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Blue Flashes as Counterparts to Narrow Bipolar Events: the Optical Signal of Shallow In-Cloud Discharges
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  • Dongshuai Li,
  • Alejandro Luque,
  • Francisco J Gordillo-Vazquez,
  • Feifan Liu,
  • Gaopeng Lu,
  • Torsten Neubert,
  • Olivier Chanrion,
  • Baoyou Zhu,
  • Nikolai Østgaard,
  • Víctor Reglero
Dongshuai Li
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA), Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA)

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Alejandro Luque
Institute for Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC), in Granada, Spain, Institute for Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC), in Granada, Spain
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Francisco J Gordillo-Vazquez
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC)
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Feifan Liu
University of Science and Technology of China, University of Science and Technology of China
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Gaopeng Lu
School of Earth and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China, School of Earth and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China
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Torsten Neubert
Department of Solar System Physics, Denmark, Department of Solar System Physics, Denmark
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Olivier Chanrion
National Space Institute (DTU Space), National Space Institute (DTU Space)
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Baoyou Zhu
University of Science and Technology of China, University of Science and Technology of China
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Nikolai Østgaard
Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, Allegt. 55, N-5007 Bergen, Norway, Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, Allegt. 55, N-5007 Bergen, Norway
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Víctor Reglero
University of Valencia, University of Valencia
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Abstract

Narrow Bipolar Events (NBEs) are powerful radio emissions from thunderstorms which have been recently associated with blue optical flashes on cloud tops and attributed to extensive streamer electrical discharges named fast breakdown. Combining data obtained from a thunderstorm over South China by the space-based Atmosphere Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), the Vaisala GLD360 global lightning network and very low frequency (VLF)/low frequency (LF) radio detectors, here we report and analyze for the first time the optical emissions of Blue LUminous Events (BLUEs) associated with negative NBEs and located at the top edge of a thundercloud. These emissions are weakly affected by scattering from cloud droplets, allowing us to estimate the source extension and optical energy involved in the process. The optical energy in the 337-nm band emitted by fast breakdown is about 10^4 J, which involves around 10^9 streamer initiation events.
16 Jul 2021Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres volume 126 issue 13. 10.1029/2021JD035013