of the terrestrial gamma flashes (TGFs) intensive researched during the last two decades by orbiting gamma ray observatories. TGFs are exceptionally intense, submillisecond bursts of electromagnetic radiation directed to the open space from the thunderstorm atmosphere. Unlike visible lightning, TGF beams do not create a hot plasma channel and optical flash; hence, in the literature they got name “dark lightning.” We investigate the TGEs development in 1 min and 1 s time series of particle detector count rates. Synchronized time series of the near‐surface electric field and lightning occurrences allows interconnecting two atmospheric phenomena. Registration of the Extensive Air Showers allows approaching problems of relation of the lightning occurrences and particle fluxes.

On the initiation of lightning in thunderclouds

“…The new generation of ASEC detectors consists of 1- and 3-cm-thick molded plastic scintillators arranged in stacks (named STAND1 and STAND3) and cubic structures (named CUBE1 and CUBE3); see the appendix. A detailed description of ASEC detectors, including charts with all sizes, is available from the WEB site of the Cosmic Ray Division of Yerevan Physics Institute http://crd.yerphi.am/ADEI in the WIKI section of the multivariate visualization platform and from 5 , 20 . With networks of these and other operated on Aragats particle detectors, we continuously monitor incident particle fluxes and geophysical parameters.…”

Origin of enhanced gamma radiation in thunderclouds

“…In Ref. [41], we describe a 4-minute lasting airglow, which we relate to fluorescence emission from air molecules excited by high-energy electrons accelerated in the lower dipole of an electrified thundercloud. On the 1st of September 2019, we detected a 15-minute lasting uninterruptable airglow, now documented by 1-Hz frequency shots of the same panoramic camera.…”

“…Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI. [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50] MeV (see Fig. 1).…”

Russian studies of atmospheric electricity in 2015–2018

“…В работе [68] сопоставлено расположение географических областей избытка/дефицита TGF [69][70][71][72], краткие результаты которых состоят в следующем. Показано, что почти всегда TGE прерывается после молниевой вспышки, произошедшей в том же грозовом облаке.…”