Gamma-ray emission from thunderstorm discharges

• Published in: Physics letters. A 2011-04, Vol.375 (15), p.1619-1625
• Main Authors: Gurevich, A.V., Chubenko, A.P., Karashtin, A.N., Mitko, G.G., Naumov, A.S., Ptitsyn, M.O., Ryabov, V.A., Shepetov, A.L., Shlyugaev, Yu.V., Vildanova, L.I., Zybin, K.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atmosphere electricity; Gamma-ray emission; Lightning
• ISSN: 0375-9601; 1873-2429
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physleta.2011.03.005

Fine features of gamma-ray radiation registered during a thunderstorm at Tien-Shan Mountain Cosmic Ray Station are presented. Long duration (100–600 ms) gamma-ray bursts are found. They are for the first time identified with atmospheric discharges (lighting). Gamma-ray emission lasts all the time of the discharge and is extremely non-uniform consisting of numerous flashes. Its peak intensity in the flashes exceeds the gamma-ray background up to two orders of magnitude. Exclusively strong altitude dependence of gamma radiation is found. The observation of gamma radiation at the height 4–8 km could serve as a new important method of atmospheric discharge processes investigation. ► Gamma-radiation bursts always accompany the electric discharges in atmosphere. ► The gamma burst fill up the time of an atmospheric discharge completely. ► The higher is the discharge electric field change – the higher is gamma intensity. ► The temporal distribution of gamma intensity during the burst is non-uniform. ► The altitude dependence of the burst gamma intensity is dramatic.