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DDC: 550 × Subject: atmospheric electricity ×

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    Model simulations of chemical effects of sprites in relation with observed HO2 enhancements over sprite-producing thunderstorms
    (Katlenburg-Lindau : European Geosciences Union, 2021) Winkler, Holger; Yamada, Takayoshi; Kasai, Yasuko; Berger, Uwe; Notholt, Justus
    Recently, measurements by the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb Emission Sounder (SMILES) satellite instrument have been presented which indicate an increase in mesospheric HO2 above sprite-producing thunderstorms. The aim of this paper is to compare these observations to model simulations of chemical sprite effects. A plasma chemistry model in combination with a vertical transport module was used to simulate the impact of a streamer discharge in the altitude range 70–80 km, corresponding to one of the observed sprite events. Additionally, a horizontal transport and dispersion model was used to simulate advection and expansion of the sprite air masses. The model simulations predict a production of hydrogen radicals mainly due to reactions of proton hydrates formed after the electrical discharge. The net effect is a conversion of water molecules into H+OH. This leads to increasing HO2 concentrations a few hours after the electric breakdown. Due to the modelled long-lasting increase in HO2 after a sprite discharge, an accumulation of HO2 produced by several sprites appears possible. However, the number of sprites needed to explain the observed HO2 enhancements is unrealistically large. At least for the lower measurement tangent heights, the production mechanism of HO2 predicted by the model might contribute to the observed enhancements.
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    A modified index for the description of the ionospheric short- and long-term activity
    (Göttingen : Copernicus, 2010) Mielich, J.; Bremer, J.
    A modified ionospheric activity index AI has been developed on the basis of ionospheric foF2 observations. Such index can be helpful for an interested user to get information about the current state of the ionosphere. Using ionosonde data of the station Juliusruh (54.6° N; 13.4°E) this index has been tested for the time interval from January 1996 until December 2008. This index has no diurnal and seasonal variations, only a small positive dependence on the solar activity could be found. The variability of this index has, however, a marked seasonal variability with maxima during the equinoxes, a clear minimum in summer, and enhanced values in winter. The observed variability of AI is strongly correlated with the geomagnetic activity, most markedly during the equinoxes, whereas the influence of the solar activity is markedly smaller and mostly insignificant. Strong geomagnetic disturbances cause in middle latitudes in general negative disturbances in AI, mostly pronounced during equinoxes and summer and only partly during winter, thus in agreement with the current physical knowledge about ionospheric storms. © 2010 Author(s).