Gamma Ray Signatures of Neutrons From a Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flash

Abstract

Abstract Following a lightning strike to a wind turbine in Japan, we have observed a large burst of neutrons lasting 100 ms with a ground fluence of ~1,000 n cm −2 , thousands of times greater than the peak neutron flux associated with the largest ground level solar particle event ever observed. This is the first detection of an unequivocal signature of neutrons from a terrestrial gamma ray flash, consisting of a 2.223 MeV gamma‐ray spectral line from a neutron‐capture on hydrogen reaction occurring in our detector, and is shown to be consistent with the production of 10 12 –10 13 photoneutrons from a downward terrestrial gamma ray flash (TGF) at 1.0 km, with a gamma ray brightness typical of upward TGFs observed by satellites.