Relationship Between Sprite Current and Morphology

Abstract

• Optically-large sprites with upward streamers (carrots and jellyfish) tend to have larger sprite current moments than column sprites • 63 sprites were detected using up to 100,000 fps high-speed video. VLF remote sensing shows that 56% of them have a sprite current signature • Several vigorously luminous sprites have remarkably large peak current moments, up to 2,700 kA km

Evidence and Inferred Mechanism of Collisions of Downward Stepped‐Leader Branches in Negative Lightning

“…Similar collisions in sprites were reported by Montanyà et al (2010, Figure 4) and Stenbaek-Nielsen et al (2013, Figure 7). Very complex behavior of sprite streamers (recorded at 100,000 frames per second), including collisions, was reported by McHarg et al (2019) (see also Contreras-Vidal et al, 2020).…”

“…Very complex behavior of sprite streamers (recorded at 100,000 frames per second), including collisions, was reported by McHarg et al. (2019) (see also Contreras‐Vidal et al., 2020).…”

“…Similar collisions in sprites were reported by Montanyà et al (2010, Figure 4) and Stenbaek-Nielsen et al (2013, Figure 7). Very complex behavior of sprite streamers (recorded at 100,000 frames per second), including collisions, was reported by McHarg et al (2019) (see also Contreras-Vidal et al, 2020).Luque and Ebert (2014) developed a 3D numerical model to simulate the collective dynamics of branched streamer formations. They have found that the inner branches of a positive-streamer tree are negatively…”

D Region Electron Density Derived From Sprite Observations

“…An analysis of the 63 sprites and their relation to sprite currents has been presented by Contreras‐Vidal et al. (2021). The two carrots are relatively weak compared to most of the 63 sprites, and Contreras‐Vidal et al., extracted no sprite currents for the event.…”

Contrast between continental and oceanic thunderstorms in producing red sprites and halos

“…Li et al (2012) also suggested that the timescale of causative CG strokes, primarily the impulse current, has a significant impact on the morphology of sprites (e.g., Qin et al, 2013). First of all, as shown in Figure 3 regarding one of the cases examined in details by Li et al (2012), due to the relatively short duration and therefore a less influence by the relatively high conductivity at high altitudes, the lightning-induced E-field perturbation can penetrate into higher region; secondly, the short duration of charge transfer results in a greater induction component in the lightning-induced E-field perturbation (e.g., Contreras-vidal et al, 2021), and therefore the overall region of dielectric breakdown extends to a higher altitude.…”