arXiv · 1112.0894
Global Transients in ultraviolet and red-infrared ranges from data of the "Universitetsky-Tatiana-2" satellite
Abstract
Detectors of fast flashes (duration of 1-128 ms) in near ultraviolet (240-400 nm) and red-infrared (>610 nm) ranges on board the "Universitetsky-Tatiana-2" satellite have measured transient luminous events global distribution. Events with number of photons 10^20-5{\cdot}10^21 radiated in the atmosphere are uniformly distributed over latitudes and longitudes. Events with number of photons more than 5{\cdot}10^21 are concentrated near the equator above continents. Measured ratio of photons number radiated in red-IR range to photons number radiated in UV related to excitation of nitrogen molecular indicates a high altitude (>50 km) of the atmospheric electric discharges responsible for the observed transients. Series of every minute transients (from 3 to 16 transients in the series) were observed. The detection of transients out of thunderstorm area, in cloudless region- sometimes thousands km away of thunderstorms is remarkable. The obtained data allow us to assume that transient events are not only consequences of lightning in event-by-event way but they are the result of "long distance" influence of thunderstorm electric activity causing breakdowns in the upper atmosphere (at altitudes >50 km).
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G. K. Garipov, B. A. Khrenov, P. A. Klimov, V. V. Klimenko, E. A. Mareev, O. Martines, V. S. Morozenko, M. I. Panasyuk, I. H. Park, E. Ponce, H. Salazar, V. I. Tulupov, N. N. Vedenkin, I. V. Yashin. 2011-12-05. Global Transients in ultraviolet and red-infrared ranges from data of the "Universitetsky-Tatiana-2" satellite. https://arxiv.org/abs/1112.0894
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