VLF Imaging of Lightning-Induced Disturbances of the Lower Ionosphere

PI建议对低电离层局部和瞬变干扰进行实验研究，这些干扰发生在闪电放电中。这些干扰是通过它们对在附近的地球-电离层波导中传播的甚低频(VLF)信号的相位和幅度的影响而被遥感的。该计划是以前的甚低频观测计划的延伸，将建立多个地点测量的实验配置，组成两个阵列(东和西)。这些阵列提供高分辨率的干扰测量，捕获足够数量的必要事件，并为干扰大小的全息成像提供数据库。电离层扰动可由闪电辐射和直接与电离层相互作用的准静态场产生，或由源自闪电放电的哨声波从辐射带中析出的高能电子爆发产生。这两种现象经常发生；然而，PI必须确定这些事件的空间范围和分布，以评估它们的全球意义。他将通过互联网从现场传输数据，让科学界近乎实时地获得这些数据。最后，该计划将提供重要的教育推广，因为现场设备将部署在高中，在那里将鼓励学生和教师与斯坦福大学的调查人员互动。

The PI proposes an experimental investigation of lower ionosphere localized and transient disturbances, occurring with lightning discharges. These disturbances are remotely sensed by their effect on the phase and amplitude of very low frequency (VLF) signals propagating in the nearby Earth-ionosphere waveguide. This program is an outgrowth of previous VLF observation programs, and will establish an experiment configuration of measurements at multiple sites, constituting two arrays (east and west). These arrays provide high resolution measurement of disturbances, capturing a sufficient number of necessary events, and providing a database for holographic imaging of the disturbances' size. Ionospheric disturbances may be produced by lightning radiation and quasi-static fields directly interacting with the ionosphere, or by bursts of energetic electrons precipitated out of the radiation belts by whistler waves originating in lightning discharges. Both phenomena regularly occur; however, the PI must determine the spatial extent and distribution of these events to assess their global significance. He will transfer data from field sites over the Internet, making it available to the scientific community in near real-time. Finally, this program will provide important educational outreach, since field equipment will be deployed at high schools, where students and teachers will be encouraged to interact with Stanford University investigators.