Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2025

Visualization of Low-Level Gamma Radiation Sources Using a Low-Cost, High-Sensitivity, Omnidirectional Compton Camera
Published on: January 30, 2020
Flickering gamma-ray flashes, the missing link between gamma glows and TGFs.
N Østgaard1, A Mezentsev2, M Marisaldi3,4
1Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Nikolai.Ostgaard@uib.no.
Researchers discovered flickering gamma-ray flashes (FGFs), a new phenomenon from thunderclouds. These events bridge the gap between gamma-ray glows and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs).
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric electricity
- High-energy astrophysics
- Thunderstorm phenomena
Background:
- Thunderclouds produce terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) and gamma-ray glows, both involving relativistic electrons.
- TGFs are intense, short-duration events linked to lightning, while glows are longer and less intense.
- The relationship between these two phenomena has been unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the discovery and characteristics of a novel hard-radiation phenomenon: flickering gamma-ray flashes (FGFs).
- To investigate the potential connection between gamma-ray glows and TGFs.
Main Methods:
- Observation of unique hard-radiation events using specialized instruments.
- Analysis of FGFs' duration, intensity, pulse structure, and associated radio/optical emissions.
Main Results:
- FGFs exhibit characteristics intermediate between gamma-ray glows and TGFs, with durations of 20–250 ms.
- Unlike TGFs, FGFs are radio and optically silent.
- FGFs initiate as glows, then transition to an intense, flickering pulse mode.
Conclusions:
- Flickering gamma-ray flashes represent a distinct phenomenon in atmospheric electricity.
- FGFs may serve as the long-sought link connecting gamma-ray glows and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.
- This discovery addresses a significant gap in understanding thundercloud-generated radiation.
More Related Videos
11:51Engineering 'Golden' Fluorescence by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids and Protein Analysis by Mass Spectrometry and Fluorescence
Published on: April 27, 2018
08:27Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice
Published on: March 11, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Photoluminescence: Fluorescence and Phosphorescence
A pair of electrons in a...
Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Emission Spectra
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy
Reporter Genes