Electromagnetic Emissions from Energetic Charged Particles Generated by Lightning Discharges.

We know from everyday life, equipments such as radio antenna, wireless internet or even from modern Synchro-cyclotron like CERN that accelerated electrons do radiate electromagnetic waves at different frequencies depending on the energy of an accelerated electron. In addition, in terms of lightning discharges, electrons not only get accelerated but many other physical phenomena go with it as well. These are as follows: the electron speed can approach approximately 80% of the speed of light, which means the Lorentz factor become significant, hence relativistic effects must be considered for the emitted electromagnetic emission. The accelerated electrons can collide with other air molecules to create new particles or ionise them. Moreover, they can cross a dielectric boundary that causes electromagnetic radiation emissions known as transition radiation, etc. This project aims to firstly understand and clearly describe the physical radiation mechanism due to lightning discharges. Secondly, to write up a clear, precise and comprehensive theory that explains and predicts the magnitude and direction of emitted electromagnetic radiation. In addition, it also aims to answer some of the unknowns with the current electromagnetic emission theories. In addition, one of the interesting mismatch between the current theory and measurement is the timing of the emission of electromagnetic radiation. In addition, it is observed that electromagnetic radiation occurs earlier than the predicted time interval. In order to achieve the stated aims, firstly, a few hypotheses and assumptions will be made after the completion of literature review with reading books on electromagnetism, waves, optics and physics of lightning discharges. Secondly, the final version of written theories will be transformed to MatLab language, and compared with the actual data in terms of contour plots (different way of expressing many statistical distributions at once) at different lightning energies. In addition, the same procedure would be carried in more detail out until a good agreement between theory and experiment is achieved. One of the applications is that the Met office is interested in improving their lightning detection system. Hence the Met Office would like to understand in detail how electromagnetic emission from charged particles are emitted so that they can adjust their lightning detection system accordingly for that radiation from those particles that are generated by lightning discharges. On the other hand, the second benefit would be to help space missions like ASIM that aims to measure ionising radiation like gamma rays (Different high frequency radiation) from lightning discharges.