A terrestrial gamma-ray flash (TGF) is a burst of gamma rays produced in Earth's atmosphere. TGFs have been recorded to last 0.2 to 3.5 milliseconds, and have energies of up to 20 million electronvolts. It is speculated that TGFs are caused by intense electric fields produced above or inside thunderstorms. Scientists have also detected energetic positrons and electrons produced by terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.
Discovery
Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes were first discovered in 1994 by BATSE, or Burst and Transient Source Experiment, on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, a NASA spacecraft. A subsequent study from Stanford University in 1996 linked a TGF to an individual lightning strike occurring within a few milliseconds of the TGF. BATSE detected only a small number of TGF events in nine years (76), due to its having been constructed to study gamma rays from outer space, which last much longer.
The newer RHESSI satellite has observed TGFs with much higher energies than those recorded by BATSE. In addition, the new observations show that approximately 50 TGFs occur each day, more than previously thought but still only representing a very small fraction of the total lightning on Earth (3-4 million lightning events per day on average). However, the number may be much higher than that due to the possibility of flashes in the form of narrow beams that would be difficult to detect, or the possibility that a large number of TGFs may be generated at altitudes too low for the gamma rays to escape the atmosphere.
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Gamma radiation is produced as well, in bursts called terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), which can last up to 100 microseconds, followed by longer afterglows ... flickering gamma-ray flashes (FGFs).
The studies reveal that high-energy gamma-ray phenomena are more common on Earth than previously thought. The team observed around 500 gamma-ray glows and 130 terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) during 10 flights in 2023.
Gamma-ray events in thunderstorms are divided into terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), lasting up to 100 microseconds; and gamma-ray glows, which can last hundreds of seconds.
NASAArmstrongFlight Research Center’s ER-2 aircraft flies just above the height of thunderclouds over the Floridian and Caribbean coastlines to collect data about lightning glows and terrestrial gamma ray flashes.
When those electrons run into air molecules, they emit a terrestrial gamma-ray flash, which means that thunderstorms are creating some of the highest energy forms of light in the universe ... flashes.
And thanks to the massive, University of Utah-led TelescopeArray in the area, researchers were able to capture, for the first time ever, video footage of lightning-triggered downward terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.
... measure gamma-ray glows and flashes produced by the electric fields of thunderclouds.� ALOFT is short for AirborneLightning Observatory for Fly's Eye GLM Simulator and�Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.
Lightning consists in part of “relativistic electrons,” which emit spectacular high-energy bursts of X-rays with tens of mega electron-volt energies called terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, or TGFs.
RHESSI even made discoveries not related to flares, such as improving measurements of the Sun’s shape, and showing that terrestrial gamma-ray flashes – bursts of gamma rays emitted from high in ...
It has also aided in discoveries relating to the sun’s shape and “terrestrial gamma-ray flashes,” which are bursts that occur over lightning storms on Earth... sun as well as gamma-ray images, NASA said.
... the spacecraft also aided the discoveries relating to the sun’s shape and “terrestrial gamma-ray flashes,” which are bursts that occur over lightning storms on Earth.
Ol' RHESSI... Sun Spotter ... With the help of RHESSI, scientists also discovered that terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, which are emitted in our planet's atmosphere during lightning storms, are more common than previously thought ... More on NASA ... ....
The mission also helped to improve measurements of the sun’s shape, and demonstrated that terrestrial gamma ray flashes — described by NASA as “bursts of gamma rays emitted from high ...
“RHESSI even made discoveries not related to flares, such as improving measurements of the Sun’s shape, and showing that terrestrial gamma-ray flashes—bursts of gamma rays emitted from high in Earth’s ...
Victoria Advocate
16 Aug 2023
Victoria Advocate
16 Aug 2023