Publications [#283104] of Steven A. Cummer

Papers Published

1. Cohen, MB; Inan, US; Said, RK; Briggs, MS; Fishman, GJ; Connaughton, V; Cummer, SA, A lightning discharge producing a beam of relativistic electrons into space, Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 37 no. 18 (September, 2010), pp. n/a-n/a, American Geophysical Union (AGU), ISSN 0094-8276 [repository], [doi]
   (last updated on 2023/06/01)

   Abstract:
   Strong electric fields associated with lightning generate brief (∼1 ms) but intense Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), detected by spacecrafts. A few events are thought to be the signature of a relativistic electron beam escaping the atmosphere, which is distinguishable from a TGF since the lightning discharge is along the geomagnetic field line from the spacecraft, rather than below. We refer to this event herein as a Terrestrial Energetic-electron Flash (TEF), and present the first TEF with associated discharge. The TEF was detected by the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor aboard the Fermi satellite, and is correlated with a lightning discharge detected by three Stanford University AWESOME ELF/VLF receivers, a Duke University ULF receiver, and by the GLD360 lightning geolocation network. The discharge, nearly simultaneous with the generated electrons, was of intense peak current and of positive polarity, and with a modest total charge transfer, similar to TGF-associated discharges. © 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.