Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

The Polarity Asymmetry of Sprite Producing Lightning: A Paradox Earle R. Williams MIT Multi-Scale Nature of Spark Precursors and High Altitude Lightning.

Published bySamuel Crawford Modified over 8 years ago

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "The Polarity Asymmetry of Sprite Producing Lightning: A Paradox Earle R. Williams MIT Multi-Scale Nature of Spark Precursors and High Altitude Lightning."— Presentation transcript:

1 The Polarity Asymmetry of Sprite Producing Lightning: A Paradox Earle R. Williams MIT Multi-Scale Nature of Spark Precursors and High Altitude Lightning University of Leiden May 9-13, 2005

2 Leiden Univ 2 ERW 5/12/05 Outline 3-way linkage: positive CG—sprite—Q-burst Global location of lightning C.T.R. Wilson idea for sprite initiation Polarity of ground flashes causal to sprites Why the overwhelming tendency for ‘positive’ sprites? Global maps of energetic flashes Bimodal distributions of vertical charge moments Possible role of the duration of the moment change, and halos Asymmetry in slopes of current moment spectra Lightning responsible for gamma rays Conclusions

3 Leiden Univ 3 ERW 5/12/05 HR163-5 Sprite HR163-5 Lightning 3-Way Connection Positive Cloud-to-Ground Lightning (“Spider” Lightning) Sprites and Elves in the Mesosphere Transient Excitation of the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide (Schumann Resonances) 410880_P_1Y.ppt S A

4 Leiden Univ 4 ERW 5/12/05 Theory Used for Global Mapping

5 Leiden Univ 5 ERW 5/12/05 Sprite Initiation Following C.T.R. Wilson (1925)

6 Leiden Univ 6 ERW 5/12/05 General Results on the Polarity of Parent Lightning for Sprites Thousands of sprites caused by positive ground flashes Two well documented sprites caused by negative ground flashes (Barrington-Leigh et al, 1999) Estimate < 0.1% of sprites caused by ground flashes with negative polarity

7 Leiden Univ 7 ERW 5/12/05 Global Map of Large Lightning Events from Rhode Island Station

8 Leiden Univ 8 ERW 5/12/05 Map Comparison for Positive and Negative Flashes

9 Leiden Univ 9 ERW 5/12/05 Bipolar Distribution of Large Charge Moments

10 Leiden Univ 10 ERW 5/12/05 Percentage of All Lightning with Positive Polarity (Above Sprite Threshold)

11 Leiden Univ 11 ERW 5/12/05 Daytime Sprites Where on the globe are the sprites caused by supercritical negative charge moments? Hypothesis: In the daytime, when sprites cannot be seen

12 Leiden Univ 12 ERW 5/12/05 How Many of the Supercritical Events in the Daytime? (When Sprites Would Not Be Seen)

13 Leiden Univ 13 ERW 5/12/05 Oceanic Sprites Where are the sprites on the globe caused by supercritical negative charge moments? Hypothesis: Over the oceans where we lack observational coverage

14 Leiden Univ 14 ERW 5/12/05 World Color Map

15 Leiden Univ 15 ERW 5/12/05 Sprite-Capable Negative Lightning for Oceans

16 Leiden Univ 16 ERW 5/12/05 Sprite Halos What are the events caused by supercritical negative charge moments? Hypothesis: Halos caused by more-impulsive- than-usual negative ground flashes

17 Leiden Univ 17 ERW 5/12/05 Current Moment Spectra (I(f)dS) in Lower ELF Region Lightning current duration << light time around the Earth  ‘white’ current moment spectrum; ‘impulsive’ Lightning current duration <= light time around the Earth  ‘red’ current moment spectrum

18 Leiden Univ 18 ERW 5/12/05 Current Moment Spectra – Slope Comparison Negative Flashes Positive Flashes

19 Leiden Univ 19 ERW 5/12/05 Electron-Runaway Hypothesis: Sprite events are Gamma Producers Positive CG lightning required to accelerate electrons upward to cause bremmstrahlung and launch gamma rays upward Current evidence: failure of this hypothesis No help for sprite polarity paradox

20 Leiden Univ 20 ERW 5/12/05 Global Map of Terrestrial Gamma Flashes Courtesy of Space Sciences Laboratory University of California, Berkeley (2005)

21 Leiden Univ 21 ERW 5/12/05 What Lightning Configurations are Favorable for Upward Gamma Rays

22 Leiden Univ 22 ERW 5/12/05 Behavior Over Oceans is Different ‘Negative’ sprites over water? (Barrington-Leigh et al, 1999) ‘Negative’ elves over water? (Barrington-Leigh and Inan, 1999) (Recent ROCSAT results (Cummer, pers. comm.) Negative charge moments over water (Fullekrug et al, 2002) Peculiar behavior near Haiti (V. Pasko, unpublished) Giant cloud-to-ionosphere discharges (V. Pasko, M. Stanley and others) Anomalous peak currents over water (W. Lyons (NLDN), A. Jacobson (Met Office VLF obs)

23 Leiden Univ 23 ERW 5/12/05 Conclusions Substantially greater negative charge moments above the sprite initiation threshold than there are observed ‘negative’ sprites (the paradox) Energetic negative ground flashes transfer their charge in a shorter time than positive flashes. Perhaps the stress period is shorter for negative events, and difficult-to-detect halos are the result (possible resolution to the paradox)

Download ppt "The Polarity Asymmetry of Sprite Producing Lightning: A Paradox Earle R. Williams MIT Multi-Scale Nature of Spark Precursors and High Altitude Lightning."

Similar presentations

Solar System Science Flares and Solar Energetic Particles Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes Cosmic-ray interactions with Earth, Sun, Moon, etc. Plans: Optimization.

Solar System Science Flares and Solar Energetic Particles Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes Cosmic-ray interactions with Earth, Sun, Moon, etc. Plans: Optimization.
Leiden October 2007 High Time-Resolution Sprite Imaging: Observations and Implications H. C. Stenbaek-Nielsen Geophysical Institute University of Alaska.

Leiden October 2007 High Time-Resolution Sprite Imaging: Observations and Implications H. C. Stenbaek-Nielsen Geophysical Institute University of Alaska.
Nimbus Dr. Matthew Goodman, DSO Program Manager Briefing prepared for GLM Annual Science Meeting National Space and Technology Center – September 19, 2011.

Nimbus Dr. Matthew Goodman, DSO Program Manager Briefing prepared for GLM Annual Science Meeting National Space and Technology Center – September 19, 2011.
Stratospheric Electric and Magnetic Field and Conductivity Measurements Above Thunderstorms: Implications for Sprite Models Jeremy N. Thomas

Stratospheric Electric and Magnetic Field and Conductivity Measurements Above Thunderstorms: Implications for Sprite Models Jeremy N. Thomas
1 Investigations of lightning-induced sudden brightening in the OH airglow layer observed by ISUAL onboard FORMOSAT-II Satellite 1.Physics Department,

1 Investigations of lightning-induced sudden brightening in the OH airglow layer observed by ISUAL onboard FORMOSAT-II Satellite 1.Physics Department,
 Intracloud  Cloud-to-Cloud  Anvil Crawlers  Cloud-to-Air  Sprites and Jets.

 Intracloud  Cloud-to-Cloud  Anvil Crawlers  Cloud-to-Air  Sprites and Jets.
Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes. Gamma Ray Astronomy Beginning started as a small budget research program in 1959 monitoring compliance with the 1963 Partial.

Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes. Gamma Ray Astronomy Beginning started as a small budget research program in 1959 monitoring compliance with the 1963 Partial.
NATS 101 Lecture 28 Lightning. Review: Thunderstorms A cumulonimbus with lightning and thunder! Deep layer of conditionally unstable air is necessary.

NATS 101 Lecture 28 Lightning. Review: Thunderstorms A cumulonimbus with lightning and thunder! Deep layer of conditionally unstable air is necessary.
Transient Luminous Events and the 9 May 2007 Oklahoma Mesoscale Convective System Contact Info: Timothy J. Lang, CSU Atmospheric Science, Ft. Collins,

Transient Luminous Events and the 9 May 2007 Oklahoma Mesoscale Convective System Contact Info: Timothy J. Lang, CSU Atmospheric Science, Ft. Collins,
Seasonal dependence of LEP observed on DEMETER Erin S. Gemelos 1, Umran S. Inan 1, Martin Walt 1, Jean-Andre Sauvaud 2, Michel Parrot 3 February 18, 2009.

Seasonal dependence of LEP observed on DEMETER Erin S. Gemelos 1, Umran S. Inan 1, Martin Walt 1, Jean-Andre Sauvaud 2, Michel Parrot 3 February 18, 2009.
Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes Prepared by Morris Cohen Stanford University, Stanford, CA IHY Workshop on Advancing VLF through the Global AWESOME Network.

Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes Prepared by Morris Cohen Stanford University, Stanford, CA IHY Workshop on Advancing VLF through the Global AWESOME Network.
The new information about UV radiation of the Earth's atmosphere according to the «Universitetskij-Tatiana-2» data D.V.Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear.

The new information about UV radiation of the Earth's atmosphere according to the «Universitetskij-Tatiana-2» data D.V.Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear.
The Physics of Lightning Flash and Its Effects COST Action P18 2005-2009 Chair: Rajeev Thottappillil, Sweden Vice-chair: Farhad Rachidi, Switzerland Web:

The Physics of Lightning Flash and Its Effects COST Action P Chair: Rajeev Thottappillil, Sweden Vice-chair: Farhad Rachidi, Switzerland Web:
The global atmospheric electric circuit – an overview

The global atmospheric electric circuit – an overview
Lightning-Driven Electric Fields in the Stratosphere: Comparisons Between In-Situ Measurements and Quasi-Electrostatic Field Model Jeremy N. Thomas, Robert.

Lightning-Driven Electric Fields in the Stratosphere: Comparisons Between In-Situ Measurements and Quasi-Electrostatic Field Model Jeremy N. Thomas, Robert.
Observations and statistics of small-scale streamer and bead features in sprites Robert A. Marshall, Umran S. Inan STAR Laboratory, Stanford University,

Observations and statistics of small-scale streamer and bead features in sprites Robert A. Marshall, Umran S. Inan STAR Laboratory, Stanford University,
1 Sferics and Tweeks Prepared by Ryan Said and Morris Cohen Stanford University, Stanford, CA IHY Workshop on Advancing VLF through the Global AWESOME.

1 Sferics and Tweeks Prepared by Ryan Said and Morris Cohen Stanford University, Stanford, CA IHY Workshop on Advancing VLF through the Global AWESOME.
Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) and Early VLF events Prepared by Robert Marshall, Benjamin Cotts, and Morris Cohen Stanford University, Stanford, CA IHY.

Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) and Early VLF events Prepared by Robert Marshall, Benjamin Cotts, and Morris Cohen Stanford University, Stanford, CA IHY.
Investigations on Atmospheric Acceleration of Energetic Electrons by ERG and SCOPE Wing-Huen Ip Institutes of Space Science and Astronomy National Central.

Investigations on Atmospheric Acceleration of Energetic Electrons by ERG and SCOPE Wing-Huen Ip Institutes of Space Science and Astronomy National Central.
1 Correlated High Speed Video, Medium Range E-Field, and B-field observations of Sprites Takeshi Kammae, H.C. Stenbaek-Nielsen Geophysical Institute, University.

1 Correlated High Speed Video, Medium Range E-Field, and B-field observations of Sprites Takeshi Kammae, H.C. Stenbaek-Nielsen Geophysical Institute, University.

Similar presentations

Ads by Google