Robert A. Roussel-Dupre

Runaway electron mechanism of air breakdown and preconditioning during a thunderstorm

Abstract The possibility is considered of an avalanche-type increase of the number of runaway electrons leading to a new type of electric breakdown of gases. This type of breakdown could take place in the atmosphere during a thunderstorm stimulated by cosmic ray secondaries.

Lightning initiation by simultaneous effect of runaway breakdown and cosmic ray showers

Abstract The combined action of cosmic ray showers (CRS) and runaway breakdown (RB) on thunderstorm atmosphere is studied. The ionization of atmosphere produced by CRS core being strongly amplified in RB conditions is shown to be sufficient to generate a highly ionized plasma region. Electric polarization of this plasma region is manifested in a significant local amplification of a thunderstorm electric field, what could result in a local electric breakdown and lead to initiation of lightning. Experiments which could check the predictions of the theory are proposed.

FORTE satellite constraints on ultrahigh energy cosmic particle fluxes

The FORTE (Fast On-orbit Recording of Transient Events) satellite records bursts of electromagnetic waves arising from near the Earths surface in the radio frequency (rf) range of 30 to 300 MHz with a dual polarization antenna. We investigate the possible rf signature of ultrahigh energy cosmic-ray particles in the form of coherent Cherenkov radiation from cascades in ice. We calculate the sensitivity of the FORTE satellite to ultrahigh energy neutrino (UHE

High altitude discharges and gamma‐ray flashes: A manifestation of runaway air breakdown

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SIMULATIONS OF HIGH-ALTITUDE DISCHARGES INITIATED BY RUNAWAY BREAKDOWN

fluxes at different energies beyond the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff. Some constraints on supersymmetry model parameters are also estimated due to the limits that FORTE sets on the UHE neutralino flux. The FORTE database consists of over 4 million recorded events to date, including in principle some events associated with UHE

Ground-based search for X rays generated by thunderstorms and lightning

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Gamma‐ray emissions observed in a thunderstorm anvil

We search for candidate FORTE events in the period from September 1997 to December 1999. The candidate production mechanism is via coherent VHF radiation from a UHE

Fundamental parameters of a relativistic runaway electron avalanche in air

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Nonuniform runaway air-breakdown

shower in the Greenland ice sheet. We demonstrate a high efficiency for selection against lightning and anthropogenic backgrounds. A single candidate out of several thousand raw triggers survives all cuts, and we set limits on the corresponding particle fluxes assuming this event represents our background level.

Analysis of FORTE data to extract ionospheric parameters

γ-ray flashes of atmospheric origin as well as blue jets and red sprites are naturally explained by high-altitude discharges produced by runaway air breakdown. We present the first detailed model of the development of upward propagating discharges and compute optical and γ-ray emissions that are in excellent agreement with observations. According to our theory, such discharges represent the first known manifestation of runaway air breakdown, a fundamental new process in plasma physics.