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Title: Optical, radio and x-ray radiation of red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown

Abstract

The authors use the runaway air breakdown model of upward discharges to calculate optical, radio, and X-ray radiation generated by red sprites. Red sprites are high altitude (up to 90 km) lightning discharges. Aircraft based observations show that sprites are predominantly red in color at altitudes above {approximately}55 km with faint blue tendrils, which extend downward to an altitude of 40 km; the duration of a single sprite is less than 17 ms, their maximum brightness is about 600 kR, and estimated total optical energy is about 1--5 kJ per event. The ground based observations show similar results, and provide some additional information on spatial and temporal structure of sprites, and on sprite locations. One difference between aircraft and ground-based observations is that blue tendrils are rarely observed from the ground. Sprites usually occur above the anvils of large mesoscale convective systems and correlate with strong positive cloud to ground discharge. Upward discharges are the most probable source of X-ray emission observed above large thunderstorm complexes by the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory. To escape the atmosphere these {gamma}-rays must originate above 25 km altitude. Red sprites are usually observed at altitudes higher than 50 km, and are therefore a likely sourcemore » of this x-ray emission.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
486140
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-97-344; CONF-970724-5
ON: DE97004771; TRN: 97:010945
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Conference: 23. international conference on phenomena in ionized gases, Toulouse (France), 17-22 Jul 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
66 PHYSICS; VISIBLE RADIATION; RADIOWAVE RADIATION; X RADIATION; EARTH ATMOSPHERE; THEORETICAL DATA; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; BREAKDOWN; LIGHTNING; ORIGIN; AIRGLOW

Citation Formats

Yukhimuk, V, Roussel-Dupre, R, Symbalisty, E, and Taranenko, Y. Optical, radio and x-ray radiation of red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown. United States: N. p., 1997. Web. doi:10.2172/486140.
Yukhimuk, V, Roussel-Dupre, R, Symbalisty, E, & Taranenko, Y. Optical, radio and x-ray radiation of red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/486140
Yukhimuk, V, Roussel-Dupre, R, Symbalisty, E, and Taranenko, Y. 1997. "Optical, radio and x-ray radiation of red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/486140. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/486140.
@article{osti_486140,
title = {Optical, radio and x-ray radiation of red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown},
author = {Yukhimuk, V and Roussel-Dupre, R and Symbalisty, E and Taranenko, Y},
abstractNote = {The authors use the runaway air breakdown model of upward discharges to calculate optical, radio, and X-ray radiation generated by red sprites. Red sprites are high altitude (up to 90 km) lightning discharges. Aircraft based observations show that sprites are predominantly red in color at altitudes above {approximately}55 km with faint blue tendrils, which extend downward to an altitude of 40 km; the duration of a single sprite is less than 17 ms, their maximum brightness is about 600 kR, and estimated total optical energy is about 1--5 kJ per event. The ground based observations show similar results, and provide some additional information on spatial and temporal structure of sprites, and on sprite locations. One difference between aircraft and ground-based observations is that blue tendrils are rarely observed from the ground. Sprites usually occur above the anvils of large mesoscale convective systems and correlate with strong positive cloud to ground discharge. Upward discharges are the most probable source of X-ray emission observed above large thunderstorm complexes by the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory. To escape the atmosphere these {gamma}-rays must originate above 25 km altitude. Red sprites are usually observed at altitudes higher than 50 km, and are therefore a likely source of this x-ray emission.},
doi = {10.2172/486140},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/486140}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1997},
month = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1997}
}