Electron-positron beams from terrestrial lightning observed with Fermi GBM

Briggs, M. S.; Connaughton, V.; Wilson-Hodge, C.; Preece, R.; Fishman, G. J.; Kippen, R. M.; Bhat, P. N.; Pačiesas, W. S.; Chaplin, V.; Meegan, C.; Kienlin, A. von; Greiner, J.; Dwyer, J. R.; Smith, David M.

doi:10.1029/2010gl046259

Cited by 138 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Authors of [22] found strong 511 keV e + annihilation lines, demonstrating that these TGFs also contain substantial e + components. Pair production occurs in conjunction with some terrestrial lightning and most likely all TGFs are injecting e + e − beams into the near Earth environment.…”

Section: Atmospheric Electricity and Terrestrial Gamma Flashes (Tgfs)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Possibilities for selected space weather and atmospheric studies in JEM-EUSO project?

Kudela¹

2016

Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2015)

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for the JEM-EUSO CollaborationThe main scientific task of JEM-EUSO is to observe the ultra high energy cosmic rays by looking the atmosphere from space [1,2,3,4]. The detailed description of various sources of the background is important. On the other hand, the study of selected magnetospheric, ionospheric and atmospheric processes related to temporal and spatial variability of UV (ultraviolet) on the orbit where JEM-EUSO is supposed to be situated, could be a useful by-product of the main task of the project (e.g. review [5]). We attempt to summarize selected processes connected with atmospheric electricity and with energetic particles having links to the events as TLE (transient luminous event), TGF (terrestrial gamma-ray flash) and TGE (thunderstorm ground enhancement), recently observed on mountains too. Our groups (in CBK Warsaw, in IEP Košice) have a long track of experience with measurements of waves and particles for magnetospheric/ionospheric research as well as with physical analysis/interpretation of the data obtained. The JEM-EUSO, if the experiment is augmented by a very simple device that monitors energetic particles, and coordinated with other satellite measurements and with ground based observations, may be of relevance for some space weather studies related to the effects in the chain magnetosphere/ionosphere/atmosphere. This can contribute to better understanding of electromagnetic responses of lightning on the Earth and of selected processes at high altitudes in the atmosphere.

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Section: Atmospheric Electricity and Terrestrial Gamma Flashes (Tgfs)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Possibilities for selected space weather and atmospheric studies in JEM-EUSO project?

Kudela¹

2016

Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference — PoS(ICRC2015)

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“…This signature energy uniquely identifies them in the data. Using the Fermi GBM, Briggs et al [2011] detected this specific gamma ray line indicative of the annihilation of positrons in some rare transient events known as terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs).…”

Section: Theory Of High-energy Processes In Thunderstormsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, a recent finding by Briggs et al [2011], based on observations by the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) instrument on NASA's satellitebased Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), shows that positrons are also generated by thunderstorms. Positrons are the antimatter form of electrons-they have the same mass and charge as an electron but are of positive rather than negative charge; hence the name positron.…”

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confidence: 99%

Positrons observed to originate from thunderstorms

Fishman

2011

EoS Transactions

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Thunderstorms are the result of warm, moist air moving rapidly upward, then cooling and condensing. Electrification occurs within thunderstorms (as noted by Benjamin Franklin), produced primarily by frictional processes among ice particles. This leads to lightning discharges; the types, intensities, and rates of these discharges vary greatly among thunderstorms. Even though scientists have been studying lightning since Franklin's time, new phenomena associated with thunderstorms are still being discovered. In particular, a recent finding by Briggs et al. [2011], based on observations by the Gamma‐Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) instrument on NASA's satellite‐based Fermi Gamma‐ray Space Telescope (Fermi), shows that positrons are also generated by thunderstorms. Positrons are the antimatter form of electrons—they have the same mass and charge as an electron but are of positive rather than negative charge; hence the name positron. Observations of positrons from thunderstorms may lead to a new tool for understanding the electrification and high‐energy processes occurring within thunderstorms. New theories, along with new observational techniques, are rapidly evolving in this field.

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“…Contrary to gamma rays, the charged particles are beamed by the magnetic field of the Earth, can travel thousands of kilometres from one hemisphere to the other and may be detected in unusual locations for TGFs; e.g. the Fermi 091214 event was detected above the Egyptian desert (Briggs et al, 2011;Sarria et al, 2016). These electrons/positrons can then be trapped by the geomagnetic field and they may provide a significant source of high-energy (> 1 MeV) particles to the radiation belts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A careful analysis of BATSE, RHESSI and Fermi-GBM data permitted the identification of some longer events with durations more than 1 ms (Smith et al, 2006;Dwyer et al, 2008;Cohen et al, 2010;Briggs et al, 2011). These events were not directly due to the detection of gamma rays, but to secondary electrons and positrons produced by the TGF, and were called terrestrial electron beams (TEBs).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

TARANIS XGRE and IDEE detection capability of terrestrial gamma-ray flashes and associated electron beams

Sarria

Lebrun

Blelly

et al. 2017

Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst.

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Abstract. With a launch expected in 2018, the TARANIS microsatellite is dedicated to the study of transient phenomena observed in association with thunderstorms. On board the spacecraft, XGRE and IDEE are two instruments dedicated to studying terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) and associated terrestrial electron beams (TEBs). XGRE can detect electrons (energy range: 1 to 10 MeV) and X-and gammarays (energy range: 20 keV to 10 MeV) with a very high counting capability (about 10 million counts per second) and the ability to discriminate one type of particle from another. The IDEE instrument is focused on electrons in the 80 keV to 4 MeV energy range, with the ability to estimate their pitch angles.Monte Carlo simulations of the TARANIS instruments, using a preliminary model of the spacecraft, allow sensitive area estimates for both instruments. This leads to an averaged effective area of 425 cm 2 for XGRE, used to detect Xand gamma-rays from TGFs, and the combination of XGRE and IDEE gives an average effective area of 255 cm 2 which can be used to detect electrons/positrons from TEBs. We then compare these performances to RHESSI, AGILE and Fermi GBM, using data extracted from literature for the TGF case and with the help of Monte Carlo simulations of their mass models for the TEB case.Combining this data with the help of the MC-PEPTITA Monte Carlo simulations of TGF propagation in the atmosphere, we build a self-consistent model of the TGF and TEB detection rates of RHESSI, AGILE and Fermi. It can then be used to estimate that TARANIS should detect about 200 TGFs yr −1 and 25 TEBs yr −1 .

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Electron-positron beams from terrestrial lightning observed with Fermi GBM

Cited by 138 publications

References 16 publications

Possibilities for selected space weather and atmospheric studies in JEM-EUSO project?

Possibilities for selected space weather and atmospheric studies in JEM-EUSO project?

Positrons observed to originate from thunderstorms

TARANIS XGRE and IDEE detection capability of terrestrial gamma-ray flashes and associated electron beams

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