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Observation of Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes in the RELEC space experiment on the Vernov satellite

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Abstract

The RELEС scientific payload of the Vernov satellite launched on July 8, 2014 includes the DRGE spectrometer of gamma-rays and electrons. This instrument comprises a set of scintillator phoswich-detectors, including four identical X-ray and gamma-ray detector with an energy range of 10 kev to 3 MeV with a total area of ~500 cm2 directed to the atmosphere, as well as an electron spectrometer containing three mutually orthogonal detector units with a geometric factor of ~2 cm2 sr. The aim of a space experiment with the DRGE instrument is the study of fast phenomena, in particular Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGF) and magnetospheric electron precipitation. In this regard, the instrument provides the transmission of both monitoring data with a time resolution of 1 s, and data in the event-by-event mode, with a recording of the time of detection of each gamma quantum or electron to an accuracy of ~15 μs. This makes it possible to not only conduct a detailed analysis of the variability in the gamma-ray range, but also compare the time profiles with the results of measurements with other RELEC instruments (the detector of optical and ultraviolet flares, radio-frequency and low-frequency analyzers of electromagnetic field parameters), as well as with the data of ground-based facility for thunderstorm activity. This paper presents the first catalog of Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes. The criterion for selecting flashes required in order to detect no less than 5 hard quanta in 1 ms by at least two independent detectors. The TGFs included in the catalog have a typical duration of ~400 μs, during which 10–40 gamma-ray quanta were detected. The time profiles, spectral parameters, and geographic position, as well as a result of a comparison with the output data of other Vernov instruments, are presented for each of candidates. The candidate for Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes detected in the near-polar region over Antarctica is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Skobeltsyn Research Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899, Russia

    V. V. Bogomolov, M. I. Panasyuk, S. I. Svertilov, A. V. Bogomolov, G. K. Garipov, A. F. Iyudin, P. A. Klimov, T. M. Mishieva, V. S. Morozenko, O. V. Morozov & A. V. Prokhorov

  2. Department of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia

    V. V. Bogomolov, M. I. Panasyuk, S. I. Svertilov, T. M. Mishieva & A. V. Prokhorov

  3. Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117997, Russia

    S. I. Klimov, P. Yu. Minaev & A. S. Posanenko

  4. Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

    H. Rotkel

Authors
  1. V. V. Bogomolov
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  2. M. I. Panasyuk
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  3. S. I. Svertilov
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  4. A. V. Bogomolov
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  5. G. K. Garipov
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  6. A. F. Iyudin
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  7. P. A. Klimov
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  8. S. I. Klimov
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  9. T. M. Mishieva
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  10. P. Yu. Minaev
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  11. V. S. Morozenko
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  12. O. V. Morozov
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  13. A. S. Posanenko
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  14. A. V. Prokhorov
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  15. H. Rotkel
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Correspondence to S. I. Svertilov.

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Original Russian Text © V.V. Bogomolov, M.I. Panasyuk, S.I. Svertilov, A.V. Bogomolov, G.K. Garipov, A.F. Iyudin, P.A. Klimov, S.I. Klimov, T.M. Mishieva, P.Yu. Minaev, V.S. Morozenko, O.V. Morozov, A.S. Posanenko, A.V. Prokhorov, H. Rotkel, 2017, published in Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, 2017, Vol. 55, No. 3, pp. 169–178.

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Bogomolov, V.V., Panasyuk, M.I., Svertilov, S.I. et al. Observation of Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes in the RELEC space experiment on the Vernov satellite. Cosmic Res 55, 159–168 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0010952517030017

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