V. A. Mullayarov

Specific features of variations in the characteristics of VLF signals when the lunar shadow propagated along the path during the solar eclipse of March 29, 2006

The effects of the solar eclipse of March 29, 2006, in the signals of ULF radio stations, in the intensity of regular radio noise at frequencies of 0.3–10 kHz, and in the number of atmospherics received in Yakutsk mostly from the west have been considered. The observations were performed using a multichannel parallel analyzer-recorder (11 channels in the frequency band 0.47–8.7 kHz), one-point lightning direction and range finder (0.3–100 kHz), narrow-sector radio noise direction-finder (0.3–10 kHz), recorder of signals from VLF radio stations, and broadband radio noise recorder (0.3–100 kHz). A GPS clock was used to synchronize a recorder of signals from VLF radio stations. The effect was observed in radio signals, radio noise, and number of atmospherics from the direction 270° ± 20° counted off clockwise from the north during the last stage of the eclipse (∼ 1100–1200 UT), when the lunar shadow approached the line of the nighttime terminator and obscured part of the signal propagation path. The effect was observed as an enhancement of the received signals by a factor of ∼1.2, a factor of ∼1.4 increase in the number of atmospherics, and a change in the radio station phase values.

Neutron bursts during cloud-to-ground discharges of lightning

Neutron bursts of up to 30% per minute resolution are recorded by the Yakutsk cosmic ray spectrograph during jumps of an electric field undergoing changes in the vicinity of the neutron monitor upon cloud-to-ground discharges of lightning. The electric field variations are recorded with an electrostatic fluxmeter (±50 keV m−1).

Variations in the parameters of thunderstorm electromagnetic signals on paths over earthquake regions

The specific features of a method for radiosounding the lower ionosphere over earthquake epicenters using LF electromagnetic signals of thunderstorm sources (atmospherics) have been considered. The effects of shallow-focus earthquakes with magnitudes larger than 4.0 and their precursors manifest themselves in amplitude characteristics of atmospherics. It has been assumed that variations in the signal characteristics are related to disturbances in the lower ionosphere. According to the results of azimuthal scanning, cross-sectional dimensions of disturbed regions, as a rule, correspond to the dimensions of the first two Fresnel zones for signals at a frequency of 10 kHz. Azimuthal scanning also indicated that the positions of disturbed regions during and before earthquakes could have a certain dynamics and differ from the projection onto the earthquake epicenter. The ratio of the amplitudes of electric and magnetic signal components, in the variations of which seismic effects before earthquakes can also be observed, has been considered. An analysis of the ratio makes it possible to increase the probability of predicting earthquakes when using the characteristics of the electromagnetic signals of lightning discharges as an additional method of complex monitoring of disturbances in the lower ionosphere caused by seismic processes.

Patterns of spatial distribution of positive thunderstorm discharges in Eastern Siberia

Patterns of spatial distributions of the thunderstorm positive discharges, which were obtained by using a one-point storm direction and distance finder with observation radius of ∼1200 km in Eastern Siberia in 2003–2007, are considered in this paper. It was found that distributions of positive discharges reflect, in general, overall patterns of thunderstorm activity. Two centers corresponding to maximum activity of the negative storm discharges are located in southwest; however, they were dominating (in terms of their intensity) only in 2005. Two other centers are more intense: the northeastern one was especially strong in 2003, 2004, 2006 and the eastern one was dominating in 2003 and 2007. The northeastern centers are the most active in the beginning and the end of the season. In these areas, ratio of positive and negative discharge fluxes can exceed 1. Activity of the eastern center, whose large part is situated in mountains, can be explained by neighborhood of the Sea of Okhotsk. The mentioned patterns of spatial distributions of positive storm discharges indicate that the geographic conditions play a significant role in their origination in the eastern part of Siberia. In the southern and western regions, a typical electric structure of thunderstorm clouds develops with main negative charge in the lower part of a cloud. At the same time, in the high latitudes, in the mountains, evidently, a different mechanism is realized, leading to the inverted location of charges in a cloud.

Characteristics of storm cells from observations in Yakutia

Considered are the methods of thunderstorm cells clustering using the data of one-point and multipoint lightning detectors and their characteristic features based on the observations in Yakutia. As the thunderstorm activity intensifies, i.e., the lightning discharge density in the region increases, the number of storm centers and the number of cells in the center grow up. The sizes and the lifetime of thunderstorm cells in Yakutia correspond to the similar data for North America and the European part of Russia. The maximum area and intensity of both center and thunderstorm cell are observed at the stage of development, in the middle of their lifetime. As the cell area increases, the intensity of lightning discharges decreases inversely to the area. It is revealed that as the cell oblongness increases, the intensity of lightning discharges in these cells becomes higher as well.

Effect of variations in the solar-wind parameters on thunderstorm activity

Possible correlation between variations of the intensity of lightnings, which are estimated from the flux of thunderstorm-generated VLF-signals, and variations of the solar wind parameters has been investigated. The signals representing the intensity of local thunderstorms in summer and winter are received in Yakutsk (the Eastern Siberia) and in the African World Thunderstorm Center, respectively. The highest correlation coefficient has been obtained between the thunderstorm activity and variations of the solar-wind particle density. This correlation has a season-dependent sign-alternating character. The maximum positive and negative correlation coefficients are observed in August–September and February, respectively; i.e., the manifestation of solar wind density variations in the thunderstorm activity is maximal in the near-equinoctial periods. This may be associated with the peculiarities of the transfer of the magnetospheric electric field “from morning to evening,” which is induced by the solar-wind particle flux, to ionospheric heights.

Spatial pattern of lightning strikes in North Asia

The averaged data of observations oflightning strikes in North Asia in 2009-2014 are presented. The pattern is retrieved from the data of World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN); one station of this network is located in Yakutsk. The dependence of thunderstorm activity on latitude, longitude, and altitude is demonstrated.

Recording neutrons with 10-μs resolution during a thunderstorm in Yakutsk

The creation at the Institute for Cosmophysical Research and Aeronomy of an instrument system for the synchronous recording of variations in the neutron flux, the electric field strength and the electromagnetic radiation during lightning discharges is reported. Preliminary results from measurements of neutron intensity using CHM-15 lead-sheathed and uncovered counters with 10-μs resolution are obtained during short-range lightning events in the vicinity of Yakutsk.

Simultaneous observations of the natural electromagnetic emission in the ELF-VLF range at Kamchatka and in Yakutia during the solar eclipse of August 1, 2008

The effect of the solar eclipse that occurred on August 1, 2008, on the level of the natural electro-magnetic emission signals in the ELF-VLF range, simultaneously observed at Kamchatka and in Yakutsk, and the variations in the amplitude and phase of signals from the VLF radiostations, registered in Yakutsk, has been considered. The VLF radiostations in Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, and Khabarovsk successively emitted signals at frequencies of 11 905, 12 649, and 14 880 Hz. Based on the observations of the signals from these radiostations, it has been established that the signal amplitudes and phases increased by 3–5% and 30°–45° when the signals crossed the lunar shadow region. The synchronous registration of the ELF-VLF noise emission indicated that a bay-like increase and the following decrease in the emission to the background level was observed at both receiving points during the eclipse from ∼1000 to 1130 UT. This effect was registered at frequencies of 0.6–5.6 kHz in Yakutsk and at lower (30–200 Hz) and higher (2.5–11 kHz) frequencies at Kamchatka. In this case the noise emission intensity maximum was observed when the lunar shadow maximally approached the registration point. At higher frequencies, the emission maximum was observed simultaneously at both points (at 1100 UT) but with a delay relative to the maximum at lower frequencies. The possible causes of the appearance of the solar eclipse effects in the natural ELF-VLF emission are considered.

Variations of neutrons and muons generated by cosmic rays in the atmosphere and in thunderstorm electric fields

We investigate the interrelation between cosmic rays (CRs) and the electric field of the Earth during thunderstorms established by various investigators. The data from simultaneous measurements by spectrograph of CRs and the electric field in Yakutsk are used. It is noted that in seven recorded events of prolonged (up to 9 hours) variations in the electric field by ±5 kV m−1 and in one event of a one-hour increase in the field value up to +20 kV m−1 the CR index rose substantially. During the thunderstorm of the latter event, the intensity of neutrons fell by a considerable 1%. At the same time, a drop of ∼0.3% was observed in the CR muon component. Such effects was not observed for higher energy muons.