An upper bound to the lightning flash rate in Jupiter's atmosphere

Lewis (1980) examined Voyager optical measurements and low-frequency radio-wave observations related to lightning discharges in Jupiter's atmosphere using whistler measurements from the plasma-wave system and a specific set of assumptions. Estimates of the average planetary lightning stroke rate were found to be from 0.04 to 0.0001 flashes per square kilometer per year. In the present paper, the planetary lightning rate is demonstrated to be as high as several tens of flashes per square kilometer per year. The same whistler data are used; however, different physical assumptions about the source area, including whistler paths and whistler amplitude distributions are incorporated.