Detection of terrestrial gamma ray flashes up to 40 MeV by the AGILE satellite

• We report the detection by the Astrorivelatore Gamma a Immagini Leggero (AGILE) satellite of terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) obtained with the minicalorimeter (MCAL) detector operating in the energy range 0.3-100 MeV. We select events typically lasting a few milliseconds with spectral and directional selections consistent with the TGF characteristics previously reported by other space missions. During the period 1 June 2008 to 31 March 2009 we detect 34 high-confidence events showing millisecond durations and a geographical distribution peaked over continental Africa and Southeast Asia. For the first time, AGILE-MCAL detects photons associated with TGF events up to 40 MeV. We determine the cumulative spectral properties of the spectrum in the range 0.5-40 MeV, which can be effectively described by a Bremsstrahlung spectrum. We find that both the TGF cumulative spectral properties and their geographical distribution are in good agreement with the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) results.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Atmospheric Processes: Atmospheric electricity

Solar Physics

Astrophysics

and Astronomy: X-rays

gamma rays

and neutrinos

Atmospheric Processes: Instruments and techniques

Space Plasma Physics: Charged particle motion and acceleration

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)