Lightning mapping observation of a terrestrial gamma‐ray flash

Lu, Gaopeng; Blakeslee, Richard J.; Li, Jingbo; Smith, David M.; Shao, Xuan‐Min; McCaul, Eugene W.; Buechler, Dennis E.; Christian, H. J.; Hall, John M.; Cummer, Steven A.

doi:10.1029/2010gl043494

Cited by 136 publications

(210 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The total charges were ±36.5 C in the two regions. This configuration is consistent with the altitude range of +IC lightning associated with TGFs [ Stanley et al , 2006; Shao et al , 2010; Lu et al , 2010]. In addition, a small uniform field (1.0 × 10 4 V/m × n ), pointed downward, was added to insure that the vertical component of the field did not become too small in the particle simulation volume.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…Early sferics observations suggested that TGFs were associated with lightning, which at the time was interpreted +CG lightning associated with sprites [ Inan et al , 1996]. Currently, most TGFs are believed to be produced inside thunderclouds during the initial stage of upward positive intracloud (IC) lightning [ Stanley et al , 2006; Lu et al , 2010; Shao et al , 2010; Connaughton et al , 2010; Lu et al , 2011]. However, how the lightning is related to the TGF production has not been clear, nor has it been well understood why some lightning produces TGFs while many others do not [ Splitt et al , 2010; Smith et al , 2011].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The relativistic feedback discharge model of terrestrial gamma ray flashes

2012

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.[1] As thunderclouds charge, the large-scale fields may approach the relativistic feedback threshold, above which the production of relativistic runaway electron avalanches becomes self-sustaining through the generation of backward propagating runaway positrons and backscattered X-rays. Positive intracloud (IC) lightning may force the large-scale electric fields inside thunderclouds above the relativistic feedback threshold, causing the number of runaway electrons, and the resulting X-ray and gamma ray emission, to grow exponentially, producing very large fluxes of energetic radiation. As the flux of runaway electrons increases, ionization eventually causes the electric field to discharge, bringing the field below the relativistic feedback threshold again and reducing the flux of runaway electrons. These processes are investigated with a new model that includes the production, propagation, diffusion, and avalanche multiplication of runaway electrons; the production and propagation of X-rays and gamma rays; and the production, propagation, and annihilation of runaway positrons. In this model, referred to as the relativistic feedback discharge model, the large-scale electric fields are calculated self-consistently from the charge motion of the drifting low-energy electrons and ions, produced from the ionization of air by the runaway electrons, including two-and three-body attachment and recombination. Simulation results show that when relativistic feedback is considered, bright gamma ray flashes are a natural consequence of upward +IC lightning propagating in large-scale thundercloud fields. Furthermore, these flashes have the same time structures, including both single and multiple pulses, intensities, angular distributions, current moments, and energy spectra as terrestrial gamma ray flashes, and produce large current moments that should be observable in radio waves.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relativistic feedback discharge model of terrestrial gamma ray flashes

2012

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“…These include: the intensity distribution of TGFs and their lower limit of intensity or threshold of occurrence, if any; the altitude range of the origin of the emission; the cutoff energy, variations of TGF spectra at the source; the beaming characteristics of the radiation; the type(s) of lightning that are associated with the production of TGFs, and the temporal relationships of TGFs to the lightning associated with them. The latter was first examined by Inan et al [1996] and more recently in papers by Cummer et al [2005], Stanley et al [2006], Lu et al [2010], Cohen et al [2010], Briggs et al [2010], and Connaughton et al [2010].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal properties of the terrestrial gamma-ray flashes from the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor on the Fermi Observatory

et al. 2011

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[1] The Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (Fermi) detected 50 terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) during its first 20 months of operation. The high efficiency and large area of the GBM detectors, combined with their fine timing capabilities and relatively high throughput, allow unprecedented studies of the temporal properties of TGFs. The TGF pulses are observed to have durations as brief as ∼0.05 ms, shorter than previously measured. There is a relatively narrow distribution of pulse durations; the majority of pulses have total durations between 0.10 and 0.40 ms. In some TGF events, risetimes as short as ∼0.01 ms and falltimes as short as ∼0.03 ms are observed. Three of the 50 TGFs presented here have well-separated, double peaks. Perhaps as many as 10 other TGFs show evidence, to varying degrees, of overlapping peaks. Weak emission is seen at the leading or trailing edges of some events. Five of the 50 TGFs are considerably longer than usual; these are believed to be caused by incident electrons transported from a TGF at the geomagnetic conjugate point. TGF temporal properties can be used to discriminate between models of the origin of TGFs and also provide some basic physical properties of the TGF process.

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“…They usually occur in powerful thunderstorms, and have been associated mostly with intra-cloud discharges at altitudes in the range of 10-20 km (e.g. Lu et al, 2010). The TGF geographical distribution, for the most favorable detection conditions occurring in tropical regions , closely follows the lightning distribution (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible effects on avionics induced by terrestrial gamma-ray flashes

Tavani

Argan

Paccagnella

et al. 2013

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) are impulsive (intrinsically sub-millisecond) events associated with lightning in powerful thunderstorms. TGFs turn out to be very powerful natural accelerators known to accelerate particles and generate radiation up to hundreds of MeV energies. The number ratio of TGFs over normal lightning has been measured in tropical regions to be near 10⁻⁴. We address in this Article the issue of the possible susceptibility of typical aircraft electronics exposed to TGF particle, gamma ray and neutron irradiation. We consider possible scenarios regarding the intensity, the duration, and geometry of TGFs influencing nearby aircraft, and study their effects on electronic equipment. We calculate, for different assumptions, the total dose and the dose-rate, and estimate single-event-effects. We find that in addition to the electromagnetic component (electrons/positrons, gamma rays) also secondary neutrons produced by gamma-ray photo production in the aircraft structure substantially contribute to single-event effects in critical semiconductors components. Depending on the physical characteristics and geometry, TGFs may deliver a large flux of neutrons within a few milliseconds in an aircraft. This flux is calculated to be orders of magnitude larger than the natural cosmic-ray background, and may constitute a serious hazard to aircraft electronic equipment. We present a series of numerical simulations supporting our conclusions. Our results suggest the necessity of dedicated measurement campaigns addressing the radiative and particle environment of aircraft near or within thunderstorms

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Lightning mapping observation of a terrestrial gamma‐ray flash

Cited by 136 publications

References 28 publications

The relativistic feedback discharge model of terrestrial gamma ray flashes

The relativistic feedback discharge model of terrestrial gamma ray flashes

Temporal properties of the terrestrial gamma-ray flashes from the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor on the Fermi Observatory

Possible effects on avionics induced by terrestrial gamma-ray flashes

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