According to claims from Nature, a modified U-2 spy plane has shown that the majority of tropical thunderstorms are radioactive, generating gamma radiation in different forms significantly more frequently than previously believed, which puts our knowledge of storm physics and atmospheric phenomena to the test.
Gamma Rays In Thunderstorm Environments
Contrary to popular belief, gamma radiation is much more common in thunderstorms. Studies show that almost all major tropical storms produce gamma rays during their lifetime. Scientists observed storm dynamics up close for the first time ever using a NASA ER-2 aircraft, a modified U-2 spy plane. Their findings showed that more than half of all thunderstorms in the tropics are radioactive. This ground-breaking research, which was published in Nature, puts to the test current storm physics and atmospheric radiation models, creating new opportunities for our understanding of these intricate events.
Gamma Radiation Types
The study found that there are multiple types of gamma radiation that occur during storms. There were brief, powerful bursts of gamma radiation that corresponded with lightning strikes, as well as a persistent low-level “simmer” of radiation that was compared to steam from a boiling pot. There were also two previously unidentified kinds of gamma bursts found:
“Flickering Gamma-Ray Flashes” (FGFs) are bursts that repeat every tenth of a second, consisting of around ten bursts.
These FGFs are thought to be a possible “missing link” between recognized gamma flash types and could have something to do with the generation of lightning. The diversity and regularity of these radiation types point to previously unknown complicated energy dynamics within thunderstorms.
The Production Mechanism Of Gamma Rays
The strong electric field of a thunderstorm initiates a complicated chain of processes that result in the creation of gamma rays. Electric charges split apart as the storm intensifies, producing a field akin to an end-to-end stack of 100 million AA batteries1. Electrons are accelerated by this field to nearly the speed of light, which causes them to collide with molecules of air and expel additional high-energy electrons. As the process continues, eventually enough energy is produced for nuclear reactions to produce radiation such as gamma rays and antimatter. This mechanism accounts for the “gamma-glowing boiling pot” phenomenon that has been observed, in which each bubble is a fraction of a second-long flash of gamma rays.
Conclusions And Their Implications
Our knowledge of atmospheric processes and storm dynamics is significantly affected by the finding of extensive gamma radiation in tropical thunderstorms. As a kind of “pressure valve,” low-level gamma radiation may restrict the amount of energy that builds up during storms and may even affect their duration and severity. This discovery casts doubt on current storm behavior models and may help advance climate and weather predictions. Furthermore, the detection of the generation of antimatter (positrons) in these storms provides new opportunities for atmospheric physics research. Concerns regarding possible effects on aviation safety and the necessity of updated radiation protection measures for high-altitude flights are also raised by the unexpected prevalence of radioactive phenomena in thunderstorms.