Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes Can Be Detected with Radio Measurements of
Energetic In-cloud Pulses during Thunderstorms
Abstract
Many of the details of how terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) are
produced, including their association with upward-propagating in-cloud
lightning leader channels, remain poorly understood. Measurements of the
low-frequency radio emissions associated with TGF production
continuously provide unique views and key insights into the
electrodynamics of this process. Here we report further details on the
connection between energetic in-cloud pulses (EIPs) and TGFs. With
coordinated measurements from both the ground-based radio sensors and
space-based gamma-ray detectors on the Fermi and RHESSI spacecraft, we
find that all ten +EIPs that occurred within the searched space-and-time
window are associated with simultaneous TGFs, including two new TGFs
that were not previously identified by the gamma-ray measurements alone.
The results in this study not only solidify the tight connection between
+EIPs and TGFs, but also demonstrate the practicability of detecting a
subpopulation of TGFs with ground-based radio sensors alone.