In ,
>
> Mart> >> >> On Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:20:39 +0000, Eeyore
>
> >> wrote:
>
> >> >John Lark>
> >> >> > I am well aware of lightning from tops of thunderstorms, inclu
ding
>> >> >"positive giants" (to ground - I have even seen those), and dimmer
less
>> >> >common upward ones through at least much of the stratosphere.
>
> >> >> >> and generate gamma rays.
>
> >> >> > How would cloud tops generate gamma rays? Can you provide a
link
>> >> >explaining a mechanism for cloud tops to generate gamma rays? C
an you
>> >> >provide a link to measurements that they have actually been known
to have
>> >> >done so?e
>
> >See below although I cannot vouch for the explanation being correct.
> >This is on the edge of observational limits it is quite possible that
> >present explanations are wrong and competing theories are also
> >plausible.
>
> >> >> Try google for the observational data. Of course I can't explain th
>> >> mechanism; so far, nobody can. That's the point, isn't it? That all
> >> >> sorts of stuff remains amazing and unexplained. And until it's all
> >> >> explained, one should be cautious about certainty.
>
> >> >It is by now well established for that for every ? lightning strike t
o ground, there's
>> >another upward one. High energy discharges in the upper atmosphere I
can see having no
>> >trouble creating gamma rays.
>
> >> I'm certainly relieved that you understand it, when nobody else does.
>
> >There are some groups looking for the right sort of observational
> >evidence. But at the moment they don't have the right instrumental
> >sensitivity to test some of the hypotheses. This is too far outside my
> >area of expertise to be sure but the following presentation looks at
> >least to be plausible science.
>
> >formatting link
> >(approx 3MB)
>
> >It is surprsing that these things at cloud tops manage gamma rays.
> >OTOH when some humble sellotape clones can generate X-rays for
> >suitably sensistive detectors it is not entirely surprising.
>
> Please tell us the details and supporting links!
If you look for some of the keywords for instruments and researchers in the seminar presentation you may get lucky especially on NASA sites. Most of the other stuff I have looked at is subscribers only or PPV. A Science article detailing their detection of around 50 terrestrial origin gamma ray pulses per day in the 10-20MeV range is online but PPV. The magazine should be in any decent library.
Most stuff on ADS is abstracts only or PPV for full articles unless you are at a subscribing academic institurion so you would have to visit a library that takes the journal or be a bit luckier with your choice of search terms than I have been. Best I have found was:with
Sorry but there really isn't muc online about this.
Regards, Martin Brown