Observed electric fields associated with lightning initiation

Marshall, T. C.; Stolzenburg, Maribeth; Maggio, C. R.; Coleman, L. M.; Krehbiel, P. R.; Hamlin, T.; Thomas, Ronald J.; Rison, W.

doi:10.1029/2004gl021802

Cited by 117 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…During thunderstorms, the maximum strength of electric fields has been found in the range of 850−1300 V/cm [1], or even up to 2000 V/cm [2,3]. In such strong fields, by accelerating or decelerating the charged particles in extensive air showers, the intensity of secondary cosmic rays could be influenced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They developed the theory of runaway breakdown (RB), now mostly referred to as relativistic runaway electron avalanche (RREA) [6]. Marshall et al [3,7], Dwyer [8] and Symbalisty et al [9] studied the strength of threshold field necessary for an avalanche to occur, which is dependent on the altitude. They found that the value was about 2800 V/cm at sea level.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

Zhou

Wang

Huang

et al. 2016

Astroparticle Physics

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Monte Carlo simulations are performed to study the correlation between the ground cosmic ray intensity and near-earth thunderstorms electric field at YBJ (4300 m a.s.l., Tibet, China).The variations of the secondary cosmic ray intensity are found to be highly dependent on the strength and polarity of the electric field. In negative fields and in positive fields greater than 600 V/cm, the total number of ground comic ray positrons and electrons increases with increasing electric field strength. And these values increase more obviously when involving a shower with lower primary energy or a higher zenith angle. While in positive fields ranging from 0 to 600 V/cm, the total number of ground comic ray positrons and electrons declines and the amplitude is up to 3.1% for vertical showers. A decrease of intensity occurs in inclined showers within the range of 0−500 V/cm, which is accompanied by smaller amplitudes. In this paper, the intensity changes are discussed, especially concerning the decreases in positive electric fields. Our simulation results are in good agreement with ground-based experimental results obtained from ARGO-YBJ and the Carpet air shower array. These results could be helpful in understanding the acceleration mechanisms of secondary charged particles caused by an atmospheric electric field.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

Zhou

Wang

Huang

et al. 2016

Astroparticle Physics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…During a lightning stroke, fields with strength close to the runaway threshold were recorded inside thunderclouds [Marshall et al, 1995a[Marshall et al, , 1995b[Marshall et al, , 2005. The enhancements of penetrating radiation [Parks et al, 1981;McCarthy and Parks, 1985;Eack et al, 1996aEack et al, , 1996bEack et al, , 2000Torii et al, 2009;Tsuchiya et al, 2007Tsuchiya et al, , 2009 whose source was in thunderclouds [Babich et al, 2010], were recorded during thunderstorm activity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The measured magnitudes of the field strength in thunderclouds, for example [Marshall et al, 1995a[Marshall et al, , 1995b[Marshall et al, , 2005, correspond to the d of $3; therefore our simulations are carried out around this magnitude. Note, however, the chosen geometries of charge distribution both for the case of low-energy space radiation and CRS with profile L are dipole-like geometries widely used to model thundercloud field.…”

Section: Mathematical Formulation Of the Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…depending on the size and form of the particles [Solomon et al, 2001]. The difficulty is that, when reduced to the STP conditions, the measured magnitudes of the electric field in thunderclouds are less than E br, pr by a factor of 3-4 and do not appear to exceed 3-4 kV/cm [Marshall et al, 1995a[Marshall et al, , 1995b[Marshall et al, , 2005.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Numerical simulations of local thundercloud field enhancements caused by runaway avalanches seeded by cosmic rays and their role in lightning initiation

et al. 2012

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[1] We investigate the possibility of the production of an ionized domain by the ionization of the atmosphere by cosmic rays amplified by relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREAs), the polarization of which could lead to the localized boosting of thundercloud fields, triggering the sequence of processes leading to lightning development. For this goal, a 2D numerical model was developed of atmospheric discharges in a self-consistent electric field allowing for the kinetics of high-energy REs, low-energy electrons, and positive and negative ions. The effects are tested for cosmic ray air showers and for the continuous background of low-energy cosmic radiation. It is shown that lightning cannot be triggered by the joint action of the cosmic ray shower and RREAs. On the contrary, with realistic rates of the cloud charging, the RREAs seeded by low-energy cosmic rays, produce a plasma domain, at the edges of which the electric field of the cloud is enhanced above the magnitude required for the selfsustained growth of the free electron population, potentially resulting in lightning initiation.Citation: Babich, L. P., E. I. Bochkov, J. R. Dwyer, and I. M. Kutsyk (2012), Numerical simulations of local thundercloud field enhancements caused by runaway avalanches seeded by cosmic rays and their role in lightning initiation,

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The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull: Lightning and plume charge structure

et al. 2014

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Six Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) stations were deployed in April 2010 around Eyjafjallajökull volcano in southern Iceland. Single-station LMA observations were made during the first explosive period (14-18 April), and three-dimensional LMA observations were made during the second explosive period (5-22 May). The single-station observations revealed that continuous RF electrical activity caused by high rates of small vent discharges occurred during the first explosive period, but not the second, indicating that the strength of vent charging varied between the first and second explosive periods. During the second explosive period, very little lightning was detected between 5 and 10 May, while moderate rates of lightning were detected between 11 and 21 May, signaling that another change occurred on 11 May that affected plume electrification. The data do not make clear if it was changing eruptive activity or changing meteorological activity that resulted in the sudden onset of lightning. The plume charge structure during the second explosive period was inferred from the three-dimensional lightning data, showing that the dominant charge structure varied between a positive monopole and a negative-over-positive dipole. The predominance of a low-altitude region of positive charge and the observation that electrical activity was concentrated near the vent indicate that net positive vent charging was dominating the electrification.

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Observed electric fields associated with lightning initiation

Cited by 117 publications

References 15 publications

Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

Effect of near-earth thunderstorms electric field on the intensity of ground cosmic ray positrons/electrons in Tibet

Numerical simulations of local thundercloud field enhancements caused by runaway avalanches seeded by cosmic rays and their role in lightning initiation

The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull: Lightning and plume charge structure

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