The prolonged gamma ray enhancement and the short radiation burst events observed in thunderstorms at Tien Shan

Shepetov A. Antonova V. Kalikulov O. Kryakunova O. Karashtin A. Lutsenko V. Mamina S. Mukashev K. Piscal V. Ptitsyn M. Ryabov V. Sadykov T. Saduev N. Salikhov N. Shlyugaev Y. Vildanova L. Zhukov V. Gurevich A.
15 January 2021 Elsevier Ltd

Atmospheric Research
2021 #248

We report the observation results of the hard radiation flashes which accompanied the lightning discharges above the mountains of Northern Tien Shan. Time series of the counting rate intensity, numerical estimations of absolute flux, and energy distribution of accelerated electrons and of (20−2000) keV gamma rays were obtained at the height of 3700 m a. s. l., immediately within thunderclouds, and in closest vicinity (≲100 m) to discharge region. Two different kinds of radiation emission events are presented here: a relatively prolonged rise of gamma ray intensity with minute-scale duration (the thunderstorm ground enhancement, TGE) which has preceded a negative field variation, and a short sub-millisecond radiation burst, which accompanied a close lightning discharge in thundercloud. It was revealed also an indication to positron generation in thunderclouds at the time of gamma ray emission, as well as modulation of the neutron counting rate in Tien Shan neutron monitor which was operating at a (1.5–2) km order distance from the region of lightning development.

Gamma ray glow , Lightning , Neutron monitor modulation , Runaway electrons breakdown , TGE , Thunderstorm

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P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences (LPI), Leninsky pr., 53, Moscow, Russian Federation
Institute of Ionosphere, Kamenskoye plato, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Satbayev University, Institute of Physics and Technology, Ibragimova str. 11, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Institute for Experimental and Theoretical Physics, al-Farabi pr. 71, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Radiophysical Research Institute, Bolshaya Pechyorskaya, str., 25/12a, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation
Institute of Applied Physics of RAS, Ulyanova str., 46, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation

P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences (LPI)
Institute of Ionosphere
Satbayev University
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
Radiophysical Research Institute
Institute of Applied Physics of RAS

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