Electromagnetics of sprite- and elve-associated sferics

• Published in: Journal of atmospheric and solar-terrestrial physics 1998-05, Vol.60 (7), p.771-786
• Main Authors: Marshall, L.H, Hale, L.C, Croskey, C.L, Lyons, W.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1364-6826; 1879-1824
• DOI: 10.1016/S1364-6826(98)00014-5

Electromagnetic data recorded in conjunction with the Sprites ’95 campaign are presented. The primary data set consists of electric and magnetic field waveforms related to visually identified sprites and elves recorded on the night of 24–25 July 1995. The data were collected near State College, PA, from a mesoscale convective system (MCS) located about 2100 km away near Lubbock, TX. The optical events were visually identified from an observation station in Fort Collins, CO. Presented are the waveforms of the sferics, a description of the measurement system, and a discussion of the signature traits of optical event-producing sferics. All of the sferics recorded which were related to visually identified events exhibited primarily unipolar ‘slow tail’ electromagnetic signatures of order one millisecond duration in the direction indicating positive lightning. Similar waveforms of opposite polarity, indicating ordinary negative lightning, were not accompanied by any observed high altitude optical events.