Main results of LSO (Lightning and sprite observations) on board of the international space station

Blanc, E.; Farges, Thomas; Brebion, D.; Belyaev, A.N.; Alpatov, V. V.; Labarthe, A.; Melnikov, V. E.

doi:10.1007/bf02919458

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In this paper, we present new observations of lightning flashes, sprites, and other human‐induced emissions as large cities or gas flares realized on board the International Space Station (ISS) by the “Lightning and Sprites Observation” (LSO) experiment [ Blanc et al ., , , ]. We first give a brief description of this experiment and discuss its differences (advantages and limits) with other spaceborne experiments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of lightning, sprites, and human‐induced emissions observed by nadir‐viewing cameras on board the International Space Station

Farges

Blanc

2016

JGR Atmospheres

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The Lightning and Sprites Observation (LSO) experiment was designed to test a new concept of nadir-viewing sprite measurement on board the International Space Station using spectral differentiation methods for lightning and sprite identification. It was composed of two calibrated cameras: one equipped with a narrowband filter at 763 nm to maximize the contrast between sprites and lightning, and the other to monitor lightning. The LSO was operated at night during 15 days from 2001 to 2004 during which 197 lightning flashes, several sprites, hundreds of gas flares, and tens of cities were analyzed. The main strength of this experiment was its high spatial resolution of about 400 m. The structural details of some lightning are thus observed highlighting complex systems. Some features such as the nonlinear increase of the lightning-illuminated cloud top area with the peak radiance and the radial decrease of the lightning flash radiance were quantified. The median area is 129 km 2 with median minor and major axes of 12 and 16 km. Two methods of sprite identification are presented and applied to the most intense sprite events observed by LSO. The sprite diameter is 5 km and it is shifted of about 22 km from the center of the parent lightning. A ratio of 1.7% is deduced for lightning flashes between the radiances measured by both cameras. These observations should be useful for the preparation or the analysis of future space missions dedicated to nadir-viewing observations of sprites. Citation:Farges, T., and E. Blanc (2016), Characteristics of lightning, sprites, and human-induced emissions observed by nadir-viewing cameras on board the International Space Station, J. Geophys.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of lightning, sprites, and human‐induced emissions observed by nadir‐viewing cameras on board the International Space Station

Farges

Blanc

2016

JGR Atmospheres

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“…Electrostatic fields are generated by the removal of charge through positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning (+CG) and decrease with altitude as h −3 while the breakdown field changes as

\exp false(- h false/ H false)

where H is the scale height; thus, there is an intersection altitude where the ambient field generated by charge removal exceeds the breakdown field making it possible for sprite streamers to develop and grow. Sprites were first reported by Vaughan and Vonnegut () as well as by Franz et al () and confirmed later by various other missions (Blanc et al, ; Boeck et al, ; Stenbaek‐Nielsen et al, ; Yair et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 66%

The Sensitivity of Sprite Streamer Inception on the Initial Electron‐Ion Patch

2019

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Sprite streamers are bright atmospheric phenomena above thunderstorms powered by sufficiently high electric fields and free charges from inhomogeneities in the mesosphere or ionosphere. A common feature of recent simulations is that they model the streamer inception from spherical Gaussian electron-ion patches. We here tackle the following question: How do the streamer inception time and streamer properties depend on the initial geometry? Therefore, we consider prolate ("cigar") and oblate ("pancake") electron-ion patches aiming to understand the geometric influence on streamer inception speed, electric field evolution, branching time, and ohmic heating of streamers. We initiate patches of different geometry with fixed peak densities of 5 · 10 11 m −3 or with a fixed total electron number of 9.40 · 10 12 in ambient fields of 0.5 and 1.5 times the breakdown field and study the streamer evolution between 60 and 80 km altitude with a 2.5D cylindrical Monte Carlo particle code. We present the evolution of the electron density and of the electric field. In our simulations, the time for the electric field tips to develop into the regime where they can self sustain the discharge is shortest for streamers from prolate patches and longest for oblate patches. The branching time of negative fronts depends on the eccentricity and increases for oblate patches ranging from 5 to 8 s. We observe ohmic heating with maximum temperature differences up to tens of kelvins depending on the eccentricity and density of the initial patch influencing the efficiency of plasma reactions in streamer channels.

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“…Stratiform superbolts still may represent a unique set of lightning physics that could warrant a separate designation. In recent years, superbolts have been linked to powerful discharges from intense mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) that may accompany transient luminous events (Blanc et al, ). This type of storm also produces the large electrified stratiform regions where we find cases of stratiform superbolts in Figure d.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes to the Appearance of Optical Lightning Flashes Observed From Space According to Thunderstorm Organization and Structure

2020

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Optical lightning observations from space reveal a wide range of flash structure. Lightning imagers such as the Geostationary Lightning Mapper and Lightning Imaging Sensor measure flash appearance by recording transient changes in cloud top illumination. The spatial and temporal optical energy distributions reported by these instruments depend on the physical structure of the flash and the distribution of hydrometeors within the thundercloud that scatter and absorb the optical emissions. This study explores how flash appearance changes according to the scale and organization of the parent thunderstorms with a focus on mesoscale convective systems. Clouds near the storm edge are frequently illuminated by large optical flashes that remain stationary between groups. These flashes appear large because their emissions can reflect off the exposed surfaces of nearby clouds to reach the satellite. Large stationary flashes also occur in small isolated thunderstorms. Optical flashes that propagate horizontally, meanwhile, are most frequently observed in electrified stratiform regions where extensive layered charge structures promote lateral development. Highly radiant “superbolts” occur in two scenarios: embedded within raining stratiform regions or in nonraining boundary/anvil clouds where optical emissions can take a relatively clear path to the satellite.

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Main results of LSO (Lightning and sprite observations) on board of the international space station

Cited by 16 publications

References 13 publications

Characteristics of lightning, sprites, and human‐induced emissions observed by nadir‐viewing cameras on board the International Space Station

Characteristics of lightning, sprites, and human‐induced emissions observed by nadir‐viewing cameras on board the International Space Station

The Sensitivity of Sprite Streamer Inception on the Initial Electron‐Ion Patch

Changes to the Appearance of Optical Lightning Flashes Observed From Space According to Thunderstorm Organization and Structure

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