Spectral Observations of Optical Emissions Associated With Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes

The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor measures Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs) simultaneously with optical emissions from associated lightning activity. We analyzed optical measurements at 180-230, 337, and 777.4 nm related to 69 TGFs observed between June 2018 and October 2019. All TGFs are associated with optical emissions and 90% of them are at the onset of a large optical pulse, suggesting that they are connected with the initiation of current surges. A model of photon delay induced by cloud scattering suggests that the sources of the optical pulses are from 0.7 ms before to 4.4 ms after the TGFs, with a median of -10 +/- 80 mu s, and 1-5 km below the cloud top. The pulses have rise times comparable to lightning but longer durations. Pulse amplitudes at 337 nm are similar to 3 times larger than at 777.4 nm. The results support the leader-streamer mechanism for TGF generation.

Automated summary

The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor measured Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs) and optical emissions related to lightning activity, finding that TGFs are associated with optical emissions and 90% of them occur at the onset of large optical pulses, supporting the leader-streamer mechanism for TGF generation.