On the association of terrestrial gamma‐ray bursts with lightning and implications for sprites

Abstract

Measurements of ELF/VLF radio atmospherics (sferics) at Palmer Station, Antarctica, provide evidence of active thunderstorms near the inferred source regions of two different gamma‐ray bursts of terrestrial origin [Fishman et al., 1994]. In one case, a relatively intense sferic occurring within ±1.5 ms of the time of the gamma‐ray burst provides the first indication of a direct association of this burst with a lightning discharge. This sferic and many others launched by positive cloud‐to‐ground (CG) discharges and observed at Palmer during the periods studied exhibit ‘slow tail’ waveforms, indicative of continuing currents in the causative lightning discharges. The slow tails of these sferics are similar to those of sferics originating in positive CG discharges that are associated with sprites.

Criteria for sprites and elves based on Schumann resonance observations

“…Although an electromagnetic (i.e., EMP) mechanism is widely preferred over an electrostatic mechanism for the origin of elves [Krider, 1994;Inan et al, 1996b], it is of interest to examine the magnitude of the electrostatic stress in the altitude range exhibited by elves. In Table 1) are milliseconds or more.…”

“…More recently, elaborate theoretical models have been developed for sprites and elves on the basis of a tropospheric lightning source Bell et al, 1995;Inan et al, 1996b]. In this paper we return to the simpler ideas of Wilson to evaluate lightning source charac- …”

Interrelation between ELF transients and ionospheric disturbances in association with sprites and elves

“…(1)ELF transients, (2)VLF scattering and (3)Gamma-ray burst [Boccippio et al, 1995;Inan et al, 1995Inan et al, , 1996aDowden et al, 1996;Fishman et al, 1994], and individual characteristics of those were summarized [Rodger, 1999]. However, in order to have the comprehensive understanding on the coupling between the mesospheric optical phenomena and tropospheric lightning, and the ionosphere, coordinated measurement with quantitative information is extremely important.…”

Underlying mechanisms of transient luminous events: a review

“…The TGFs have now been extensively studied for more than a decade, beginning with their modern discovery (Fishman et al, 1994). It is generally believed that the TGFs are associated with an individual lightning strike since they occur in the form of narrow beams within a few ms of the lightning (Fishman et al, 1994;Inan et al, 1996a;Inan and Lehtinen, 2005;Cummer et al, 2005;Briggs et al, 2010). The observed rate of TGF events is much smaller than that of lightning flashes maybe due to the fact that it is difficult to detect the TGFs.…”

“…The perturbation of ionospheric and mesospheric conductivity due to the sprite ionization column and sprite halos has been observed by measuring changes in the amplitude and phase of signals from distant narrowband VLF transmitters passing over a thunderstorm region (Dowden et al, 1994;Inan et al, 1995Inan et al, , 1996aInan et al, , b, 1997Inan et al, , 2010Molchanov et al, 1998;Hobara et al, 2001;Otsuyama et al, 2004;Neubert et al, 2008). The perturbations of VLF transmitter signals have been observed a few ms after the causative lightning stroke.…”