FastFind »   Lastname: doi:10.1029/ Year: Advanced Search  

AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Index Terms

  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Atmospheric electricity
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Lightning
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Radiative processes
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Instruments and techniques

Abstract

A ground level gamma-ray burst observed in association with rocket-triggered lightning

J. R. Dwyer

Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

H. K. Rassoul

Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

M. Al-Dayeh

Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

L. Caraway

Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

B. Wright

Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

A. Chrest

Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

M. A. Uman

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

V. A. Rakov

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

K. J. Rambo

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

D. M. Jordan

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

J. Jerauld

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

C. Smyth

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA

We report the observation of an intense gamma-ray burst observed on the ground at sea level, produced in association with the initial-stage of rocket-triggered lightning at the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing at Camp Blanding, FL. The burst was observed simultaneously on three NaI(Tl)/photomultiplier tube detectors that were located 650 m from the triggered lightning channel with gamma-ray energies extending up to more than 10 MeV. The burst consisted of 227 individual gamma-rays that arrived over a 300 μs time period in coincidence with an 11 kA current pulse. The burst of gamma-rays had very different characteristics from the x-ray emission frequently seen in association with the dart leader/return stroke sequences of triggered lightning and may represent a new kind of event, likely originating from cloud processes thousands of meters overhead.

Received 3 October 2003; accepted 13 February 2004; published 13 March 2004.

Citation: Dwyer, J. R., et al. (2004), A ground level gamma-ray burst observed in association with rocket-triggered lightning, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L05119, doi:10.1029/2003GL018771.

Cited By

Please wait one moment ...