Premium
A Rapid Gamma‐Ray Glow Flux Reduction Observed From 20 km Altitude
Author(s) -
Kochkin P.,
Sarria D.,
Lehtinen N.,
Mezentsev A.,
Yang S.,
Genov G.,
Ullaland K.,
Marisaldi M.,
Østgaard N.,
Christian H. J.,
Grove J. E.,
Quick M.,
AlNussirat S.,
Wulf E.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-8996
pISSN - 2169-897X
DOI - 10.1029/2020jd033467
Subject(s) - thunderstorm , lightning (connector) , altitude (triangle) , flux (metallurgy) , atmospheric sciences , effects of high altitude on humans , environmental science , meteorology , physics , ionosphere , spectral line , remote sensing , geology , astronomy , materials science , power (physics) , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
Two gamma‐ray glows were observed by a high‐altitude NASA ER‐2 aircraft flying at 20 km altitude over a thunderstorm in Colorado, USA. The flux of the first glow rapidly intensified and then abruptly decreased within a few tens of milliseconds. On a timescale of seconds, the flux decrease occurred simultaneously with a hybrid intra‐cloud/cloud‐to‐ground lightning discharge beneath the aircraft. However, a more detailed analysis of the discharge dynamics indicated that the discharge activity was unusually calm during the actual period of the flux decrease. The lightning was observed with on‐board antennas, optical sensor, and ground‐based lightning mapping and location networks. Its closest activity was 12 km away from the aircraft, below and slightly ahead the course. The gamma‐ray flux reduction happened roughly in the middle of the lightning development process. The glow spectral analysis for the periods of a weak and strong flux enhancement has been done. The spectra were found to be background‐like and similar to each other.