Janusz Mlynarczyk

Bidirectional leader development in sprite‐producing positive cloud‐to‐ground flashes: Origins and characteristics of positive and negative leaders

Thirty-five sprite-producing lightning flashes were recorded in nine nights in different seasons at the east coast of Spain with a 3D Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) since July 2011. A low-frequency time-of-arrival network provided data on emissions from return strokes and intracloud processes and a very-high-frequency interferometer network produced complementary lightning data. This study analyzes the bidirectional development of flashes in order to understand the positioning and timing of the positive cloud-to-ground stroke (+CG) and its consequences for charge neutralization by negative leaders, affecting sprite morphology. A summary of negative leader extents, altitudes, and speeds before and after the + CG stroke is provided, as well as positive leader origins and inferred speeds. Negative leader speeds exhibited modes at 105 and 5 × 105 m s−1. Five examples with different evolutions are discussed: (1) Slow bidirectional development with negative leader termination before the + CG stroke; (2) Fast bidirectional development with the negative leader continuing after the + CG stroke. (3) Slow-fast bidirectional development with a negative leader exhibiting a sudden lowering and speed increase; (4) Fast secondary bidirectional development from an in-cloud horizontal positive leader. Negative leaders propagated rapidly into the upper positive charge layer, continuing after the + CG stroke; (5) Slow bidirectional development with a long negative leader (50 km) subject to cutoff while the original positive leader remained trapped inside negative charge. A + CG stroke subsequently occurred under the old negative leader channel. Carrot sprites tended to be associated with fast extending leaders after the stroke, columniform/mixed sprites with slower side branches.

ELF Propagation Parameters for the Ground-Ionosphere Waveguide With Finite Ground Conductivity

In the extremely low frequency (ELF) range, the space between the ground and ionosphere forms a spherical waveguide. When studying the ELF radio-wave propagation on Earth using analytical models, it is commonly assumed that the ground has perfect conductivity. In some planetary applications, the ground conductivity is so low that it has a significant influence on the radio-wave propagation in the ELF range and it has to be included in the model. This issue has not been resolved in a satisfactory way yet. In this paper, we analyze the penetration of the ground by an electromagnetic wave traveling along the surface and we propose a solution that allows including ground parameters in the frequently used 2-D analytical model of the ground-ionosphere waveguide. The presented calculations show that in most cases on Earth, the differences with such a model are small, up to a few percent for phase velocity.

Circularly polarized microwaves for magnetic resonance study in the GHz range: Application to nitrogen-vacancy in diamonds

The ability to create time-dependent magnetic fields of controlled polarization is essential for many experiments with magnetic resonance. We describe a microstrip circuit that allows us to generate strong magnetic field at microwave frequencies with arbitrary adjusted polarization. The circuit performance is demonstrated by applying it to an optically detected magnetic resonance and Rabi nutation experiments in nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond. Thanks to high efficiency of the proposed microstrip circuit and degree of circular polarization of 85%; it is possible to address the specific spin states of a diamond sample using a low power microwave generator. The circuit may be applied to a wide range of magnetic resonance experiments with a well-controlled polarization of microwaves.

An unusual sequence of sprites followed by a secondary TLE: An analysis of ELF radio measurements and optical observations

We present an extraordinary case of sprites in rapid succession—four sprite clusters in only 400 ms—followed by a secondary jet. Simultaneous ELF and optical observations, as well as lightning data, enabled us to thoroughly document this unique event. Locations of the transient luminous events (TLEs) were triangulated using video recordings from Nydek (Czech Republic) and Sopron (Hungary). We found that sprites were displaced up to 70 km from their parent lightning. The current moment waveform and charge moment changes associated with the event were reconstructed from the ELF electromagnetic signature recorded at the Hylaty station (Poland) by a new method. The results suggest that both a short-delayed and a long-delayed sprite were generated by a single positive cloud-to-ground discharge that had an intense continuing current. It had an unusual progression and lasted 200 ms. A large increase in the current moment during the development of a massive carrot sprite provides evidence in favor of sprite current. Our results also support the formation of an electric environment hypothesized to be necessary for the generation of the secondary TLEs.

An Analytical Model of ELF Radiowave Propagation in Ground-Ionosphere Waveguides With a Multilayered Ground

A planetary crust with a low electric conductivity has a strong influence on extremely low frequency (ELF) radiowave propagation in the ground-ionosphere waveguide due to the penetration of the ground by the waves electromagnetic field. The amount of influence it has depends on the actual structure of the ground. Accurate models of radiowave propagation in the ELF range are essential in the study of atmospheric discharges and remote sensing applications. Analytical models are still of primary interest when trying to find inverse solutions and when dealing with large objects such as spherical waveguides that consists of a planetary ground and ionosphere. In this paper, we analyze the influence of a multilayered finite conductivity ground on the propagation of ELF electromagnetic waves in the ground-ionosphere waveguide. We have developed equations that enable us to include different ground models in propagation equations using the concept of complex altitudes, and applied them to the study of ELF electromagnetic field pulses on Mars. This study shows that the structure of the ground and its electrical conductivity has a strong influence on the observed waveforms. Therefore, ELF pulses can serve as a tool for probing planetary grounds. The presented model can also be used to study Schumann resonances.

Time and space correlation between sprites and their parent lightning flashes for a thunderstorm observed during the HyMeX campaign

During the night of 22–23 October 2012, together with the Hydrology cycle in the Mediterranean eXperiment (HyMeX) Special Observation Period 1 campaign, optical observations of sprite events were performed above a leading stratiform Mesoscale Convective System in southeastern France. The total lightning activity of the storm was monitored in three dimensions with the HyMeX Lightning Mapping Array. Broadband Extremely Low Frequency/Very Low Frequency records and radar observations allowed characterizing the flashes and the regions of the cloud where they propagated. Twelve sprite events occurred over the stratiform region, during the last third of the lightning activity period, and well after the coldest satellite-based cloud top temperature (−62°C) and the maximum total lightning flash rate (11 min−1). The sprite-producing positive cloud-to-ground (SP + CG) strokes exhibit peak current from 14 to 247 kA, Charge Moment Changes (CMC) from 625 to 3086 C km, and Impulsive CMC (iCMC) between 242 and 1525 C km. The +CG flashes that do not trigger sprites are initiated outside the main convective core, have much lower CMC values, and in average, shorter durations, lower peak currents, and shorter distances of propagation. The CMC appears to be the best sprite predictor. The delay between the parent stroke and the sprite allows classifying the events as short delayed ( 20 ms). All long-delayed sprites, i.e., most of the time carrot sprites, are produced by SP + CG strokes with low iCMC values. All SP + CG flashes initiate close to the convective core and generate leaders in opposite directions. Negative leaders finally propagate toward lower altitudes, within the stratiform region that coincides with the projected location of the sprite elements.

Novel analysis of a sudden ionospheric disturbance using Schumann resonance measurements

A spherical cavity between Earth and the lower ionosphere forms a global resonator for Extremely Low Frequency electromagnetic waves. Constant thunderstorm activity leads to the formation of a resonance field in the cavity, known as the Schumann resonance. Solar flare generated Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances (SID) modify the ionosphere affecting the ground-based radio communication systems. They are also expected to modify radiowave propagation in the cavity. In this paper, the Schumann Resonance spectral decomposition method is used for the first time to study the cavity resonance frequencies during the SID accompanying a strong X2.1 solar flare. We analyzed rapid changes in the frequencies and Q factors of the first five resonance modes using a 5 min timescale. The observed frequency shifts were compared to the ionizing solar flare fluxes in the UV, X-ray, and high-energy γ rays.

Globally coherent short duration magnetic field transients and their effect on ground based gravitational-wave detectors

It has been recognized that the magnetic fields from the Schumann resonances could affect the search for a stochastic gravitational-wave background by LIGO and Virgo. Presented here are the observations of short duration magnetic field transients that are coincident in the magnetometers at the LIGO and Virgo sites. Data from low-noise magnetometers in Poland and Colorado, USA, are also used and show short duration magnetic transients of global extent. We measure at least 2.3 coincident (between Poland and Colorado) magnetic transient events per day where one of the pulses exceeds 200 pT. Given the recently measured values of the magnetic coupling to differential arm motion for Advanced LIGO, there would be a few events per day that would appear simultaneously at the gravitational-wave detector sites and could move the test masses of order

Subtraction of correlated noise in global networks of gravitational-wave interferometers

10^{-18}

Application of the Schumann resonance spectral decomposition in characterizing the main African thunderstorm center

m. We confirm that in the advanced detector era short duration transient gravitational-wave searches must account for correlated magnetic field noise in the global detector network.