Strong Flux of Low-Energy Neutrons Produced by Thunderstorms

A. V. Gurevich, V. P. Antonova, A. P. Chubenko, A. N. Karashtin, G. G. Mitko, M. O. Ptitsyn, V. A. Ryabov, A. L. Shepetov, Yu. V. Shlyugaev, L. I. Vildanova, and K. P. Zybin
Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 125001 – Published 19 March 2012

Abstract

We report here for the first time about the registration of an extraordinary high flux of low-energy neutrons generated during thunderstorms. The measured neutron count rate enhancements are directly connected with thunderstorm discharges. The low-energy neutron flux value obtained in our work is a challenge for the photonuclear channel of neutron generation in thunderstorm: the estimated value of the needed high-energy γ-ray flux is about 3 orders of magnitude higher than that one observed.

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  • Received 13 July 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.125001

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

A. V. Gurevich1,*, V. P. Antonova2, A. P. Chubenko1, A. N. Karashtin3, G. G. Mitko1, M. O. Ptitsyn1, V. A. Ryabov1, A. L. Shepetov1, Yu. V. Shlyugaev4, L. I. Vildanova5, and K. P. Zybin1

  • 1P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS, Moscow, Russia
  • 2Institute of Ionosphere, National Center for Space Research and Technology, Almaty, Kazakhstan
  • 3Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
  • 4Institute of Applied Physics of RAS, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
  • 5Tien-Shan Mountain Cosmic Ray Station, Almaty, Kazakhstan

  • *alex@lpi.ru

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Vol. 108, Iss. 12 — 23 March 2012

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