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Airborne atmospheric electricity experimentsDuring the 1984 U2 spring flight program, lightning spectra were measured in the wavelengths from 380 nm to 900 nm with a temporal resolution of 5 ms. With this capability, researchers simultaneously acquired both visible near-infrared lightning spectra on a pulse to pulse basis, so that the spectral variability within a flash, as well as flash to flash variations, can be studied. Preliminary results suggest that important variations do occur, particularly in the strengths of the hydrogen and singly ionized nitrogen emission lines. Also, the results have revealed significant differences in the integrated energy distributions between the lightning spectra measured above clouds and the spectral measurements of cloud-to-ground lightning made at the ground. In particular, the ratio of the energy in the near-IR to that in the visible is around 1 to 2 for cloud top spectra versus about 1/3 for surface observations. Detailed analyses of the 1984 lightning spectral data is being conducted. This data should provide improved understanding about the optical transmission properties of thunderclouds and the physics of the lightning discharge process. Efforts continue on developing and testing background signal removal algorithms using U2 spectometer and optical array sensor day-flight data sets. The goal of this research is to develop an algorithm satisfying Lightning Mapper Sensor requirements.
Document ID
19870003630
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Blakeslee, R. J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: NASA(MSFC FY-85 Atmospheric Processes Research Review
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
87N13063
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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