Venus Lightning: Statistical Properties from Venus Express Magnetic Field Observations

Details Venus Lightning: Statistical Properties from Venus Express Magnetic Field Observations Venus Lightning: Statistical Properties from Venus Express Magnetic Field Observations

Dec 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p44a..05d&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P44A-05

Physics

[3324] Atmospheric Processes / Lightning, [6295] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Venus

Scientific paper

Lightning discharges are observed by the Venus Express magnetometer as right-hand circularly polarized (whistler-mode) waves propagating nearly parallel to the ionospheric magnetic field at low altitude. The strength of the signals that are oscillating at ELF frequencies is much larger than on Earth, sometimes over 1nT peak to peak compared to about 30 pT at Earth, but when the energy flux of these waves (that are propagating much more slowly than their terrestrial counterparts) is calculated the energy fluxes are similar. It is difficult to obtain a precise value for the world-wide flash rate but when we do make estimates, they are similar to the terrestrial rates. Thus to zeroth order, lightning appears to be similar at the two planets despite the differences in cloud altitudes, cloud particles and weather patterns. Now that over 3 years of Venus Express measurements have been analyzed, we have the statistical accuracy to separate the different spatial dependences. The signals are strongly local time-dependent with a late morning maximum. The frequency of occurrence also decreases with latitude and altitude. This behavior is consistent with, and very much complements, the observations of Pioneer Venus. PVO was blind to dayside signals and was able to only explore at low latitudes. Venus Express has completed the local time map and shown that lightning activity extends to the pole. In the coming year we are looking forward to undertaking joint observations in cooperation with Akatsuki’s lightning camera.

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