Illumination of mesospheric irregularity by lightning discharge

Abstract

[1] Theoretical model calculations recently predicted the existence of mesospheric irregularities which assist the initiation of sprites. Here we report the experimental detection of a 3-19 km 3 large mesospheric irregularity at 80-85 km height which is illuminated by the electromagnetic field of an intense positive cloud-to-ground lightning discharge. While the lightning discharge causes a prompt group of four sprites above the lightning discharge, the mesospheric irregularity is found at a horizontal distance at least 15-20 km away from the sprite group and it rebrightens 40-60 ms after the sprite group occurrence. This rebrightening is driven by a local quasi-static electric field enhancement with a charge moment 4-20 C km which causes the irregularity to develop a downward descending luminous column from 75-85 km height. The quasi-static electric field enhancement is caused by the reorganization of residual charge inside the thundercloud during a high-level activity of intracloud discharges with 10-20 pulses per ms. Such mesospheric irregularities might have an effect on the wave propagation of 100 kHz radio waves which are used for atomic time transfer and marine navigation. Citation: Füllekrug, M., A. Mezentsev, S. Soula, O. van der Velde, and A. Evans (2013), Illumination of mesospheric irregularity by lightning discharge, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40,[6411][6412][6413][6414][6415][6416]

Sprite climatology in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

“…The existence of plasma irregularities at the bottom of the ionospheric D-region was shown to foster the movement of numerous halo emissions that descend rapidly, then stop and form stationary glow from which sprite streamers emerge and accelerate downwards (Qin et al, 2014). Such ionospheric irregularities may be produced by meteor debris or due to the low frequency radiation from multiple strokes in lightning channels below (Füllekrug et al, 2013).…”

Dancing sprites: Detailed analysis of two case studies

“…[]. Recent theories suggest that mesospheric irregularities might be a necessary condition for the initiation of sprite streamers [ Liu et al ., ; Kosar et al ., ; Qin et al ., ] and that the sprite streamers can produce low‐frequency electromagnetic radiation [ Qin et al ., ; Füllekrug et al ., ]. Our observations of delayed sprites associated to current surges during the continuing current and following initial sprite elements can support this theory.…”

Time and space correlation between sprites and their parent lightning flashes for a thunderstorm observed during the HyMeX campaign

“…The initiation of sprites below the conventional breakdown threshold is currently under debate [ Liu et al ., ] based on numerous compelling observations and numerical simulations of sprites [ Gamerota et al ., ; Li et al ., ; Hu et al , ]. Besides, Füllekrug et al [] reported the experimental detection of a large mesospheric irregularity which was probably illuminated by lightning electromagnetic fields at the altitude of sprite formation (80–85 km) after an intense positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning discharge that produced a sprite discharge in southern France.…”