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Geographic distribution of lightning-induced electron pricipitation observed as VLF/LF perturbation events

Journal Article · · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

Expected occurrence characteristics of lightning-induced electron precipitation (LEP) events at longitudes of the western (110/sup 0/ W) versus eastern (71/sup 0/ W) Unted States are considered from the point of view of available trapped particle flux at the edge of the loss cone. Considered from the point of view of available trapped particle flux at the edge of the loss cone. Considering published data on nighttime fluxes of >68 keV electrons observed at Lapprox. =2.5, and for ''direct'' precipitation into the northern hemisphere induced by northern hemisphere lightning, the occurrence rate and flux levels are expected to a factor of 20--200 higher in the west than in the east, assuming no significant variation in lightning source activity with longitude. Again assuming lightning sources in the north, it is predicted that at 71/sup 0/ W, ''mirrored'' precipitation into the southern hemisphere would involve precipitation fluxes 30--300 times higher than ''direct'' precipitation into the noerthern hemisphere. However, at 110/sup 0/ W and again assuming lightning in the north, southern hemisphere precipitation would tend to be limited to that small fraction of particles that were initially scattered into the northern loss cone and that were then backscattered from the northern atmosphere so as to reach the south.

Research Organization:
Space, Telecommunications and Radioscience Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California
OSTI ID:
6919869
Journal Information:
J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 93:A9; ISSN JGREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English