Recent advances in theory of transient luminous events

Pasko, Victor P.

doi:10.1029/2009ja014860

Cited by 129 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 236 publications

(577 reference statements)

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“…They are caused by impact ionisation resulting from the electromagnetic fields associated with intense positive lightning discharges (e.g. Boccippio et al, 1995;Pasko, 2010). The key parameter to explain sprite initiation is the charge moment change resulting from the lightning continuing current (Cummer and Stanley, 1999;Cummer and Fullekrug, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In situ detection of electrified aerosols in the upper troposphere and stratosphere

Renard¹,

Tripathi

Michael

et al. 2013

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Electrified aerosols have been observed in the lower troposphere and in the mesosphere, but have never been detected in the stratosphere and upper troposphere. We present measurements of aerosols obtained during a balloon flight to an altitude of ∼ 24 km. The measurements were performed with an improved version of the Stratospheric and Tropospheric Aerosol Counter (STAC) aerosol counter dedicated to the search for charged aerosols. It is found that most of the aerosols are charged in the upper troposphere for altitudes below 10 km and in the stratosphere for altitudes above 20 km. Conversely, the aerosols seem to be uncharged between 10 km and 20 km. Model calculations are used to quantify the electrification of the aerosols with a stratospheric aerosol-ion model. The percentages of charged aerosols obtained with model calculations are in excellent agreement with the observations below 10 km and above 20 km. However, the model cannot reproduce the absence of electrification found in the lower stratosphere, as the processes leading to neutralisation in this altitude range are unknown. The presence of sporadic transient layers of electrified aerosol in the upper troposphere and in the stratosphere could have significant implications for sprite formation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In situ detection of electrified aerosols in the upper troposphere and stratosphere

Renard¹,

Tripathi

Michael

et al. 2013

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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“…Although this idea was promising at the time, it is now certain that runaway electron models do not describe sprites (Pasko 2010). Nevertheless, much progress in the physics of runaway electrons at high altitudes occurred in this early work, including the effects of the geomagnetic fields on the runaway electrons .…”

Section: Rrea Sprites and Other Tlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-Energy Atmospheric Physics: Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes and Related Phenomena

2012

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It is now well established that both thunderclouds and lightning routinely emit x-rays and gamma-rays. These emissions appear over wide timescales, ranging from submicrosecond bursts of x-rays associated with lightning leaders, to sub-millisecond bursts of gamma-rays seen in space called terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, to minute long glows from thunderclouds seen on the ground and in or near the cloud by aircraft and balloons. In particular, terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), which are thought to be emitted by thunderclouds, are so bright that they sometimes saturate detectors on spacecraft hundreds of kilometers away. These TGFs also generate energetic secondary electrons and positrons that are detected by spacecraft in the inner magnetosphere. It is generally believed that these x-ray and gamma-ray emissions are generated, via bremsstrahlung, by energetic runaway electrons that are accelerated by electric fields in the atmosphere. In this paper, we review this newly emerging field of High-Energy Atmospheric Physics, including the production of runaway electrons, the production and propagation of energetic radiation, and the effects of both on atmospheric electrodynamics.

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“…I ntense cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes are capable of generating a brief, strong quasi-electrostatic (QE) field in the mesosphere/lower ionosphere to trigger electrical discharges known as sprites [1][2][3][4] . The observation of sprites was first reported in scientific literature in the early 1990s 5 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sprite streamer initiation from natural mesospheric structures

et al. 2015

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Sprites are large, luminous electrical discharges in the upper atmosphere caused by intense cloud-to-ground lightning flashes, manifesting an impulsive coupling mechanism between lower and upper atmospheric regions. Their dynamics are governed by filamentary streamer discharges whose propagation properties have been well studied by past work. However, how they are initiated is still under active debate. It has recently been concluded that ionospheric/ mesospheric inhomogeneities are required for their initiation, but it is an open question as to what the sources of those inhomogeneities are. Here we present numerical simulation results to demonstrate that naturally-existing, small-scale mesospheric structures such as those created by gravity waves via instability and breaking are viable sources. The proposed theory is supported by a recent, unique high-speed observation from aircraft flying at 14-km altitude. The theory naturally explains many aspects of observed sprite streamer initiation and has important implications for future observational work.

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Recent advances in theory of transient luminous events

Cited by 129 publications

References 236 publications

In situ detection of electrified aerosols in the upper troposphere and stratosphere

In situ detection of electrified aerosols in the upper troposphere and stratosphere

High-Energy Atmospheric Physics: Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes and Related Phenomena

Sprite streamer initiation from natural mesospheric structures

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