Collaborative Research: Antarctic ELF/VLF Observations of Lightning and Lightning-Induced Electron Precipitation

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The proposal seeks funding to investigate quantitatively the lightning-induced electron precipitation (LEP) using the ELF/VLF (~5 Hz?32 kHz) observations on the Antarctic continent. A coordinated effort will fully characterize individual lightning strokes occurring in the northern hemisphere while simultaneously observing the associated ELF/VLF waveforms in the Antarctic. In addition to advancing knowledge of the ELF/VLF wave studies in general, these observations will be used to differentiate between lightning energy that couples to the ionosphere/magnetosphere and that which couples to the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. Simultaneous observations of LEP will be conducted in the northern and southern hemispheres in order to: (1) quantitatively relate the upward-coupling lightning energy and LEP production, and (2) evaluate the conditions under which LEP occurs in both hemispheres. Rocket-triggered lightning in Florida allow for the direct measurement of lightning currents and will contribute to both the lightning- and LEP-related research efforts. The Antarctic research stations are ideally situated to perform both the long-distance ELF/VLF lightning observations and the VLF scattering observations for LEP detection in the conjugate region, necessary for the success of this program. Continued reliance on graduate and undergraduate students provides a broader impact to this proposed research and firmly grounds this effort in its educational mission.