Detecting an Upward Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash from its Reverse Positron Beam

Publication typeJournal Article
Publication date2020-02-29
scimago Q1
wos Q2
SJR1.545
CiteScore6.7
Impact factor3.4
ISSN2169897X, 21698996
Space and Planetary Science
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Atmospheric Science
Geophysics
Abstract
In 2015, Bowers et al. (2018, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JD027771) detected a terrestrial gamma ray flash (TGF) in Hurricane Patricia from an aircraft flying at 2.6 km through what they argued to be a beam of downward gamma radiation produced by the positron component of the TGF. This paper uses the energy spectrum for gamma rays produced by the positrons of a relativistic runaway electron avalanche as simulated by the REAM code, propagated through a model of the Earth's atmosphere in Geant4, to examine the feasibility of detecting a typical upward TGF through its reverse positron beam at various altitudes on the ground. We find that, with patience, modest-sized scintillators on mountains as low as 1 km should be able to observe the same TGFs seen from spacecraft.
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GOST Copy
Ortberg J. et al. Detecting an Upward Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash from its Reverse Positron Beam // Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres. 2020. Vol. 125. No. 6.
GOST all authors (up to 50) Copy
Ortberg J., Smith D. M., Li J., Dwyer J. T., Bowers G., Bowers G. H. Detecting an Upward Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash from its Reverse Positron Beam // Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres. 2020. Vol. 125. No. 6.
RIS |
Cite this
RIS Copy
TY - JOUR
DO - 10.1029/2019jd030942
UR - https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jd030942
TI - Detecting an Upward Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash from its Reverse Positron Beam
T2 - Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
AU - Ortberg, John
AU - Smith, D. M.
AU - Li, Joseph
AU - Dwyer, J T
AU - Bowers, Gregory
AU - Bowers, Gregory H.
PY - 2020
DA - 2020/02/29
PB - American Geophysical Union
IS - 6
VL - 125
SN - 2169-897X
SN - 2169-8996
ER -
BibTex
Cite this
BibTex (up to 50 authors) Copy
@article{2020_Ortberg,
author = {John Ortberg and D. M. Smith and Joseph Li and J T Dwyer and Gregory Bowers and Gregory H. Bowers},
title = {Detecting an Upward Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash from its Reverse Positron Beam},
journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres},
year = {2020},
volume = {125},
publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
month = {feb},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jd030942},
number = {6},
doi = {10.1029/2019jd030942}
}