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This page will be updated with news items regarding ALOFT.
October 2024: Publication of two Nature articles in international media
When two ALOFT flight campaign-related articles were released in Nature on October 2, 2024, they were quickly picked up by a variety of media houses around the world. Click dropdown menu for a list of links.
Coverage of Nature articles in worldwide media, October 2024
1. NRK Dagsrevyen (TV-news): "Forskning på lyn" (news clip 14, after ca 22 min)
2. NRK Vestlandsrevyen (TV-news): "Forsker på torden" (news clip nr 6, after ca 8 min)
3. Nature: "Mysterious form of high-energy radiation spotted in thunderstorms"
4. Nature (podcast): "Strange gamma-ray flickers seen in thunderstorms for the first time"
5. Nature: "Glowing gamma-rays solve thunderstorm conundrum"
6. Science News: "Thunderstorms churn up a ‘boiling pot’ of gamma rays"
7. NASA: "Via NASA Plane, Scientists Find New Gamma-ray Emission in Storm Clouds"
8. FOX28: "NASA satellites find most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
9. Phys.org: "Surprising amount and variety of gamma radiation is produced in large tropical thunderstorms, observations reveal"
10. NRK: "Bergensforskarar og NASA avdekker hemmelegheitene i tordenskyar"
11. forskning.no: "Norske forskere med nytt funn: Dette tordenværet bobler og koker med radioaktiv stråling"
12. Univ of Bergen: "Nytt gammastrålingsfenomen oppdaget med NASAs forskningsfly"
13. Univ of Bergen press release: "Bergensforskere avdekker lynets hemmeligheter"
14. Springer Nature (blog): "New findings: A game-changer?"
15. El País: "Spy plane observes how storms produce radioactive clouds and antimatter"
16. El País: "Un avión espía observa cómo las tormentas producen nubes radioactivas y antimateria"
17. Science: "Scientists discover new kind of gamma ray emission in thunderstorms"
18. Nature video/YouTube: "Mysterious GAMMA-RAY flickers spotted in tropical thunderclouds"
19. NPR (National Public Radio) podcast: "How do scientists study lightning? With a spy plane and some big storms"
20. Stuttgarter Zeitung: "Woher stammt das Gammaglühen in Gewittern?"
21. Teknisk Ukeblad: "Spionfly oppdaget gammaglimt i tordensky"
22. ABC: "Descubren que muchas tormentas eléctricas generan nubes radiactivas"
23. Smithsonian Magazine: "Scientists Use Cold War-Era Spy Plane to Find Unexpected Gamma Rays in Thunderstorms"
24. SciTech Daily: "Surprising Discovery: NASA’s Retrofitted U2 Spy Plane Reveals Tropical Lightning Storms Are Radioactive"
25. MSN: "Nature's Nuclear Reactors: Thunderstorms Routinely Produce Gamma Rays"
26. Le Journal de Montreal: "Les nuages des orages "bouillonnent" de rayons gamma"
27. Wired: "I temporali tropicali sono radioattivi, producono potentissimi raggi gamma"
28. Brattleboro Reformer: "Why most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
29. BGR: "Scientists may have found the missing link to how lightning forms"
30. Borneo Bulletin: "A Shocking Discovery"
31. Pacific Daily News: "Why most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
32. MEM Magazine: "‘Missing Link’ Gamma-Ray Radiation from Thunderclouds Discovered"
33. StandardSpeaker: "Why most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
34. Futurity: "Big thunderstorms create a surprising amount of radiation"
35. Science Daily: "Most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
36. NyTeknik: "Spionflyg upptäckte gammablixt i åskmoln – kan förklara blixtmysterium"
37. La Vanguardia: "La mitad de las tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
38. Aslinda: "Fırtınalar gökyüzünde gama ışınları üretiyor: Doğa olaylarının sıra dışı yüzü"
39. Geekweek: "Czy burze tropikalne są radioaktywne? Samolot odkrył niezwykłe zjawisko"
40. Bennington Banner: "Scientists discover intense bursts of gamma rays from thunderclouds"
41. Talker News: "Scientists discover intense bursts of gamma rays from thunderclouds"
42. Vision360: "Las grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
43. notiuruguay: "Sorprendente radiación gamma en grandes tormentas tropicales"
44. Sci.News: "Gamma-Ray Emission from Tropical Thunderstorms Takes More Forms Than Previously Thought"
45. The Mountaineer: "Why most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
46. Voice of Alexandria: "Why most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
47. Metropolitano: "Raggi gamma dai temporali: spunta un nuovo fenomeno"
48. Eurasia Review: "Missing Link Found In Gamma Emission Phenomena From Thunderclouds"
49. Media Inaf: "Sondando il mistero dei raggi gamma nei temporali"
50. Newsweek: "Las tormentas emiten rayos gamma invisibles, un fenómeno más común de lo que se cree"
51. Sci.News: "Gamma-Ray Emission from Tropical Thunderstorms Takes More Forms Than Previously Thought"
52. University of Bath: "‘Missing link’ gamma-ray radiation from thunderclouds discovered"
53. El dia: "Las nubes de tormenta emiten rayos gamma"
54. AGI: "La maggior parte dei temporali è radioattiva"
55. Spotify (Nature podcast): "Strange gamma-ray flickers seen in thunderstorms for the first time"
56. Il Denaro: "Scienza, raggi gamma dai temporali: nuova scoperta nella fisica atmosferica"
57. Enerzine: "9 vols sur 10 confirment: les orages tropicaux sont des usines à rayons gamma"
58. Vanguardia: "Un misterio: Las grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
59. Dziennik Naukowy: "Tropikalne burze generują zaskakującą ilość i różnorodność promieniowania gamma"
60. El Colombiano: "Los rayos gamma no son cosa de ciencia ficción: el fenómeno siempre estuvo frente a nuestras narices"
61. Informazione: "Sondando il mistero dei raggi gamma nei temporali"
62. Insurgente Press: "Sorprendente la radiación gamma en las grandes tormentas tropicales"
63. La Republica: «Las nubes tormentosas muestran una gran concentración de rayos gamma"
64. Mundiario: "Un avión espía revela cómo las tormentas producen nubes radioactivas y antimateria"
65. The Times-Tribune: "Why most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
66. VivaSevilla: "Revelan que las grandes tormentas tropicales generan niveles de radiación"
67. La Sexta: "Un avión espía de la Guerra Fría capta que las grandes tormentas eléctricas son radiactivas"
68. Portfolio: "Kémrepülőgéppel vizsgálták kutatók a viharfelhőket: megdöbbentő dolgokat tapasztaltak"
69. Diario Libre: "Las nubes tormentosas muestran una gran concentración de rayos gamma"
70. Daily Galaxy: "NASA Researchers Discover New Types of Gamma-ray Emissions in Tropical Thunderstorms"
71. Finanz: "Scientists Find New Gamma-Ray Emission In Storm Clouds"
72. Media Indonesia: "Penemuan Semburan Sinar Gamma Berkedip dari Awan Petir"
73. Super: "Tempestades tropicais emitem mais radiação do que se imaginava, diz estudo"
74. Gosniipp: "В грозовых облаках нашли мерцающие гамма-вспышки"
75. HDblog: "I temporali sono radioattivi come piccole centrali nucleari | Studio"
76. Duke: "Most Tropical Lightning Storms Are Radioactive"
77. EurekAlert: "Most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
78. MSN: "Retrofitted Cold War Spy Plane Shows That Most Tropical Storms Are Radioactive"
79. KTBS: "NASA satellites find most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
80. RTT News: "Scientists Find New Gamma-ray Emission In Storm Clouds"
81. Nauka: "Тропически гръмотевични бури генерират изненадващо много и разнообразно гама лъчение"
82. Space Daily: "Most tropical thunderstorms emit gamma radiation"
83. Space Daily: "Scientists find new gamma-ray emission in storm clouds"
84. Earth: "Most tropical thunderstorms are radioactive"
85. Swissinfo: "Las grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
86. France24: "Thunderstorms are a 'boiling pot' of gamma rays, scientists find"
87. France24: "Las nubes tormentosas muestran una gran concentración de rayos gamma"
88. 30science: "La maggior parte dei temporali è radioattiva"
89. Yahoo News: "Thunderstorms are a 'boiling pot' of gamma rays, scientists find"
90. Yahoo! Noticias: "Las tormentas emiten rayos gamma invisibles, un fenómeno más común de lo que se cree"
91. Yahoo! Noticias: "Las nubes tormentosas muestran una gran concentración de rayos gamma"
92. Popular Science: "NASA’s U-2 spy plane found gamma rays in 90% of lightning storms"
93. Selma Sun: "NASA satellites find most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
94. Dawn: "Thunderstorms termed a ‘boiling pot’ of gamma rays"
95. South Florida Reporter: "Spy Plane Uncovers Radioactive Gamma Rays in Tropical Thunderstorms"
96. Science ORF: "Tropische Gewitter erzeugen oft Radioaktivität"
97. Newsweek: "Nature's Nuclear Reactors: Thunderstorms Routinely Produce Gamma Rays"
98. El Mundo: "Un avión espía reconvertido en laboratorio revela cómo las tormentas eléctricas generan radiación"
99. Tagesspiegel: "Gammablitz und Donner: Mit dem Spionageflugzeug zum Strahlungsausbruch"
100. Inverse: "A Retired Cold War Spy Plane Discovered Something Really Weird About Thunderstorms"
101. Insider Paper: "Thunderstorms are a ‘boiling pot’ of gamma rays, scientists find"
102. 20minutos: "Un avión espía de la Guerra Fría capta que las grandes tormentas eléctricas son radiactivas"
103. El Imparcial: "Estudio: Son radiactivas las grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales"
104. Zakiganjonline: "Avião espião descobre raios gama radioativos em tempestades tropicais"
105. Le Soir: "Une "marmite bouillonnante" : des chercheurs font une découverte importante sur les orages"
106. Lanotadeldia: "Un avión espía retirado de la Guerra Fría descubrió algo realmente extraño sobre las tormentas eléctricas"
107. GZH: "Nuvens de tempestade mostram alta concentração de raios gama"
108. Larazon: "La mayoría de las tormentas eléctricas son radiactivas"
109. El Debate: "Un avión espía modificado por la NASA descubre que las grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
110. Diario: "Sorprendente radiación gamma en grandes tormentas tropicales"
111. Cronista: "Scientists confirm that tropical storms approaching the country are radioactive"
112. The Mountaineer: "NASA satellites find most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
113. Cadenaser: "Científicos sobrevuelan tormentas tropicales en un avión espía para descubrir que generan más radioactividad de lo que se pensaba"
114. Daily Journal: "Thunderstorms are a 'boiling pot' of gamma rays, scientists find"
115. LaPresse: "Les nuages des orages " bouillonnent " de rayons gamma"
116. Gizmodo: "Spy Plane Uncovers Radioactive Gamma Rays in Tropical Thunderstorms"
117. Gizmodo: "Avión espía revela rayos gamma radiactivos en tormentas tropicales"
118. IFLScience: "Retrofitted Cold War Spy Plane Shows That Most Tropical Storms Are Radioactive"
119. Welt der physik: "Seltsame Gammablitze in tropischen Gewittern"
120. Huffington Post: "Un avión espía descubre la radioactividad de un fenómeno meteorológico común"
121. Scinexx: "Brodelndes Gammaglühen in Gewittern entdeckt"
122. Labscienze: "Sondando il mistero dei raggi gamma nei temporali"
123. The Cheyenne Post: "Why most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
124. iNoticias: "Un avión espía de EEUU se adentró en una tormenta tropical. Ha dado con algo sorprendente: son radioactivas"
125. La Comunidad y su Futuro: "Avión espía de EE.UU. explora tormenta tropical y encuentra materiales radioactivos"
126. La Depeche: "Les nuages des orages "bouillonnent" de rayons gamma"
127. Noticias: "Nuvens de tempestade mostram alta concentração de raios gama"
128. elVocero: "Sorprendente radiación gamma en grandes tormentas tropicales"
129. ZME Science: "U2 spy plane finds thunderstorms generate gamma rays all the time"
130. The Guam Daily Post: "NASA satellites find most tropical lightning storms are radioactive"
131. N+1: "В грозовых облаках нашли мерцающие гамма-вспышки"
132. Barrons: "Las Nubes Tormentosas Muestran Una Gran Concentración De Rayos Gamma"
133. Barrons: "Thunderstorms Are A 'Boiling Pot' Of Gamma Rays, Scientists Find"
134. Primicias: "Científicos descubren que las tormentas eléctricas generan radiación gamma de alta energía"
135. NCYT: "Tormentas terrestres que generan rayos gamma"
136. Public Now: "‘Missing link’ gamma-ray radiation from thunderclouds discovered"
137. Rutab: "Во время крупных гроз возникает много гамма-излучения Rutab.net"
138. The Mercury: "Thunderstorms are a 'boiling pot' of gamma rays, scientists find"
139. Sciences et Avenir: "Pourquoi la plupart des orages tropicaux sont-ils radioactifs?"
140. Infobae: "La mayoría de las tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
141. Infobae: "Sorprendente radiación gamma en grandes tormentas tropicales"
142. Infobae: "Las grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
143. MIRAGE: "Key Link Found in Thundercloud Gamma Emissions"
144. MIRAGE: "Tropical Lightning Storms Found to Be Radioactive"
145. QuePasa Media Network: "Las grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales son radiactivas"
146. AllSides: "Nature's nuclear reactors: Thunderstorms routinely produce gamma rays"
147. Meteoweb: "Raggi gamma sotto i tuoni: scoperte sconvolgenti sul loro ruolo nei temporali"
148. Futura: "Des chercheurs révèlent que les orages sont de " gigantesques marmites bouillonnantes de lueur gamma ": un phénomène insoupçonné"
149. Naked Science: "Физики обнаружили грозовые гамма-вспышки нового типа"
150. Spektrum: "Gammablitze lösen jahrhundertealtes Rätsel um Gewitter"
151. Weird News: "Storm clouds generate strange gamma radiation"
152. Der Standard: "Umgebautes Spionageflugzeug wirft neues Licht auf die Entstehung von Blitzen"
153. Future Zone: "NASA entdeckt neue Art von Gammablitzen bei Gewittern"
154. Winfuture: "Spionageflieger zeigt: Gewitter bringt Gammastrahlung und Antimaterie"
155. Interesting Engineering: "Radioactive rain? NASA’s ex-spy plane reveals thunderstorms emit gamma rays"
156. Canaltech: "Tempestades tropicais são radioativas e este avião de guerra pode provar"
157. Donga Science: "지구 번개구름, 더 오래 넓게 '방사선' 내뿜는다"
158. Medium: "Uncovering the Hidden Wonders of Thunderstorms: Scientists Discover New Gamma-ray Emissions"
159. The Universe: "Uncovering the Hidden Wonders of Thunderstorms: Scientists Discover New Gamma-ray Emissions"
160. Milenio: "Detectan partículas radiactivas en grandes tormentas eléctricas tropicales"
161. Physics Today: "Gamma-ray flashes offer clues about thunderstorm electrification"
April 2023: EGU Meeting
ALOFT was successfully presented at the 2023 European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly held in Vienna, Austria, 24-28 April 2023 (EGU23-9381 and EGU23-3116).
June 13, 2023: Mounting of instruments on the ER-2 aircraft
On June 15, the ALOFT instruments were uploaded onto the ER-2 aircraft in Palmdale, California, as seen in the photos below.
June 15, 2023: First test flight
On June 15, ALOFT performed a test flight from Palmdale, California.
The top two plots below are maps showing the flight pattern over California. The line changing color is the ground track of the plane and the changing color is a function of time. The aircraft flies northward (there are small arrows indicating direction).
The middle and bottom plots show the counts in the BGO+LYSO instrument and the altitude for the whole duration of the flight. The x-axis is the time (total duration of about 3 hours 30 min). The count rates follow what is expected: reduction when leaving ground because the aircraft moves away from natural ground-level radioactivity, then there is sharp increase due to cosmic ray radiation when the aircraft reaches higher altitudes.
July 3, 2023: First ALOFT science flight
ALOFT made its first science flight on Monday 3 July! The NASA ER-2 aircraft left McDill Airforce Base near Tampa, Florida USA, at 17:30 local time (23:30 in Bergen). The flight lasted about 6 hours. The aircraft flew above active thunderstorms in the Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatan peninsula. All the instruments were operational. High-quality science data were gathered, including a gamma-ray glow (a persistent emission of gamma-rays from thunderclouds) observed with unprecedented details.
Martino Marisaldi, UiB, ALOFT deputy Principal Investigator and mission scientist now on duty at McDill, declared: ‘This is extremely exciting! During the first flight we already reached many of the scientific goals of the mission. I think the ALOFT will reshape this scientific field for the years to come.’
July 26, 2023: Report after the eighth flight
Today marks the completion of the 8th ALOFT flight, which covered the southwestern coast of Mexico in the course of eight hours. The end of the campaign is approaching, with only one or two flights remaining. So far, the ALOFT campaign has been a tremendous success. Many glows and TGFs have been recorded in varieties never before observed. The results from this campaign will definitely change the research field.
Below is a picture of the science team standing in front of the ER-2 on the morning of July 24, after the overnight flight to Campeche Bay – a flight that gave us everything.
August 15, 2023: Virtual Media Day
Video with team presenters: https://nasa-ext.app.box.com/s/7qgbhbgeh3s1hwk4kt41ebg5g2ua3it2
Digital Media Packet: https://nasa-ext.app.box.com/s/3oeq85hayb3cle7kozr9plvklmd3cs6k
NASA Overview: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/global-collaboration-leads-to...