Ionosphere and Upper Atmosphere

You have free access to this content

Lightning-generated whistler waves observed by probes on the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecast System satellite at low latitudes

  1. R. H. Holzworth1,
  2. M. P. McCarthy1,
  3. R. F. Pfaff2,
  4. A. R. Jacobson1,
  5. W. L. Willcockson1 and
  6. D. E. Rowland2

Article first published online: 8 JUN 2011

DOI: 10.1029/2010JA016198

Issue

Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics (1978–2012)

Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics (1978–2012)


Additional Information

How to Cite

Holzworth, R. H., M. P. McCarthy, R. F. Pfaff, A. R. Jacobson, W. L. Willcockson, and D. E. Rowland (2011), Lightning-generated whistler waves observed by probes on the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecast System satellite at low latitudes, J. Geophys. Res., 116, A06306, doi:10.1029/2010JA016198.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

  2. 2

    Laboratory for Space Weather, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 JUN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 8 JUN 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 26 APR 2011
  4. Manuscript Revised: 22 APR 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 8 OCT 2010

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Enhanced Article (HTML) Get PDF (1327K)

Keywords:

  • density;
  • electric fields;
  • equator;
  • ionosphere;
  • lightning;
  • optical

[1] Direct evidence is presented for a causal relationship between lightning and strong electric field transients inside equatorial ionospheric density depletions. In fact, these whistler mode plasma waves may be the dominant electric field signal within such depletions. Optical lightning data from the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecast System (C/NOFS) satellite and global lightning location information from the World Wide Lightning Location Network are presented as independent verification that these electric field transients are caused by lightning. The electric field instrument on C/NOFS routinely measures lightning-related electric field wave packets or sferics, associated with simultaneous measurements of optical flashes at all altitudes encountered by the satellite (401–867 km). Lightning-generated whistler waves have abundant access to the topside ionosphere, even close to the magnetic equator.

View Full Article (HTML) Enhanced Article (HTML) Get PDF (1327K)