Heating, ionization and upward discharges in the mesosphere, due to intense quasi‐electrostatic thundercloud fields
- 15 February 1995
- journal article
- Published by American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Geophysical Research Letters
- Vol. 22 (4) , 365-368
- https://doi.org/10.1029/95gl00008
Abstract
Quasi‐electrostatic (QE) fields that temporarily exist at high altitudes following the sudden removal (e.g., by a lightning discharge) of thundercloud charge at low altitudes are found to significantly heat mesospheric electrons and produce ionization and light. The intensity, spatial extent, duration and spectra of optical emissions produced are consistent with the observed features of the Red Sprite type of upward discharges.Keywords
This publication has 16 references indexed in Scilit:
- Preliminary results from the Sprites94 Aircraft Campaign: 1. Red spritesGeophysical Research Letters, 1995
- Characteristics of luminous structures in the stratosphere above thunderstorms as imaged by low‐light videoGeophysical Research Letters, 1994
- The interaction with the lower ionosphere of electromagnetic pulses from lightning: Excitation of optical emissionsGeophysical Research Letters, 1993
- Observations of upper atmospheric optical flashes recorded from an aircraftGeophysical Research Letters, 1993
- VLF signatures of lightning‐induced heating and ionization of the nighttime D‐regionGeophysical Research Letters, 1993
- lightning‐related fields in the ionosphereGeophysical Research Letters, 1988
- Electrical measurements in the atmosphere and the ionosphere over an active thunderstorm: 2. Direct current electric fields and conductivityJournal of Geophysical Research, 1985
- Chemistry of middle atmospheric ionization—a reviewJournal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics, 1981
- The Earth and Its Atmosphere as a Leaky Spherical CapacitorAmerican Journal of Physics, 1974
- Lightning-induced electric fields in the ionosphereJournal of Geophysical Research, 1974