Observation of thundercloud-related gamma rays and neutrons in Tibet

H. Tsuchiya, K. Hibino, K. Kawata, N. Hotta, N. Tateyama, M. Ohnishi, M. Takita, D. Chen, J. Huang, M. Miyasaka, I. Kondo, E. Takahashi, S. Shimoda, Y. Yamada, H. Lu, J. L. Zhang, X. X. Yu, Y. H. Tan, S. M. Nie, K. Munakata, T. Enoto, and K. Makishima
Phys. Rev. D 85, 092006 – Published 10 May 2012

Abstract

During the 2010 rainy season in Yangbajing (4300 m above sea level) in Tibet, China, a long-duration count enhancement associated with thunderclouds was detected by a solar-neutron telescope and neutron monitors installed at the Yangbajing Comic Ray Observatory. The event, lasting for 40min, was observed on July 22, 2010. The solar-neutron telescope detected significant γ-ray signals with energies >40MeV in the event. Such a prolonged high-energy event has never been observed in association with thunderclouds, clearly suggesting that electron acceleration lasts for 40 min in thunderclouds. In addition, Monte Carlo simulations showed that >10MeV γ rays largely contribute to the neutron monitor signals, while >1keV neutrons produced via a photonuclear reaction contribute relatively less to the signals. This result suggests that enhancements of neutron monitors during thunderstorms are not necessarily clear evidence for neutron production, as previously thought.

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  • Received 1 July 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.85.092006

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

H. Tsuchiya1,*, K. Hibino2, K. Kawata3, N. Hotta5, N. Tateyama2, M. Ohnishi3, M. Takita3, D. Chen4, J. Huang6, M. Miyasaka7, I. Kondo1, E. Takahashi1, S. Shimoda1, Y. Yamada1, H. Lu6, J. L. Zhang6, X. X. Yu6, Y. H. Tan6, S. M. Nie8, K. Munakata9, T. Enoto1,10, and K. Makishima11

  • 1High-Energy Astrophysics Laboratory, Riken, 2-1, Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
  • 2Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, Yokohama 221-8686, Japan
  • 3Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8582, Japan
  • 4National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, 100012 Beijing, China
  • 5Faculty of Education, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya 321-8505, Japan
  • 6Key Laboratory of Particle Astrophysics, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • 7Caltech, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
  • 8Guizhou University for Nationalities, Guiyang 550025, China
  • 9Department of Physics, Shinshu University, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan
  • 10Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Department of Physics and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
  • 11Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan

  • *Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan.

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Vol. 85, Iss. 9 — 1 May 2012

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