Needle Propagation and Twinkling Characteristics

Hare BM, Scholten O, Dwyer J, Strepka C, Buitink S, Corstanje A, Falcke H, Hörandel JR, Huege T, Krampah GK, Mitra P, Mulrey K, Nelles A, Pandya H, Rachen JP, Thoudam S, Trinh TN, ter Veen S, Winchen T (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Book Volume: 126

Article Number: e2020JD034252

Journal Issue: 6

DOI: 10.1029/2020JD034252

Abstract

Recently, a new lightning phenomena, termed needles, has been observed in both VHF and in optical along positive lightning leaders. They appear as small (<100 m) leader branches that undergo dielectric breakdown at regular intervals (called twinkles). Providing a coherent and consistent explanation for this phenomenon is challenging as each twinkle is a form of negative breakdown that propagates away from the positive leader. In this study, we provide detailed observations of needles in VHF, observed during two lightning flashes. We show distributions of different needle properties, including twinkle propagation speeds, time between twinkles, and needle lengths, among others. We show a return stroke and multiple recoil leaders that quench needle activity. We also show that nearby needle activity does not seem to correlate together, and that needle twinkling can slow down by 10%–30% per twinkle. We conclude by presenting possibilities for how the positive leader could induce negative propagation away from the positive channel, and we argue that twinkles can propagate like a stepped leader or like a recoil leader depending on the temperature of the needle, which implies that needle twinkles can probably propagate without emitting VHF.

Authors with CRIS profile

Anna Nelles Professur für Experimentelle Astroteilchenphysik, insbesondere Radionachweis von Neutrinos

Additional Organisation(s)

Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics (ECAP)

Involved external institutions

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) BE Belgium (BE) Can Tho University / Trường Đại học Cần Thơ VN Viet Nam (VN) Radboud University Nijmegen NL Netherlands (NL) University of Groningen / Rijksuniversiteit Groningen NL Netherlands (NL) Khalifa University of Science, Technology & Research (KUSTAR) / جامعة خليفة AE United Arab Emirates (AE) University of New Hampshire US United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie / Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Hare, B.M., Scholten, O., Dwyer, J., Strepka, C., Buitink, S., Corstanje, A.,... Winchen, T. (2021). Needle Propagation and Twinkling Characteristics. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 126(6). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD034252

MLA:

Hare, B. M., et al. "Needle Propagation and Twinkling Characteristics." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 126.6 (2021).

BibTeX: Download