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Ph.D. Proposal Oral Exam - Nikhil Pailoor

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Title:  Detection and Analysis of Lightning-induced Electron Precipitation Events

Committee: 

Dr. Cohen, Advisor        

Dr. Anderson, Chair

Dr. Simon

Abstract: The objective of the proposed research is to use the mass measurements of Lightning-induced Electron Precipitation (LEP) events detected from Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio data to estimate their cumulative role in contributing to electron loss in the Earth's radiation belts. We have worked to achieve this so far by building a database of LEP events, using the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) as a starting point for candidate events, and using machine learning techniques to classify these candidates as LEP events or non-events based on the corresponding waveforms from VLF radio data obtained from the Georgia Tech LF lab's network of VLF receivers. We have compared our dataset of LEP events to direct measurements of the radiation belt electron flux from the Van Allen Probes over the same period, and found a significant gap in in electron flux between days with a high rate of LEP occurrence versus days with a low rate of LEP occurrence. We seek to continue this work by fitting models for LEP generation to our database of events, and through this model obtain an estimate for the total changes in electron flux in the radiation belts. If this estimate is in line with the gap measured from the Van Allen Probes, we may shed significant light in the role that lightning-generated electromagnetic radiation plays in shaping the radiation belts.

Status

  • Workflow Status:Published
  • Created By:Daniela Staiculescu
  • Created:10/23/2020
  • Modified By:Daniela Staiculescu
  • Modified:10/23/2020

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