Radio frequency observations of lightning discharges by the forte satellite.

Conference · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2001

OSTI ID:976154

Shao, X ^[1]; Jacobson, A R; Light, T ^[2]; Suszcynsky, D M ^[3]

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1. Xuan-Min
2. Tracy E.
3. David M.

FORTE-observed VHF signatures for different lightning discharges are presented. For in-cloud discharges, a pulse pair is typically recorded and is named a 'transionospheric pulse pair' (TIPP). Many intense TIPPs are coherent and polarized, whereas initial and dart leaders do not show a recognizable degree of polarization. TIPPs are optically weaker than cloud-to-ground (CG) strokes, and stronger VHF TIPPs are optically darker. About 10% of CG strokes, mostly over seawater, produce extremely narrow, powerful VHF pulses at the very beginning of the return strokes. These narrow pulses are found to form an upward beam pattern.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE
• OSTI ID: 976154
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-02-2149
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE
LIGHTNING
MONITORING
POLARIZATION
REMOTE SENSING
SATELLITES