The relationship between precipitation and electromagnetic signals in the Schumann resonances
Name
48271152-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
39.85 MB
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Checksum (MD5)
6385b89c8760e0f188748f5faa0d8ac5
Author(s)
Castro, Daniel S., 1976-
Advisor(s)
Earle R. Williams.
Date Issued
2001
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Electromagnetic background and transient signals caused by global lightning activity are continuously recorded in the Schumann resonance band (3-120 Hz) from the MIT Schumann resonance site in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. These measurements are compared with precipitation estimates provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic Atmospherics Administration (NOAA). Spatial and quantitative analyses reveal a rough proportionality between pairs of these three quantities as well as the existence of an apparent planetary wave with approximate 5-day periodicity. Schumann resonance analyses have detected this wave in several regions of the world, suggesting that the physical origin of the wave is global. Regional analyses show a significant correlation between transients and rainfall in Africa, with substantially less significant correlations in South America and the Maritime Continent. Physical features of these extraordinary lightning events also provide new insight regarding the electrical and meteorological criteria for sprites. In particular, this thesis provides preliminary evidence for the possibility of oceanic, negative-stroke lightning events associated with sprites.
Description
Thesis (M.Eng. and S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, February 2001.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-67).
Subjects
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
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