Scientists Studying High-Energy Gamma Ray Bursts During Lightning Storms Witness a "Shocking" Event

Scientists Studying High-Energy Gamma Ray Bursts During Lightning Storms Witness a "Shocking" Event

Japanese scientists who set up custom-made sensor banks trying to understand the association between lightning strikes and high-energy gamma-ray bursts ended up witnessing a “shocking” event: the acceleration of electrons to near light speed. Although previous studies have noted the presence of high-energy gamma-ray bursts during lightning storms known as terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), these unexpected occurrences are typically associated…

When lightning bolts collide, do they unleash powerful gamma-ray flashes?

Scientists get closer to solving the mysterious relationship between lightning and powerful gamma-ray bursts.