Excitation of Earth-ionosphere cavity resonances by sprite-associated lightning flashes

Martin Füllekrug, S C Reising

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Simultaneously recorded discrete excitations of Earth-ionosphere cavity resonances at Silber-born, Germany, and Hollister, California, similar to 9.1 Mm apart, are used to triangulate source locations of lightning flashes in the continental United States with an accuracy of similar to 0.8 Mm, as verified by the National Lightning Detection Network. The identified lightning flashes are mainly associated with positive cloud-to-ground discharges with first return stroke peak currents similar to 20-70 kA. 80% of these particular lightning flashes are associated with sprites, as verified by simultaneous low-light level TV camera observations at Yucca Ridge, Colorado. This high probability of sprite detection is attributed to particularly large cloud-to-ground lightning currents, simultaneously exciting both Earth-ionosphere cavity resonances and sprites.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4145-4148
Number of pages4
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume25
Issue number22
Publication statusPublished - 1998

Keywords

  • events
  • Elf

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