Maximum sprite streamer luminosity near the stratopause

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Date

2019

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

AGU Advances

Abstract

Sprites are composed of numerous streamers which exhibit transient luminosities in the upper middle atmosphere above thunderclouds after initiation by an intense positive lightning discharge, often followed by lightning continuing current. Here we report the discovery of a sprite which exhibits its main luminosity near the stratopause. This novel phenomenon is attributed to a sudden surge of intracloud lightning leader activity, based on a rigorous analysis of our observed electromagnetic waveforms.

Description

Keywords

atmospheric and space electricity, lightning discharges, transient luminous events

Citation

Füllekrug, M., Nnadih, S., Soula, S., Mlynarczyk, J., Stock, M., Lapierre, J., & Kosch, M. (2019). Maximum sprite streamer luminosity near the stratopause. Geophysical Research Letters, 46, 12572– 12579. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084331