Lightning as an embryonic source of VLF hiss

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA06p06986· OSTI ID:6048559

Sonwalkar, V S; Inan, U S ^[1]

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1. Stanford Univ., CA (USA)

Data from the DE 1 satellite show that lightning-generated whistlers often trigger hiss emissions that endure for up to 10- to 20-s periods. The data consist of the measured electric and magnetic fields in the frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 6.0 kHz, during 22 DE 1 passes during the period December 28, 1986 to January 18, 1987. The whistler-triggered hiss emissions were observed on 16 of the passes, and they generally exhibited the following characteristics: (1) emission spectra were wide band (1-2 kHz) and rather structureless, (2) well-defined and sustained fading patterns were observed at twice the spin frequency over 10- to 20-s periods, (3) the spin fading characteristics of the triggered hiss bursts were similar to those reported for background plasmaspheric hiss, indicating a large wave normal angle with respect to the ambient magnetic field. The results indicate that lightning-generated whistlers may be an important embryonic source for magnetospheric hiss and that whistlers and emissions triggered by them often constitute the dominant wave activity in the {approximately} 1.5- to 6-kHz range on L shells of 3.5 to 5 in the afternoon sector during geomagnetically quiet periods. Through cyclotron and Landau resonant scattering, it is likely that these lightning-generated waves play a dominant role in the loss of {approximately}0.5- to 50-keV electrons trapped on these field lines in the afternoon sector. Through anisotropic proton instability, these waves can also interact with ring current protons in the range of several tens of keV leading to a loss mechanism for ring current protons.

• OSTI ID: 6048559
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Vol. 94:A6; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AURORAL HISS
ATMOSPHERICS
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
ELECTRIC FIELDS
EMISSION SPECTRA
GEOMAGNETIC COORDINATES
INTERACTIONS
IONOSPHERE
LIGHTNING
NOISE
ORIGIN
RADIATION BELTS
SATELLITES
TRAPPED ELECTRONS
WHISTLERS
COORDINATES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SPECTRA
640201* - Atmospheric Physics- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena