Groups of narrow bipolar events within thunderstorms

Geophysical Research Letters

Pérez‐Invernón

et al. 2021

gests streamer coronas to be the cause of narrow bipolar events (NBEs). NBEs were originally detected by Le Vine (1980) in the form of strong radio frequency sources from in-cloud electrical activity. Such sources were characterized by short-duration (10-30  E s) bipolar sferic waveforms recorded in the very low frequency (VLF)/low frequency (LF) (10-400 kHz) range (Smith et al., 1999). NBEs can also appear accompanied by strong very high frequency (VHF) (30-300 MHz) radiation bursts. N EFirst Negative System (FNS) at 391.4 nm than leaderless corona discharges (Gallimberti et al., 1974).

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, dynamics(Bandara et al, 2019(Bandara et al, , 2021Jacobson & Heavner, 2005;Jacobson et al, 2013;Wiens et al, 2008) and probableFigure 5.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Frequency and Geographical Distribution of Nighttime Streamer Corona Discharges (BLUEs) in Thunderclouds

Soler

Geophysical Research Letters

Pérez‐Invernón

et al. 2021

“…The BLUE events originated from the boundary of a rapidly evolving thunderstorm cell. This suggests that rapid turbulent mixing of the screening layer plays a role in the inception of fast breakdown (Krehbiel et al., 2008; Lyons et al., 2003) or the occurrence of groups of localized NBEs is associated with dynamically intense convection (Bandara et al., 2021). Note that the cloud top heights provided by FY‐4A that we use here are likely underestimates 2–3 km comparing with radar data (B. Liu et al., 2021; F. Liu et al., 2021).…”

Section: Instruments and Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blue Flashes as Counterparts to Narrow Bipolar Events: The Optical Signal of Shallow In‐Cloud Discharges

Luque

et al. 2021

JGR Atmospheres

Narrow Bipolar Events (NBEs) are powerful radio emissions from thunderstorms, which have been recently associated with blue optical flashes on cloud tops and attributed to extensive streamer electrical discharges named fast breakdown. Combining data obtained from a thunderstorm over South China by the space‐based Atmosphere Space Interactions Monitor, the Vaisala GLD360 global lightning network and very low frequency/low frequency radio detectors, here we report and analyze for the first time the optical emissions of blue luminous events associated with negative NBEs and located at the top edge of a thundercloud. These emissions are weakly affected by scattering from cloud droplets, allowing us to estimate the source extension and optical energy involved in the process. The optical energy in the 337‐nm band emitted by fast breakdown is about 104 J, which involves around 109 streamer initiation events.

“…The BLUE events originated from the boundary of a rapidly evolving thunderstorm cell. This suggests that rapid turbulent mixing of the screening layer plays a role in the inception of fast breakdown (Krehbiel et al, 2008;Lyons et al, 2003) or the occurrence of groups of localized NBEs is associated with dynamically intense convection (Bandara et al, 2021). Note that the cloud top heights provided by FY-4A that we use here are likely underestimates 2-3 km comparing with radar data (B.…”

Section: Tablementioning

confidence: 80%

Blue Flashes as Counterparts to Narrow Bipolar Events: the Optical Signal of Shallow In-Cloud Discharges

Luque

et al. 2021

Preprint

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