Premium
On the physics of high altitude lightning
Author(s) -
Milikh G. M,
Papadopoulos K.,
Chang C. L.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/94gl02733
Subject(s) - thunderstorm , lightning (connector) , altitude (triangle) , atmosphere (unit) , upper atmospheric lightning , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , atmospheric electricity , flash (photography) , effects of high altitude on humans , physics , environmental science , lightning strike , geology , electric field , optics , power (physics) , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Past and recent observations indicate the presence of lightning at altitudes in excess of 30 km. The phenomenon is manifested as a high altitude optical flash, correlated with the presence of giant thunderstorms in the atmosphere below. This letter presents the first physical model of the process. The model is based on low frequency RF breakdown of the upper atmosphere, ignited by the upward propagating electromagnetic pulses due to conventional low altitude lightning. Horizontal intercloud lightning strokes form the optimal configuration. Horizontal lightning discharges with cloud‐to‐cloud moment charge ∼ 6,000–8,000 C‐km account for the observed level of optical emissions.