Publications [#283198] of Steven A. Cummer

Papers Published

1. Barrington-Leigh, CP; Inan, US; Stanley, M; Cummer, SA, Sprites triggered by negative lightning discharges, Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 26 no. 24 (December, 1999), pp. 3605-3608, American Geophysical Union (AGU) [1999GL010692], [doi]
   (last updated on 2023/06/01)

   Abstract:
   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.

   Keywords:
   Electric breakdown;Photometry;