High energy gamma RAY flashes from terrestrial sources have been observed by NASA satellites for decades, but the actual mechanism, assumed to be thunderstorm, lightning, has yet to be fully…

This is a $200,000.00 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to Louisiana State University (LSU) to characterize the conditions within thunderstorms that may lead to the emission of Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes (TGFs). The project, titled "Correlation of Terrestrial Gamma Flashes, Electric Fields, and Lightning Strikes (COTEL) in Thunderstorms," will use a network of balloon-borne payloads suspended around thunderstorms to detect and measure electric fields, gamma radiation bursts, and lightning strikes. Ground-based radar and lightning detection arrays will be used in conjunction with the balloon data to map the recorded events and correlate storm conditions with observed TGFs. This project is not designated as a set-aside contract. LSU, a public research university, will lead a multidisciplinary undergraduate team and incorporate students from other local institutions through internships. The project is endorsed by the Louisiana Space Grant Consortium.

High energy gamma RAY flashes from terrestrial sources have been observed by NASA satellites for decades, but the actual mechanism, assumed to be thunderstorm, lightning, has yet to be fully characterized. Recently, a scientific group at LSU (tetra) produced the first catalog of terrestrial gamma RAY flashes (TGF) observed from the ground and is now supported by NASA epscor to greatly expand the ground observations. The goal of this project is to complement the tetra ground measurements by characterizing conditions within thunderstorms that might lead to TGF emission. This will be accomplished using a small network of balloon-borne payloads suspended in and around thunderstorms to detect, timestamp and measure the intensity of localized electric fields, gamma radiation bursts and lightning strikes. Ground-based radar and lightning detection arrays win be used in conjunction with the balloon data to temporary and spatially chart recorded events to create a time-elapsed map correlating storm conditions with observed TFG s. Launching balloons safely in close proximity to thunderstorms presents a variety of challenges and risks. Therefore, mission design will be a high priority project objective and lessons learned from previous similar successful experiments will be incorporated into all aspects of the project to design / develop procedures and hardware to mitigate these risks. This project will be led by a multidisciplinary, undergraduate team from louisiana state university. Students from baton rouge community college, river parishes community college, and southern university shall be trained and incorporated into the team through internships following the start of the project. This project is endorsed by the louisiana space grant consortium.