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Sprites triggered by negative lightning discharges

Publication ,  Journal Article
Barrington-Leigh, CP; Inan, US; Stanley, M; Cummer, SA
Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
December 15, 1999

High altitude air breakdown, manifested as 'red sprites,' is reported in close association with negative cloud-to-ground lightning (-CG) on at least two occasions above an unusual storm on August 29, 1998. Data from high speed photometry, low-light-level video, and receivers of lightning electromagnetic signatures in the frequency range 10 Hz to 20 kHz are used to establish the association and indicate that the causative -CG discharges effected unusually large vertical charge moment changes (ΔM(Qv)) of up to 1550 C·km in 5 ms. The existence of sprites caused by -CG's, rather than the regularly associated +CG's, has immediate implications for sprite models and observations.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Geophysical Research Letters

DOI

ISSN

0094-8276

Publication Date

December 15, 1999

Volume

26

Issue

24

Start / End Page

3605 / 3608

Related Subject Headings

  • Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
 

Citation

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Barrington-Leigh, C. P., Inan, U. S., Stanley, M., & Cummer, S. A. (1999). Sprites triggered by negative lightning discharges. Geophysical Research Letters, 26(24), 3605–3608. https://doi.org/10.1029/1999GL010692
Barrington-Leigh, C. P., U. S. Inan, M. Stanley, and S. A. Cummer. “Sprites triggered by negative lightning discharges.” Geophysical Research Letters 26, no. 24 (December 15, 1999): 3605–8. https://doi.org/10.1029/1999GL010692.
Barrington-Leigh CP, Inan US, Stanley M, Cummer SA. Sprites triggered by negative lightning discharges. Geophysical Research Letters. 1999 Dec 15;26(24):3605–8.
Barrington-Leigh, C. P., et al. “Sprites triggered by negative lightning discharges.” Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 26, no. 24, Dec. 1999, pp. 3605–08. Scopus, doi:10.1029/1999GL010692.
Barrington-Leigh CP, Inan US, Stanley M, Cummer SA. Sprites triggered by negative lightning discharges. Geophysical Research Letters. 1999 Dec 15;26(24):3605–3608.
Journal cover image

Published In

Geophysical Research Letters

DOI

ISSN

0094-8276

Publication Date

December 15, 1999

Volume

26

Issue

24

Start / End Page

3605 / 3608

Related Subject Headings

  • Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences