Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission

Stijn Buitink; A. Bonardi; A. Corstanje; J. E. Enriquez; H. Falcke; J. R. Hörandel; Pragati Mitra; Katharine Mulrey; A. Nelles; J. P. Rachen; L. Rossetto; P. Schellart; O. Scholten; S. Thoudam; Gia Thi Ngoc Trinh; S. ter Veen; Tobias Winchen

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004

Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission

Stijn Buitink, A. Bonardi, A. Corstanje, J. E. Enriquez, H. Falcke, J. R. Hörandel, Pragati Mitra, Katharine Mulrey, A. Nelles, J. P. Rachen, L. Rossetto, P. Schellart, O. Scholten, S. Thoudam, Gia Thi Ngoc Trinh, S. ter Veen, Tobias Winchen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We observe a large fraction of circular polarization in radio emission from extensive air showers recorded during thunderstorms, much higher than in the emission from air showers measured during fair-weather circumstances. We show that the circular polarization of the air showers measured during thunderstorms can be explained by the change in the direction of the transverse current as a function of altitude induced by atmospheric electric fields. Thus by using the full set of Stokes parameters for these events, we obtain a good characterization of the electric fields in thunderclouds. We also measure a large horizontal component of the electric fields in the two events that we have analyzed.

Original language	English
Article number	083004
Number of pages	10
Journal	Physical Review D
Volume	95
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004
Publication status	Published - 7 Apr 2017

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10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004

1 Finished
1 Active

SRP8: Strategic Research Programme: High-Energy Physics at the VUB
D'Hondt, J., Van Eijndhoven, N., Craps, B. & Buitink, S.
1/11/12 → 31/10/24
Project: Fundamental
EU485: Searching for The Origin of Cosmic Rays and Neutrinos with LOFAR
Buitink, S.
1/06/15 → 30/11/20
Project: Fundamental

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Buitink, S., Bonardi, A., Corstanje, A., Enriquez, J. E., Falcke, H., Hörandel, J. R., Mitra, P., Mulrey, K., Nelles, A., Rachen, J. P., Rossetto, L., Schellart, P., Scholten, O., Thoudam, S., Thi Ngoc Trinh, G., ter Veen, S., & Winchen, T. (2017). Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission. Physical Review D, 95(8), [083004]. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004

Buitink, Stijn ; Bonardi, A. ; Corstanje, A. ; Enriquez, J. E. ; Falcke, H. ; Hörandel, J. R. ; Mitra, Pragati ; Mulrey, Katharine ; Nelles, A. ; Rachen, J. P. ; Rossetto, L. ; Schellart, P. ; Scholten, O. ; Thoudam, S. ; Thi Ngoc Trinh, Gia ; ter Veen, S. ; Winchen, Tobias. / Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission. In: Physical Review D. 2017 ; Vol. 95, No. 8.

@article{a9497ca016c945e38cd95290c60346af,

title = "Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission",

abstract = "We observe a large fraction of circular polarization in radio emission from extensive air showers recorded during thunderstorms, much higher than in the emission from air showers measured during fair-weather circumstances. We show that the circular polarization of the air showers measured during thunderstorms can be explained by the change in the direction of the transverse current as a function of altitude induced by atmospheric electric fields. Thus by using the full set of Stokes parameters for these events, we obtain a good characterization of the electric fields in thunderclouds. We also measure a large horizontal component of the electric fields in the two events that we have analyzed.",

author = "Stijn Buitink and A. Bonardi and A. Corstanje and Enriquez, {J. E.} and H. Falcke and H{\"o}randel, {J. R.} and Pragati Mitra and Katharine Mulrey and A. Nelles and Rachen, {J. P.} and L. Rossetto and P. Schellart and O. Scholten and S. Thoudam and {Thi Ngoc Trinh}, Gia and {ter Veen}, S. and Tobias Winchen",

year = "2017",

month = apr,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004",

language = "English",

volume = "95",

journal = "Physical Review D. Particles, Fields, Gravitation, and Cosmology",

issn = "1550-7998",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

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Buitink, S, Bonardi, A, Corstanje, A, Enriquez, JE, Falcke, H, Hörandel, JR, Mitra, P, Mulrey, K, Nelles, A, Rachen, JP, Rossetto, L, Schellart, P, Scholten, O, Thoudam, S, Thi Ngoc Trinh, G, ter Veen, S & Winchen, T 2017, 'Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission', Physical Review D, vol. 95, no. 8, 083004. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004

Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission. / Buitink, Stijn; Bonardi, A.; Corstanje, A.; Enriquez, J. E.; Falcke, H.; Hörandel, J. R.; Mitra, Pragati; Mulrey, Katharine; Nelles, A.; Rachen, J. P.; Rossetto, L.; Schellart, P.; Scholten, O.; Thoudam, S.; Thi Ngoc Trinh, Gia; ter Veen, S.; Winchen, Tobias.

In: Physical Review D, Vol. 95, No. 8, 083004, 07.04.2017.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission

AU - Buitink, Stijn

AU - Bonardi, A.

AU - Corstanje, A.

AU - Enriquez, J. E.

AU - Falcke, H.

AU - Hörandel, J. R.

AU - Mitra, Pragati

AU - Mulrey, Katharine

AU - Nelles, A.

AU - Rachen, J. P.

AU - Rossetto, L.

AU - Schellart, P.

AU - Scholten, O.

AU - Thoudam, S.

AU - Thi Ngoc Trinh, Gia

AU - ter Veen, S.

AU - Winchen, Tobias

PY - 2017/4/7

Y1 - 2017/4/7

N2 - We observe a large fraction of circular polarization in radio emission from extensive air showers recorded during thunderstorms, much higher than in the emission from air showers measured during fair-weather circumstances. We show that the circular polarization of the air showers measured during thunderstorms can be explained by the change in the direction of the transverse current as a function of altitude induced by atmospheric electric fields. Thus by using the full set of Stokes parameters for these events, we obtain a good characterization of the electric fields in thunderclouds. We also measure a large horizontal component of the electric fields in the two events that we have analyzed.

AB - We observe a large fraction of circular polarization in radio emission from extensive air showers recorded during thunderstorms, much higher than in the emission from air showers measured during fair-weather circumstances. We show that the circular polarization of the air showers measured during thunderstorms can be explained by the change in the direction of the transverse current as a function of altitude induced by atmospheric electric fields. Thus by using the full set of Stokes parameters for these events, we obtain a good characterization of the electric fields in thunderclouds. We also measure a large horizontal component of the electric fields in the two events that we have analyzed.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevD.95.083004

M3 - Article

VL - 95

JO - Physical Review D. Particles, Fields, Gravitation, and Cosmology

JF - Physical Review D. Particles, Fields, Gravitation, and Cosmology

SN - 1550-7998

IS - 8

M1 - 083004

ER -

Thunderstorm electric fields probed by extensive air showers through their polarized radio emission

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Projects

SRP8: Strategic Research Programme: High-Energy Physics at the VUB

EU485: Searching for The Origin of Cosmic Rays and Neutrinos with LOFAR

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