Ground-based observations of thunderstorm-correlated fluxes of high-energy electrons, gamma rays, and neutrons

Chilingarian, A.; Daryan, A.V.; Arakelyan, K.; Hovhannisyan, A.; Mailyan, B.; Melkumyan, L.V.; Hovsepyan, G.; Chilingaryan, S.; Reymers, A.; Vanyan, Levon

doi:10.1103/physrevd.82.043009

Cited by 210 publications

(202 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The intensity enhancements of ground cosmic rays have been detected by high altitude experiments, such as the Carpet air shower array [10,11], EAS-TOP [12], ASEC [13][14][15][16][17] and ASγ [18]. Their results indicated that the increases were associated with the electric field and the RREA process could be responsible for huge TGEs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

Zhou

Wang

Huang

et al. 2016

Astroparticle Physics

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Monte Carlo simulations are performed to study the correlation between the ground cosmic ray intensity and near-earth thunderstorms electric field at YBJ (4300 m a.s.l., Tibet, China).The variations of the secondary cosmic ray intensity are found to be highly dependent on the strength and polarity of the electric field. In negative fields and in positive fields greater than 600 V/cm, the total number of ground comic ray positrons and electrons increases with increasing electric field strength. And these values increase more obviously when involving a shower with lower primary energy or a higher zenith angle. While in positive fields ranging from 0 to 600 V/cm, the total number of ground comic ray positrons and electrons declines and the amplitude is up to 3.1% for vertical showers. A decrease of intensity occurs in inclined showers within the range of 0−500 V/cm, which is accompanied by smaller amplitudes. In this paper, the intensity changes are discussed, especially concerning the decreases in positive electric fields. Our simulation results are in good agreement with ground-based experimental results obtained from ARGO-YBJ and the Carpet air shower array. These results could be helpful in understanding the acceleration mechanisms of secondary charged particles caused by an atmospheric electric field.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

Zhou

Wang

Huang

et al. 2016

Astroparticle Physics

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“…3 of Brunetti et al 2000). Recent measurements have demonstrated that there are two ways to overcome the problem of absorption in intervening atmosphere: by using a high-altitude site (Brunetti et al 2000;Chubenko et al 2000Chubenko et al , 2003Alexeenko et al 2002;Torii et al 2009;Tsuchiya et al 2009;Chilingarian et al 2010) and by studying storms where the charge centers are very low, specifically winter storms in Japan (Torii et al 2002Tsuchiya et al 2007Tsuchiya et al , 2011. It has been shown that in these locations, the phenomenon is common.…”

Section: Glows Observed From the Groundmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-Energy Atmospheric Physics: Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes and Related Phenomena

2012

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It is now well established that both thunderclouds and lightning routinely emit x-rays and gamma-rays. These emissions appear over wide timescales, ranging from submicrosecond bursts of x-rays associated with lightning leaders, to sub-millisecond bursts of gamma-rays seen in space called terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, to minute long glows from thunderclouds seen on the ground and in or near the cloud by aircraft and balloons. In particular, terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), which are thought to be emitted by thunderclouds, are so bright that they sometimes saturate detectors on spacecraft hundreds of kilometers away. These TGFs also generate energetic secondary electrons and positrons that are detected by spacecraft in the inner magnetosphere. It is generally believed that these x-ray and gamma-ray emissions are generated, via bremsstrahlung, by energetic runaway electrons that are accelerated by electric fields in the atmosphere. In this paper, we review this newly emerging field of High-Energy Atmospheric Physics, including the production of runaway electrons, the production and propagation of energetic radiation, and the effects of both on atmospheric electrodynamics.

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“…Since then, several groups have measured glows from the ground [3][4][5][6][7] and from balloons 8,9 . Other groups refer to glows as thunderstorm ground enhancements (TGE) (ref.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Relativistic electron avalanches as a thunderstorm discharge competing with lightning

et al. 2015

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Gamma-ray 'glows' are long duration (seconds to tens of minutes) X-ray and gamma-ray emission coming from thunderclouds. Measurements suggest the presence of relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREA), the same process underlying terrestrial gamma-ray flashes. Here we demonstrate that glows are relatively a common phenomena near the tops of thunderstorms, when compared with events such as terrestrial gamma-ray flashes. Examining the strongest glow measured by the airborne detector for energetic emissions, we show that this glow is measured near the end of a downward RREA, consistent with occurring between the upper positive charge layer and the negative screening layer above it. The glow discharges the upper positive layer by Z9.6 mA, strong enough to be an important charging mechanism of the storm. For this glow, the gamma-ray flux observed is close to the value at which relativistic feedback processes become important, with an avalanche multiplication factor of 4,500.

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Ground-based observations of thunderstorm-correlated fluxes of high-energy electrons, gamma rays, and neutrons

Cited by 210 publications

References 40 publications

Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

High-Energy Atmospheric Physics: Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes and Related Phenomena

Relativistic electron avalanches as a thunderstorm discharge competing with lightning

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