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Sprite streamer initiation from natural mesospheric structures.

Ningyu Liu1, Joseph R Dwyer1, Hans C Stenbaek-Nielsen2

  • 1Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 32901, USA.

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|June 30, 2015
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Small-scale mesospheric structures, like those from gravity waves, can initiate sprites, which are large electrical discharges in the upper atmosphere. This finding explains sprite streamer initiation and is supported by recent aircraft observations.

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Area of Science:

  • Atmospheric physics
  • Aeronomy
  • Plasma physics

Background:

  • Sprites are large electrical discharges in the upper atmosphere.
  • They are triggered by cloud-to-ground lightning and couple lower and upper atmospheric regions.
  • Sprite initiation mechanisms, particularly the source of necessary ionospheric/mesospheric inhomogeneities, remain debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of naturally-existing mesospheric structures in sprite initiation.
  • To demonstrate that gravity wave-induced mesospheric structures can serve as viable sources for sprite initiation.

Main Methods:

  • Numerical simulations of atmospheric electrical discharges.
  • Analysis of sprite streamer dynamics and initiation.
  • Comparison with high-speed aircraft observations at 14-km altitude.

Main Results:

  • Naturally-occurring, small-scale mesospheric structures, generated by gravity wave instability and breaking, are shown to be viable sources for sprite initiation.
  • The proposed theory aligns with and explains key aspects of observed sprite streamer initiation.
  • Simulation results are corroborated by unique, recent high-speed observations.

Conclusions:

  • Gravity wave-induced mesospheric structures provide a plausible explanation for the initiation of sprites.
  • This theory offers a resolution to the open question regarding the sources of inhomogeneities required for sprite formation.
  • The findings have significant implications for designing future observational strategies and experiments related to sprites.