HR: 10:50h
AN: AE42A-03 INVITED [Abstracts]
TI: Very Active Sprite-Producing Thunderstorms Observed Over Argentina and Brazil
AU: * Thomas, J N
EM: jnt@u.washington.edu
AF: Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351310, Seattle, WA
98195, United States
AU: * Thomas, J N
EM: jnt@u.washington.edu
AF: Geomagnetism Program, USGS, PO Box 25046, MS-966, Denver, CO 80225, United States
AU: Taylor, M J
EM: mtaylor@cc.usu.edu
AF: Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences and Physics Dept., Utah State University,
SER-22, Logan, UT 84322, United States
AU: Bailey, M
EM: mattbailey@cc.usu.edu
AF: Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences and Physics Dept., Utah State University,
SER-22, Logan, UT 84322, United States
AU: Cummer, S A
EM: cummer@ee.duke.edu
AF: Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Box 90291, Durham, NC
27708, United States
AU: Solorzano, N N
EM: nataliansolo@gmail.com
AF: Physics Dept., Digipen Institute of Technology, 5001 150th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052,
United States
AU: Sao Sabbas, F
EM: fernandasaosabbas@gmail.com
AF: National Institute of Space Research DEA/INPE, Av. dos. Astronautas, 178, Sao Jose dos
Campos, SP 12201, Brazil
AU: Pautet, D
EM: dominiquepautet@gmail.com
AF: National Institute of Space Research DEA/INPE, Av. dos. Astronautas, 178, Sao Jose dos
Campos, SP 12201, Brazil
AU: Holzworth, R H
EM: bobholz@ess.washington.edu
AF: Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351310, Seattle, WA
98195, United States
AU: Jaugey, N
EM: nicolasj@duke.edu
AF: Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Box 90291, Durham, NC
27708, United States
AU: Li, J
EM: jl108@ee.duke.edu
AF: Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Box 90291, Durham, NC
27708, United States
AU: McCarthy, M P
EM: mccarthy@ess.washington.edu
AF: Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351310, Seattle, WA
98195, United States
AU: Kokorowski, M
EM: mkoko@u.washington.edu
AF: Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351310, Seattle, WA
98195, United States
AU: Pinto, O
EM: osmar@dge.inpe.br
AF: National Institute of Space Research DEA/INPE, Av. dos. Astronautas, 178, Sao Jose dos
Campos, SP 12201, Brazil
AU: Schuch, N J
EM: njschuch@lacesm.ufsm.br
AF: Brazilian Southern Space Observatory, Southern Regional Space Research Center
(CRSPE/INPE), Santa Maria, RS 97105, Brazil
AB:
To investigate sprite activity over Argentina and Brazil, a field campaign was conducted from the Brazilian
Southern Space Observatory near Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. We observed more than 500 sprites and
halos during two large thunderstorm systems on February 23 and March 4, 2006, which included the third most
active sprite-producing storm ever reported. We present an overview of the campaign, which includes sprite video
images and extremely low to very low frequency (ELF/VLF) electric and magnetic field data recorded at the
observatory, along with coincident lightning location data from the World Wide Lightning Location Network
(WWLLN). We also present meteorological conditions inferred from GOES Infrared imagery, TRMM rainfall data,
WWLLN lightning locations, local radar data, and the BRAMS mesoscale model. Within the high sprite activity, we
identified several sprites driven by negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning. Downward directed electric fields
should be absent following negative CG lightning, so the observation of negative CG sprites challenges runaway
breakdown theories of sprite production. We show that the negative CG sprites were less bright and had limited
vertical extent compared with positive CG sprites from the same storm. A second finding is that these storms
were large mesoscale convective systems with total cloud shields of 200,000 to 500,000 km2 and that
most sprites occurred in stratiform regions where cloud-top temperatures were about 15°C warmer than
spriting regions of US High Plains storms.
UR: http://earthweb.ess.washington.edu/lnk/jnt/
DE: 0342 Middle atmosphere: energy deposition (3334)
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3324 Lightning
DE: 6929 Ionospheric physics (1240, 2400)
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting