Interaction with the Lower Ionosphere of Electromagnetic Pulses from Lightning

PI提出了一项为期三年的工作，从理论上研究闪电放电产生的强而持续的电磁脉冲与中间层和低电离层的非线性电动力耦合。他将开发一个三维模型，描述在对流层闪电放电中释放的电磁能量刺激下D区电子密度、化学和光学发射的变化。预期结果包括：(1)确定在其中温度、气辉、电子密度和化学过程发生显著变化的受干扰电离层区域的三维构型；(2)确定沉积在电离层低层的闪电的电磁能量的比例和这种能量的主要汇；(3)确定由此产生的扰动与闪电放电类型的关系；(4)发展理论框架，在此基础上对气辉增强进行光谱测量以远程诊断环境电子密度分布；以及(5)评估闪电电磁脉冲对全球范围高层大气热平衡和化学平衡的影响。

The PI proposes a three-year effort for a theoretical investigation of the nonlinear electrodynamic coupling to the mesosphere and the lower ionosphere of intense short duration electromagnetic pulses originating in lightning discharges. He will develop a three- dimensional model describing the changes in the electron density, chemistry, and optical emissions in the D region stimulated by electromagnetic energy released in tropospheric lightning discharges. Expected results include (1) determination of the 3-D configurations of the disturbed ionospheric regions within which significant changes occur in temperature, airglow, electron density, and chemical processes; (2) determination of the fraction of electromagnetic energy from lightning deposited in the lower ionosphere and the dominant sinks of such energy; (3) determination of the dependence of the resulting disturbances on the type of lightning discharges; (4) development of the theoretiaal framework upon which spectroscopic measurements of the airglow enhancements can be based to remotely diagnose the ambient electron density profiles; and (5) assessment of the effects of the lightning electromagnetic pulses on the thermal and chemical balance of the upper atmosphere on a global scale.