HR: 1340h
AN: AE23A-0834    [Abstracts]
TI: Observations of Energetic Radiation Associated with Natural Lightning
AU: * Eack, K
EM: keack@nmt.edu
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Aulich, G
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Moore, C
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Rison, W
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Winn, W P
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Hunyady, S
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Krehbiel, P
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Hamlin, T
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AU: Edens, H
AF: Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research, New Mexico Tech 801 Leory Place, Socorro, NM 87801 United States
AB: Over the past five years we have made observations of energetic radiation associated with the stepped-leaders of natural lightning. Coincident recordings of the electric field changes due to the discharges indicate that the bursts associated with stepped leaders begin a few milliseconds before and continued until the onset of the first return stroke. This radiation was associated with the approaching stepped-leaders. Our most recent observations have been made with the aid of the New Mexico Tech Lightning Mapping Array, allowing us to determine the location of the lightning channel with respect to our radiation detectors. Our data indicate that energetic radiation is not only associated only with stepped-leaders, but also with the return-strokes and dart-leaders of natural lightning as well. Through the use of the channel and ground strike locations, it appears that the bursts of radiation associated with natural dart-leaders and return-strokes occur during closest approach of their wave-fronts.
DE: 3324 Lightning
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting