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Autore principale: Chilingarian, A.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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Accesso online:https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.11324
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author Chilingarian, A.
author_facet Chilingarian, A.
contents Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanches (RREA) are central to understanding a spectrum of high-energy atmospheric phenomena, including Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs), and gamma-ray glows. Despite their common physical origin, these events are often treated separately due to differences in detection methods, duration, and altitude. In this work, we present a unified conceptual and observational framework that reinterprets these radiation bursts as manifestations of the same runaway processes occurring in distinct atmospheric depths. Integrating recent results from satellite (ASIM), aircraft (ALOFT), balloon (HELEN), and ground-based (SEVAN) experiments, we demonstrate consistent spectral and temporal behavior across scales. We propose a rational revision of current terminology and challenge longstanding models that attribute TGFs to lightning leader dynamics. This study resolves key contradictions in the field, establishes new classification criteria based on physics rather than detector location, and reshapes our understanding of particle acceleration in thunderstorms.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_11324
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Runaway processes in the upper and lower atmosphere: a change of paradigm
Chilingarian, A.
Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics
Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanches (RREA) are central to understanding a spectrum of high-energy atmospheric phenomena, including Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs), and gamma-ray glows. Despite their common physical origin, these events are often treated separately due to differences in detection methods, duration, and altitude. In this work, we present a unified conceptual and observational framework that reinterprets these radiation bursts as manifestations of the same runaway processes occurring in distinct atmospheric depths. Integrating recent results from satellite (ASIM), aircraft (ALOFT), balloon (HELEN), and ground-based (SEVAN) experiments, we demonstrate consistent spectral and temporal behavior across scales. We propose a rational revision of current terminology and challenge longstanding models that attribute TGFs to lightning leader dynamics. This study resolves key contradictions in the field, establishes new classification criteria based on physics rather than detector location, and reshapes our understanding of particle acceleration in thunderstorms.
title Runaway processes in the upper and lower atmosphere: a change of paradigm
topic Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.11324