Detection and Analysis of an Upward Jet‐Like Electrical Discharge Intercepting a High‐Altitude Research Aircraft
Abstract During a 2023 field campaign, a NASA ER‐2 research aircraft intercepted an upward jet‐like electrical discharge at 20 km altitude over an intense tropical thunderstorm. This event was analyzed using airborne multispectral optical sensors, electric field mills, X‐band radar, passive microwave, and ground‐based radio networks. Optical observations revealed a streamer‐dominated discharge characterized by strong ultraviolet (∼340 nm) emissions and limited thermalization, explaining the lack of airframe damage. Radio observations indicated that the discharge was initiated by a narrow bipolar event near cloud top. Electric field measurements found that fields due to charge on the aircraft were close to dielectric breakdown threshold immediately prior to the event. Radar data showed the aircraft was navigating between intense convective cells when hit, while passive microwave indicated vertically aligned ice crystals due to electric fields. This is likely the first documented instance of an aircraft intercepting an upward‐propagating transient luminous event from cloud top.
Authors
- Marni Pazos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5627-0419)
- Douglas Michael Mach (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4541-6590)
- T. Daniel Walker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8207-9653)
- N. G. Lehtinen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1739-0837)
- Nikolai Østgaard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2572-7033)
- Gerald M. Heymsfield (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6298-0233)
- Monte G. Bateman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7658-8037)
- Martino Marisaldi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4000-3789)
- David Sarria (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5721-6783)
- Steven A. Cummer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0002-0613)
- Andrey Mezentsev (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3471-7267)
- Oscar A. van der Velde (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1638-6628)
- Corey G. Amiot (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7609-1733)
- Richard J. Blakeslee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0569-0894)
- Katrina S. Virts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8616-9557)
- Mason G. Quick (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0645-5159)
- Timothy James Lang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1576-572X)
- Christopher J. Schultz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2144-8969)
- M. Walker McLinden
- R. A. Kroodsma
Institutions
- Marshall Space Flight Center (US)
- Goddard Space Flight Center (US)
- Universities Space Research Association (US)
- Duke University (US)
- University of Bergen (NO)
- University of Alabama in Huntsville (US)
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX)
- Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Published
- 2026-10-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2026gl124761
- Primary Topic
- Lightning and Electromagnetic Phenomena
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00