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Titel |
Relativistic electron beams above thunderclouds |
VerfasserIn |
M. Füllekrug, R. Roussel-Dupré, E. M. D. Symbalisty, J. J. Colman, O. Chanrion, S. Soula, O. Velde, A. Odzimek, A. J. Bennett, V. P. Pasko, T. Neubert |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1680-7316
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ; 11, no. 15 ; Nr. 11, no. 15 (2011-08-03), S.7747-7754 |
Datensatznummer |
250009973
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/acp-11-7747-2011.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
Non-luminous relativistic electron beams above thunderclouds have been detected
by the radio signals of low frequency ∼40–400 kHz which they radiate.
The electron beams occur ∼2–9 ms after positive
cloud-to-ground lightning discharges at heights between ∼22–72 km
above thunderclouds. Intense positive lightning discharges can also cause sprites
which occur either above or prior to the electron beam. One electron beam was
detected without any luminous sprite which suggests that electron
beams may also occur independently of sprites. Numerical simulations show that
beams of electrons partially discharge the lightning electric field above
thunderclouds and thereby gain a mean energy of ∼7 MeV to transport a
total charge of ∼−10 mC upwards. The impulsive current
∼3 × 10−3 Am−2 associated with
relativistic electron beams above thunderclouds is directed downwards and
needs to be considered as a novel element of the global atmospheric electric
circuit. |
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