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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

The importance of electron-electron bremsstrahlung for terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, electron beams and electron-positron beams

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Author(s):
Kohn, C. [1] ; Ebert, U. [1, 2] ; Mangiarotti, A. [3]
Total Authors: 3
Affiliation:
[1] CWI, NL-1090 GB Amsterdam - Netherlands
[2] Eindhoven Univ Technol, NL-5600 MB Eindhoven - Netherlands
[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Fis, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS; v. 47, n. 25 JUN 25 2014.
Web of Science Citations: 11
Abstract

Thunderstorms emit terrestrial gamma-ray flashes with photon energies of up to tens of MeV and electron-positron beams that are created by photons with energies above 1.022 MeV. These photons are produced through the bremsstrahlung process when energetic electrons collide with air molecules. However, presently used cross sections for bremsstrahlung treat only the interaction of the electrons with the nuclei of molecules while we here include their interaction with shell electrons. We simulate the production of energetic photons by a negative stepped lightning leader, and we find that electron-electron bremsstrahlung contributes significantly, although the direct photon emission is less than from electron-nucleus bremsstrahlung. However, electron-electron bremsstrahlung also ejects shell electrons and therefore feeds the electron population above 1 MeV significantly. We find that it hence dominates the photon spectrum of the stepped lightning leader at 10 MeV. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 13/15634-5 - Study of bremsstrahlung properties at the few MeV energy range
Grantee:Marcos Nogueira Martins
Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International