EP Seminar

Observation of high-energy gamma rays and electrons born in thunderclouds

by Ashot Chilingarian

Europe/Zurich
503/1-001 - Council Chamber (CERN)

503/1-001 - Council Chamber

CERN

162
Show room on map
Description
Recent atmospheric observations show that thunderstorms produce intense gamma and electron showers at energies up to 100 MeV. These are explained by a process known as runaway breakdown (also referred as relativistic runaway electron avalanche - RREA) in which MeV primary electrons from cosmic ray showers are accelerated in thunderstorm electric fields of several 100 kV/m, producing intense avalanches. Gamma rays and electrons from thunderstorms are detected by satellites (Terrestrial Gamma Flashes - TGFs) and by ground-based particle detectors. In this talk I will present the thunderstorm ground enhancements (TGEs) detected by the Aragats Space Environmental Center (ASEC) at an altitude of 3200 m. The high-statistics observations provide new insights that challenge existing models of relativistic runaway electron avalanches. We introduce and discuss a new model of TGF-TGE initiation that can explain the experimental observations of electron acceleration in the atmosphere.
Poster
Slides
Organised by

M. Mangano, M. Spiropulu, G. Unal