Optical and VLF Imaging of Lightning-Ionosphere Interactions

Abstract

This work addresses some of the key topics of space physics research recommended in the National Research Council 2003 report A Decadal Research Strategy in Solar and Space Physics , namely, the thunderstorm-driven electrodynamic coupling between the troposphere, mesosphere, lower ionosphere, and magnetosphere. Lightning-induced electron precipitation encompasses all of these regions, from atmospheric and mesospheric electrodynamics, to radiation belt scattering, to precipitation and disturbances of ionospheric communication channels. Sprites and their possible conjugate effects due to relativistic electrons also constitute a coupling between the regions, including lightning effects on the mesosphere and ionosphere, and relativistic electron beams injected into the magnetosphere. Geomagnetic disturbances highlight the coupling between these regions, with the resulting perturbations in the magnetosphere and ionosphere easily detectable.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2006
Accession Number
ADA612262

Entities

People

  • Umran Savaş İnan

Organizations

  • Stanford University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude
  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Data Acquisition
  • Electron Beams
  • Electrons
  • Ionosphere
  • Ionospheric Disturbances
  • Lightning
  • Magnetic Disturbances
  • Magnetic Storms
  • Magnetosphere
  • Measurement
  • Observation
  • Physics
  • Radiation
  • Scattering
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science
  • Physics

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics
  • Space