Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Optical characteristics of red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/98JD00348· OSTI ID:641012
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Space and Atmospheric Sciences, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (United States)
  2. Computational Science Methods, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (United States)
The results of numerical calculations of intensity and spectra of optical emissions from red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown in the atmosphere are presented. It is shown that the optical emissions from red sprites consist of two components: (1) short-term (t{approx}0.3{endash}2thinspms) emissions produced as a result of dissipation of an energetic electron beam in air; (2) long-term (t{approx}2{endash}10thinspms) emissions produced by a population of low-energy electrons in an electric field. The long-term optical emissions are calculated for all low-energy electrons, including the secondary low-energy electrons produced by the relativistic electron beam, ambient background electrons, and electrons produced as a result of regular breakdown. The theoretical results are compared with observational data. {copyright} 1998 American Geophysical Union
OSTI ID:
641012
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: D10 Vol. 103; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Optical, radio and x-ray radiation of red sprites produced by runaway air breakdown
Technical Report · Mon Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1997 · OSTI ID:486140

Generation of elves by sprites and jets
Conference · Mon Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1997 · OSTI ID:486139

High altitude atmospheric discharges according to the runaway air breakdown mechanism
Conference · Mon Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1997 · OSTI ID:484525