High-time-resolution Imaging of Lightning with the Long Wavelength Array

ORAL

Abstract

The first station of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1), located in central New Mexico, is a 10--87~MHz radio telescope composed of 258 electronically steerable crossed-dipole antennas. The LWA1 includes a software correlator capable of imaging the full sky in real time with a five second cadence, or offline with cadences as short as a few milliseconds. Although designed to detect astronomical transients, we serendipitously discovered that this all-sky imager also images lightning. With a 5~ms frame rate, it can resolve the motion of leaders during intracloud flashes. In conjunction with the existing lightning observatories around the nearby Langmuir Laboratory, the LWA1 may also reveal previously undetectable properties of channel formation or current flow in intracloud lightning channels. Looking forward, this work represents a promising new observational technology when applied to lightning research. It suggests that future radio telescopes such as the Square Kilometer Array should be designed with this additional capability in mind.

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Authors

  • Jacob M. Hartman

    Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  • Norm Buchanan

    Brigham Young University, Stanford University, University of Central Florida, NCAR/High Altitude Observatory, Arizona Vitro-retinal consultants, University of Michigan, Arizona State University, University of Denver, Arizona State University Dept of Physics, Arizona State University Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry, LASP, University of Colorado Boulder, Center for Atmospheric and Space Science, Utah State University, Dixie State College, Utah, USU Materials Physics Group, UVU Physics Department, Box Elder Innovations, Space Telescope Science Institute, Northern Kentucky University, Retired, Utah Valley University, Univ. of California, Los Angelos, Colorado State University, St. Petersburg Electro-technical University, Universidad Nacional Aut\'onoma de M\'exico, New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, University of Wurtzberg, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, LANL, UCLA, Max-planck-Institut f\"{u}r Astronomie, W. M. Keck Observatory, University of Arizona, Nuclear Physics Group, Brigham Young University, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, IBM Systems and Technology Group, IBM Research Division, T.J. Watson Research Center, Sandia National Laboratory, NMSU, Military University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland, James Franck Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, JISAO, University of Washington, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, NorthWest Research Associates, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Utah State University, New Mexico Tech, University of Cambridge, Los Alamos National Laboratory, RAPTOR Science, Institute of Space and Astronomical Science, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, Weber State University, Department of Physics, New Mexico State University, BYU Physics, Physics Department, University of Arizona, ABQMR, University of Colorado at Boulder, SNL and CINT, Los Alamos National Lab, Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of Arizona, Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of New Mexico, University of Calgary, Colorado School of Mines

  • Norm Buchanan

    Brigham Young University, Stanford University, University of Central Florida, NCAR/High Altitude Observatory, Arizona Vitro-retinal consultants, University of Michigan, Arizona State University, University of Denver, Arizona State University Dept of Physics, Arizona State University Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry, LASP, University of Colorado Boulder, Center for Atmospheric and Space Science, Utah State University, Dixie State College, Utah, USU Materials Physics Group, UVU Physics Department, Box Elder Innovations, Space Telescope Science Institute, Northern Kentucky University, Retired, Utah Valley University, Univ. of California, Los Angelos, Colorado State University, St. Petersburg Electro-technical University, Universidad Nacional Aut\'onoma de M\'exico, New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, University of Wurtzberg, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, LANL, UCLA, Max-planck-Institut f\"{u}r Astronomie, W. M. Keck Observatory, University of Arizona, Nuclear Physics Group, Brigham Young University, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, IBM Systems and Technology Group, IBM Research Division, T.J. Watson Research Center, Sandia National Laboratory, NMSU, Military University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland, James Franck Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, JISAO, University of Washington, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, NorthWest Research Associates, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Utah State University, New Mexico Tech, University of Cambridge, Los Alamos National Laboratory, RAPTOR Science, Institute of Space and Astronomical Science, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, Weber State University, Department of Physics, New Mexico State University, BYU Physics, Physics Department, University of Arizona, ABQMR, University of Colorado at Boulder, SNL and CINT, Los Alamos National Lab, Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of Arizona, Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of New Mexico, University of Calgary, Colorado School of Mines