Video and Photometric Observations of a Sprite in Coincidence with a Meteor-triggered Jet Event

Authors

D. M. Suszcynsky
R. Strabley
R. Roussel-Dupre
E. M.D. Symbalisty
R. A. Armstrong
W. A. Lyons
Michael J. Taylor, Utah State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Geophysical Research

Volume

104

Issue

D24

Publisher

American Geophysical Union

Publication Date

12-1999

First Page

31361

Last Page

31367

Abstract

Video and photometric observations of a meteor-triggered “jet” event in association with the occurrence of a sprite were collected during the SPRITES '98 campaign. The event raises interest in the question of possible meteoric triggering of upper atmospheric transients as originally suggested by Muller [1995]. The event consisted of three stages: (1) the observation of a moderately bright meteor, (2) the development of a sprite in the immediate vicinity of the meteor as the meteor reached no lower than ∼70 km altitude, and (3) a slower-forming jet of luminosity that appeared during the late stages of the sprite and propagated back up the ionization trail of the meteor. The event is analyzed in terms of its geometry, its relevance to the meteor, and the implications to existing theories for sprite formation.

Comments

Published by the American Geophysical Union in Journal of Geophysical Research.

http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1999/1999JD900962.shtml

Publisher PDF is available for download through the link above.

Recommended Citation

Suszcynsky, D.M., R. Strabley, R. Roussel-Dupre, E.M.D. Symbalisty, R.A. Armstrong, W.A. Lyons and M.J. Taylor, Video and photometric observations of a sprite in coincidence with a meteor-triggered jet event, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 31361, 1999.