Andrew B. Collier

Confining the angular distribution of terrestrial gamma ray flash emission

[1] Terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) are bremsstrahlung emissions from relativistic electrons accelerated in electric fields associated with thunder storms, with photon energies up to at least 40 MeV, which sets the lowest estimate of the total potential of 40 MV. The electric field that produces TGFs will be reflected by the initial angular distribution of the TGF emission. Here we present the first constraints on the TGF emission cone based on accurately geolocated TGFs. The source lightning discharges associated with TGFs detected by RHESSI are determined from the Atmospheric Weather Electromagnetic System for Observation, Modeling, and Education (AWESOME) network and the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN). The distribution of the observation angles for 106 TGFs are compared to Monte Carlo simulations. We find that TGF emissions within a half angle >30° are consistent with the distributions of observation angle derived from the networks. In addition, 36 events occurring before 2006 are used for spectral analysis. The energy spectra are binned according to observation angle. The result is a significant softening of the TGF energy spectrum for large (>40°) observation angles, which is consistent with a TGF emission half angle (<40°). The softening is due to Compton scattering which reduces the photon energies.

Rapid fluctuations of stratospheric electric field following a solar energetic particle event

[1] During January, 2005, there were several large X-class solar flares and associated solar energetic particle (SEP) events. Coincidentally, the MINIS balloon campaign had multiple payloads aloft in the stratosphere above Antarctica measuring dc electric fields, conductivity and x-ray flux. One-to-one increases in the electrical conductivity and decreases to near zero of both the vertical and horizontal electric field components were observed in conjunction with an increase in particle flux at SEP onset. Combined with an atmospheric electric field mapping model, these data are consistent with a shorting out of the global electric circuit and point toward substantial ionospheric convection modifications. Additionally, two subsequent, rapid changes were detected in the vertical electric field component several hours after SEP onset. These changes result in similar fluctuations in the calculated vertical current density. We will describe how rigidity cut-off dynamics may be crucial in understanding these sudden jumps in the vertical electric field.

Correlation between global lightning and whistlers observed at Tihany, Hungary

Although the generation and propagation mechanisms for whistlers are fairly well understood, the location and extent of the lightning source region for the whistlers observed at a given station are ...

Observation of intrinsically bright terrestrial gamma ray flashes from the Mediterranean basin

Abstract We present three terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) observed over the Mediterranean basin by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscope Imager (RHESSI) satellite. Since the occurrence of these events in the Mediterranean region is quite rare, the characterization of the events was optimized by combining different approaches in order to better define the cloud of origin. The TGFs on 7 November 2004 and 16 October 2006 came from clouds with cloud top higher than 10–12 km where often a strong penetration into the stratosphere is found. This kind of cloud is usually associated with heavy precipitation and intense lightning activity. Nevertheless, the analysis of the cloud type based on satellite retrievals shows that the TGF on 27 May 2004 was produced by an unusual shallow convection. This result appears to be supported by the model simulation of the particle distribution and phase in the upper troposphere. The TGF on 7 November 2004 is among the brightest ever measured by RHESSI. The analysis of the energy spectrum of this event is consistent with a production altitude ≤12 km, which is in the upper part of the cloud, as found by the meteorological analysis of the TGF‐producing thunderstorm. This event must be unusually bright at the source in order to produce such a strong signal in RHESSI. We estimate that this TGF must contain ∼3 × 1018 initial photons with energy >1 MeV. This is 1 order of magnitude brighter than earlier estimations of an average RHESSI TGF.

An altitude and distance correction to the source fluence distribution of TGFs.

The source fluence distribution of terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) has been extensively discussed in recent years, but few have considered how the TGF fluence distribution at the source, as estimated from satellite measurements, depends on the distance from satellite foot point and assumed production altitude. As the absorption of the TGF photons increases significantly with lower source altitude and larger distance between the source and the observing satellite, these might be important factors. We have addressed the issue by using the tropopause pressure distribution as an approximation of the TGF production altitude distribution and World Wide Lightning Location Network spheric measurements to determine the distance. The study is made possible by the increased number of Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) TGFs found in the second catalog of the RHESSI data. One find is that the TGF/lightning ratio for the tropics probably has an annual variability due to an annual variability in the Dobson-Brewer circulation. The main result is an indication that the altitude distribution and distance should be considered when investigating the source fluence distribution of TGFs, as this leads to a softening of the inferred distribution of source brightness.

Particle-in-cell simulations of beam-driven electrostatic waves in a plasma

Using a particle-in-cell simulation, the characteristics of electrostatic waves are investigated in a three-electron component plasma including an electron beam. A Maxwellian distribution is used to describe the electron velocities. Three electrostatic modes are excited, namely electron plasma, electron acoustic, and beam-driven waves. These modes have a broad frequency spectrum and have been associated with intense broadband electrostatic noise observed in the Earth’s auroral zone. The simulation results compare well with analytical dispersion and growth rate relations. This agreement serves to validate the simulation technique.

Particle-in-cell simulations of ion-acoustic waves with application to Saturn's magnetosphere

Using a particle-in-cell simulation, the dispersion and growth rate of the ion-acoustic mode are investigated for a plasma containing two ion and two electron components. The electron velocities are modelled by a combination of two kappa distributions, as found in Saturns magnetosphere. The ion components consist of adiabatic ions and an ultra-low density ion beam to drive a very weak instability, thereby ensuring observable waves. The ion-acoustic mode is explored for a range of parameter values such as κ, temperature ratio, and density ratio of the two electron components. The phase speed, frequency range, and growth rate of the mode are investigated. Simulations of double-kappa two-temperature plasmas typical of the three regions of Saturns magnetosphere are also presented and analysed.

A simulation approach of high-frequency electrostatic waves found in Saturn's magnetosphere

Using a particle-in-cell simulation, the characteristics of electron plasma and electron acoustic waves are investigated in plasmas containing an ion and two electron components. The electron velocities are modeled by a combination of two κ distributions. The model applies to the extended plasma sheet region in Saturn’s magnetosphere where the cool and hot electron velocities are found to have low indices, κc≃2 and κh≃4. For such low values of κc and κh, the electron plasma and electron acoustic waves are coupled. The model predicts weakly damped electron plasma waves while electron acoustic waves should also be observable, although less prominent.

PLASMON: Data assimilation of the Earth's plasmasphere

The principal source and loss mechanisms in the Earths radiation belts are currently not completely understood. Loss rates are important since they determine the duration of exposure of satellites to enhanced radiation conditions during a geomagnetic storm. The dominant loss process is relativistic electron precipitation via resonant interactions with a variety of wave modes. These interactions are governed by the characteristics of the plasmasphere. Current models provide an inadequate representation of the spatial and temporal evolution of the plasmasphere. In situ measurements of the plasmasphere provide only local characteristics and are thus unable to yield a complete global picture. Ground based measurements, based on the analysis of Very Low Frequency (VLF) whistlers and Field Line Resonances (FLRs), are able to describe large sections of the plasmasphere, extending over significant radial distances and many hours of local time. These measurements provide electron number and plasma mass densities. PLASMON is a funded FP7 project between 11 international partners. PLASMON intends to assimilate near real time measurements of plasmaspheric densities into a dynamic plasmasphere model. The VLF whistler analyses will be conducted by automatic retrieval of equatorial electron densities using data from AWDAnet. Equatorial mass densities will be constructed from FLR measurements along meridional magnetometer chains. The resulting model will facilitate the prediction of precipitation rates. The predicted rates will be compared to observations from the AARDDVARK network.

A particle-in-cell approach to obliquely propagating electrostatic waves

The electron-acoustic and beam-driven modes associated with electron beams have previously been identified and studied numerically. These modes are associated with Broadband Electrostatic Noise found in the Earths auroral and polar cusp regions. Using a 1-D spatial Particle-in-Cell simulation, the electron-acoustic instability is studied for a magnetized plasma, which includes cool ions, cool electrons and a hot, drifting electron beam. Both the weakly and strongly magnetized regimes with varying wave propagation angle, θ, with respect to the magnetic field are studied. The amplitude and frequency of the electron-acoustic mode are found to decrease with increasing θ. The amplitude of the electron-acoustic mode is found to significantly grow at intermediate wavenumber ranges. It reaches a saturation level at the point, where a plateau forms in the hot electron velocity distribution after which the amplitude of the electron-acoustic mode decays.