%0 Journal Article
%A Hare, B. M.
%A Scholten, O.
%A Dwyer, J.
%A Ebert, U.
%A Nijdam, S.
%A Bonardi, A.
%A Buitink, S.
%A Corstanje, A.
%A Falcke, H.
%A Huege, T.
%A Hörandel, J. R.
%A Krampah, G. K.
%A Mitra, P.
%A Mulrey, K.
%A Neijzen, B.
%A Nelles, Anna Friederike
%A Pandya, H.
%A Rachen, J. P.
%A Rossetto, L.
%A Trinh, T. N. G.
%A ter Veen, S.
%A Winchen, T.
%T Radio Emission Reveals Inner Meter-Scale Structure of Negative Lightning Leader Steps
%J Physical review letters
%V 124
%N 10
%@ 1079-7114
%C College Park, Md.
%I APS
%M PUBDB-2021-00190
%P 105101
%D 2020
%X We use the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) to probe the dynamics of the stepping process of negatively charged plasma channels (negative leaders) in a lightning discharge. We observe that at each step of a leader, multiple pulses of vhf (30–80 MHz) radiation are emitted in short-duration bursts (<10  μs). This is evidence for streamer formation during corona flashes that occur with each leader step, which has not been observed before in natural lightning and it could help explain x-ray emission from lightning leaders, as x rays from laboratory leaders tend to be associated with corona flashes. Surprisingly, we find that the stepping length is very similar to what was observed near the ground, however with a stepping time that is considerably larger, which as yet is not understood. These results will help to improve lightning propagation models, and eventually lightning protection models.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%$ pmid:32216418
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000518820000016
%R 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.105101
%U https://bib-pubdb1.desy.de/record/453799