HR: 09:10h
AN: AE51A-05 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Remote Sensing of the Mesosphere by Means of Telescopic Observations of Sprites
AU: * Gerken, E
EM: gerken@nova.stanford.edu
AF: Cornell University, 303 Rhodes Hall, ECE Department, Ithaca, NY 14853 United States
AU: Inan, U
EM: inan@nova.stanford.edu
AF: Stanford University, 350 Serra Mall Room 356, Stanford, CA 94305-9515 United States
AB: Telescopic imaging of sprites reveals fine structure covering a wide range of morphologies and time scales [{\it Gerken et al.,} 2000]. Theoretical explanations of observed spatial fine structures and diffuse glow in sprites were put forth in the context of a streamer-based model of electrical breakdown above thunderstorms [{\it Raizer et al.,} 1998; {\it Pasko et al.,} 1998]. Streamer properties depend on the background electron, ion and neutral atmospheric densities as well as the polarity of the streamer. In high altitude discharges such as sprites, which may extend over an altitude span of 50 - 100 km, the atmospheric neutral density decreases exponentially with altitude while the electron number density exponentially increases with altitude. Consequently, streamer properties are observed to vary throughout the altitude extent of a sprite. Theoretically, it should be possible to use observed streamer properties to gain insight into the natural background densities in the vicinity of a sprite. Since this region of the atmosphere is particularly difficult to study by other methods, sprites may thus serve as a useful tool in collecting data on the atmospheric composition at mesospheric altitudes. Many sprites were observed by the Stanford University telescopic imager during a large storm on July 13, 1998. Case studies of selected sprite events during this storm are presented and the relationships between observed sprite properties and parameters of the mesosphere are discussed.
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 2443 Midlatitude ionosphere
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3324 Lightning
DE: 3394 Instruments and techniques
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting