Atmospheric Science

The lightning-TGF relationship on microsecond timescales

  1. Steven A. Cummer1,
  2. Gaopeng Lu1,
  3. Michael S. Briggs2,
  4. Valerie Connaughton2,
  5. Shaolin Xiong2,
  6. Gerald J. Fishman3,
  7. Joseph R. Dwyer4

Article first published online: 28 JUL 2011

DOI: 10.1029/2011GL048099

Issue

Geophysical Research Letters

Geophysical Research Letters

Additional Information

How to Cite

Cummer, S. A., G. Lu, M. S. Briggs, V. Connaughton, S. Xiong, G. J. Fishman, and J. R. Dwyer (2011), The lightning-TGF relationship on microsecond timescales, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L14810, doi:10.1029/2011GL048099.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA

  2. 2

    CSPAR, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama, USA

  3. 3

    Space Science Office, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, USA

  4. 4

    Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 28 JUL 2011
  2. Article first published online: 28 JUL 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 14 JUN 2011
  4. Manuscript Revised: 13 JUN 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 10 MAY 2011

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Keywords:

  • TGF;
  • lightning;
  • terrestrial gamma-ray flash

[1] We analyze the count rates of two terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) with the broadband magnetic fields (1 to 300 kHz) produced by the simultaneous lightning processes. The microsecond-scale absolute time accuracy for these data, combined with independent geolocations of the source lightning, enable this analysis with higher accuracy than previously possible. In both events, fast discharge-like processes occur within several tens of microseconds of the gamma-ray generation, although not with a consistent relationship. The magnetic field data also show a slower signal component produced by a source current that in both events mirrors the gamma-ray count rate closely in shape and time. This indicates electromagnetic radiation directly associated with the gamma-ray generation process and thus provides a new means for probing the internal physics of this enigmatic phenomenon.

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