Abstract
Although the Quasi-electrostatic (QE) model has been considered a basic mechanism for describing sprite generation, the relationship between sprite luminosity and the charge moment change (CMC) value, caused by the sprites' parent lightning has not been examined quantitatively. CMC value represents the energy of cloud-to-ground discharge (CG) and the electric field intensity above the thunderstorm. We focused on the data obtained in 2004, in which both ISUAL on board the FORMOSAT-2 satellite and the Tohoku ELF network were operated throughout one year. We could estimate the absolute luminous intensity of sprites free from atmospheric influence with the ISUAL/Array Photometer (AP) and investigated its relationship to the charge moment of parent lightning. Absolute optical energies emitted from sprites were estimated for 14 streamer-type sprites for the first time. The averages of the time-integrated optical energies are 176 kJ and 119 kJ for the N2 1PG and N2 2PG bands, respectively. Furthermore, the optical energies and the charge moments of their parent lightning estimated with ELF data show a high correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.93), that is consistent, qualitatively, with the QE model. This relationship predicts that the 50% occurrence probability is located at ∼600 C km, which coincides with previous statistical studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | A00E55 |
| Journal | Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics |
| Volume | 115 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 Jan 1 |
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- Geophysics
- Forestry
- Oceanography
- Aquatic Science
- Ecology
- Water Science and Technology
- Soil Science
- Geochemistry and Petrology
- Earth-Surface Processes
- Atmospheric Science
- Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
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Absolute optical energy of sprites and its relationship to charge moment of parent lightning discharge based on measurement by ISUAL/AP. / Takahashi, Y.; Yoshida, A.; Sato, M.; Adachi, T.; Kondo, S.; Hsu, Rue-Ron; Su, Han-Tzong; Chen, Bing-Chih; Mende, S. B.; Frey, H. U.; Lee, L. C.
In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 115, No. 9, A00E55, 01.01.2010.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Absolute optical energy of sprites and its relationship to charge moment of parent lightning discharge based on measurement by ISUAL/AP
AU - Takahashi, Y.
AU - Yoshida, A.
AU - Sato, M.
AU - Adachi, T.
AU - Kondo, S.
AU - Hsu, Rue-Ron
AU - Su, Han-Tzong
AU - Chen, Bing-Chih
AU - Mende, S. B.
AU - Frey, H. U.
AU - Lee, L. C.
PY - 2010/1/1
Y1 - 2010/1/1
N2 - Although the Quasi-electrostatic (QE) model has been considered a basic mechanism for describing sprite generation, the relationship between sprite luminosity and the charge moment change (CMC) value, caused by the sprites' parent lightning has not been examined quantitatively. CMC value represents the energy of cloud-to-ground discharge (CG) and the electric field intensity above the thunderstorm. We focused on the data obtained in 2004, in which both ISUAL on board the FORMOSAT-2 satellite and the Tohoku ELF network were operated throughout one year. We could estimate the absolute luminous intensity of sprites free from atmospheric influence with the ISUAL/Array Photometer (AP) and investigated its relationship to the charge moment of parent lightning. Absolute optical energies emitted from sprites were estimated for 14 streamer-type sprites for the first time. The averages of the time-integrated optical energies are 176 kJ and 119 kJ for the N2 1PG and N2 2PG bands, respectively. Furthermore, the optical energies and the charge moments of their parent lightning estimated with ELF data show a high correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.93), that is consistent, qualitatively, with the QE model. This relationship predicts that the 50% occurrence probability is located at ∼600 C km, which coincides with previous statistical studies.
AB - Although the Quasi-electrostatic (QE) model has been considered a basic mechanism for describing sprite generation, the relationship between sprite luminosity and the charge moment change (CMC) value, caused by the sprites' parent lightning has not been examined quantitatively. CMC value represents the energy of cloud-to-ground discharge (CG) and the electric field intensity above the thunderstorm. We focused on the data obtained in 2004, in which both ISUAL on board the FORMOSAT-2 satellite and the Tohoku ELF network were operated throughout one year. We could estimate the absolute luminous intensity of sprites free from atmospheric influence with the ISUAL/Array Photometer (AP) and investigated its relationship to the charge moment of parent lightning. Absolute optical energies emitted from sprites were estimated for 14 streamer-type sprites for the first time. The averages of the time-integrated optical energies are 176 kJ and 119 kJ for the N2 1PG and N2 2PG bands, respectively. Furthermore, the optical energies and the charge moments of their parent lightning estimated with ELF data show a high correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.93), that is consistent, qualitatively, with the QE model. This relationship predicts that the 50% occurrence probability is located at ∼600 C km, which coincides with previous statistical studies.
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U2 - 10.1029/2009JA014814
DO - 10.1029/2009JA014814
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77957574515
VL - 115
JO - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
SN - 2169-9380
IS - 9
M1 - A00E55
ER -