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Title: The origin of infrasonic ionosphere oscillations over tropospheric thunderstorms

Abstract

Thunderstorms have been observed to introduce infrasonic oscillations in the ionosphere, but it is not clear what processes or which parts of the thunderstorm generate the oscillations. In this paper, we present a new technique that uses an array of ground-based GPS total electron content (TEC) measurements to locate the source of the infrasonic oscillations and compare the source locations with thunderstorm features to understand the possible source mechanisms. The location technique utilizes instantaneous phase differences between pairs of GPS-TEC measurements and an algorithm to best fit the measured and the expected phase differences for assumed source positions and other related parameters. In this preliminary study, the infrasound waves are assumed to propagate along simple geometric raypaths from the source to the measurement locations to avoid extensive computations. The located sources are compared in time and space with thunderstorm development and lightning activity. Sources are often found near the main storm cells, but they are more likely related to the downdraft process than to the updraft process. As a result, the sources are also commonly found in the convectively quiet stratiform regions behind active cells and are in good coincidence with extensive lightning discharges and inferred high-altitude sprites discharges.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOD; USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1296675
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-28555
Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9380
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics; Journal ID: ISSN 2169-9380
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; Ionosphere, thunderstorm

Citation Formats

Shao, Xuan -Min, and Lay, Erin Hoffmann. The origin of infrasonic ionosphere oscillations over tropospheric thunderstorms. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1002/2015JA022118.
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Shao, Xuan -Min, & Lay, Erin Hoffmann. The origin of infrasonic ionosphere oscillations over tropospheric thunderstorms. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA022118
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Shao, Xuan -Min, and Lay, Erin Hoffmann. Fri . "The origin of infrasonic ionosphere oscillations over tropospheric thunderstorms". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA022118. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1296675.
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@article{osti_1296675,
title = {The origin of infrasonic ionosphere oscillations over tropospheric thunderstorms},
author = {Shao, Xuan -Min and Lay, Erin Hoffmann},
abstractNote = {Thunderstorms have been observed to introduce infrasonic oscillations in the ionosphere, but it is not clear what processes or which parts of the thunderstorm generate the oscillations. In this paper, we present a new technique that uses an array of ground-based GPS total electron content (TEC) measurements to locate the source of the infrasonic oscillations and compare the source locations with thunderstorm features to understand the possible source mechanisms. The location technique utilizes instantaneous phase differences between pairs of GPS-TEC measurements and an algorithm to best fit the measured and the expected phase differences for assumed source positions and other related parameters. In this preliminary study, the infrasound waves are assumed to propagate along simple geometric raypaths from the source to the measurement locations to avoid extensive computations. The located sources are compared in time and space with thunderstorm development and lightning activity. Sources are often found near the main storm cells, but they are more likely related to the downdraft process than to the updraft process. As a result, the sources are also commonly found in the convectively quiet stratiform regions behind active cells and are in good coincidence with extensive lightning discharges and inferred high-altitude sprites discharges.},
doi = {10.1002/2015JA022118},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2016},
month = {7}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JA022118
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