A groundbreaking study reveals the first definitive link between a specific lightning bolt and a terrestrial gamma-ray flash, shedding new light on the mysterious radiation that accompanies thunderstorms.
A New Discovery: Linking Gamma Rays to a Specific Lightning Bolt
The collision of two lightning bolts in the making spawned an exceedingly brief but extremely energetic flash of gamma rays, marking the first time a specific discharge has been definitively linked to a terrestrial gamma-ray flash.
The Connection Between Lightning and Gamma Rays
Researchers have long suspected that thunderstorms generate high-energy radiation, including gamma rays. However, pinpointing the source of these flashes has proven elusive. In an effort to remedy this, scientists observed a hotbed of wintertime lightning over the west coast of Japan in January 2023.
The Breakthrough Observation
Using a network of sensors installed near two television broadcast towers, the team gathered data on gamma rays, visible light, and radio frequencies. Despite their high energy, gamma rays are quickly absorbed by the atmosphere and don’t travel far at lower altitudes where the air is most dense. This makes them difficult to detect.
However, when the tips of the leaders approached each other at approximately 2,700 kilometers per second, electrical fields became highly concentrated, accelerating electrons in the air and triggering a burst of gamma rays that lasted at least 90 milliseconds. Surprisingly, this burst began at least 31 microseconds before the leaders collided and the lightning bolt formed.
Gamma rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation with the highest energy and shortest wavelength.
They are emitted by atomic nuclei during radioactive decay, nuclear reactions, or high-energy particle interactions.
Gamma rays have applications in medical treatments, such as cancer therapy, and industrial uses like sterilization and food irradiation.
In space exploration, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are used to study distant astronomical events.
The Earth's atmosphere absorbs most gamma radiation, but it can be detected using specialized instruments.
Lightning is a massive electrostatic discharge that occurs between the clouds and the ground.
It's caused by the buildup of electrical charges in thunderstorms, typically reaching temperatures of up to 50,000°C, five times hotter than the surface of the sun.
The average lightning bolt contains enough energy to power a 100-watt light bulb for 200,000 hours.
Lightning can strike the ground with forces of up to 1 billion volts and 200,000 amps.
The Implications
The observation marks the first time a specific discharge has been linked to a terrestrial gamma-ray flash by ground-based sensors. Data suggest the bolt formed when the leaders collided between 800 and 900 meters above the ground, approximately a few hundred meters into the clouds. This breakthrough may help explain the origin of some of the most energetic radiation on Earth.
The Future of Research
The study’s findings demonstrate the importance of investing in climate journalism to strengthen environmental literacy and ensure an informed response to climate change. By supporting science-driven reporting, we can work towards a better understanding of our planet’s complexities. As ‘climate journalism’ is quoted, it suggests that this term has been used previously in discussions about the topic.
- sciencenews.org | Gamma rays flared as this lightning bolt formed
