Relativistic electron beams above thunderclouds
Non-luminous relativistic electron beams above thunderclouds have been detected by the radio signals of low frequency ~ 40–400 kHz which they radiate. The electron beams occur ~ 2–9 ms after positive cloud-to-ground lightning discharges at heights between ~22–72 km above thunderclouds. Intense posit...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2011 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/16071 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/16071 https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-7747-2011 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Electron beams -- Measurement Raigs catòdics -- Mesurament Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Física::Electromagnetisme |
| Sumario: | Non-luminous relativistic electron beams above thunderclouds have been detected by the radio signals of low frequency ~ 40–400 kHz which they radiate. The electron beams occur ~ 2–9 ms after positive cloud-to-ground lightning discharges at heights between ~22–72 km above thunderclouds. Intense positive lightning discharges can also cause sprites which occur either above or prior to the electron beam. One electron beam was detected without any luminous sprite which suggests that electron beams may also occur independently of sprites. Numerical simulations show that beams of electrons partially discharge the lightning electric field above thunderclouds and thereby gain a mean energy of ~ 7MeV to transport a total charge of ~ −10mC upwards. The impulsive current ~3×10−3 Am−2 associated with relativistic electron beams above thunderclouds is directed downwards and needs to be considered as a novel element of the global atmospheric electric circuit. |
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