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Laboratory simulation of Venusian lightning
Author(s) -
Borucki W. J.,
Orville R. E.,
Levine J. S.,
Harvey G. A.,
Howell W. E.
Publication year - 1983
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/gl010i010p00961
Subject(s) - lightning (connector) , venus , orbiter , physics , spacecraft , upper atmospheric lightning , atmosphere (unit) , remote sensing , astronomy , environmental science , meteorology , lightning strike , geology , astrobiology , thunderstorm , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
Evidence of lightning activity in the Venusian atmosphere has been obtained from the Venera 9, 11, and 12 spacecraft, and from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO). However, a search for optical pulses expected from Venusian lightning using the star sensor on the PVO did not detect any signals. It has been suggested that the star sensor did not detect lightning because Venusian lightning does not radiate in the 500‐ to 900‐nm spectral region detected by the star sensor. In this paper, we discuss spectra obtained from a laboratory simulation of Venusian lightning. Both the laboratory spectrum and the results of a theoretical calculation of line intensities show that Venusian lightning can be expected to radiate strongly in the 600‐ to 900‐nm spectral region. Hence, the failure of the star sensor to detect lightning must be caused by the low flashing rate or by the low intensity of Venusian lightning.