UiB Researcher Revolutionizes Thundercloud Research
With the ENLIGHTEN research project, Professor Martino Marisaldi aims to solve one of the longest-standing mysteries in atmospheric electricity – simply what initiates lightning?
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Professor Martino Marisaldi has spent many years researching high-energy radiation from thunderclouds and their role in the electrodynamics of these clouds. His revolutionary research could change our understanding of atmospheric electricity.
"The Earth is enveloped by more than 2000 active thunderclouds at any given time and is struck by 45 lightning bolts every second, amounting to over 3 million lightning strikes daily. Despite this, the question of what triggers lightning remains one of the foremost unanswered questions in atmospheric electricity."
"Thunderclouds are actually the most energetic natural particle accelerators on Earth. It is of great importance to understand these phenomena, which affect our lives."
Professor Martino Marisaldi has an impressive background in physics and technology, specializing in high-energy radiation and atmospheric electricity. His work has led to significant discoveries that could change our understanding of atmospheric phenomena. Marisaldi describes the 2023 flight campaign as the most exciting scientific experience in his last 15-years: "I really look forward to doing this again," he says.
In 2023, Marisaldi co-led the groundbreaking ALOFT flight campaign in collaboration with NASA, alongside his UiB colleague Professor Nikolai Østgaard, utilizing a high-altitude research aircraft to study thunderclouds in the Gulf of Mexico.
"We discovered that gamma-ray emissions are an integral part of the electrodynamics of thunderclouds, much more common and widespread than previously thought. We also found that so-called Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGF) are about 100 times more frequent than previously believed."
Marisaldi describes the flight campaign as one of the most exciting experiences of his career:
"I haven't had this much fun in 15 years – since I was involved in launching a small satellite for the Italian Space Agency in 2007. With live transmission from the aircraft, we saw in real-time as the plane approached a convective core and gamma-rays were detected. I really felt like I was pushing the boundaries of science. I think that is one of the most gratifying things a scientist can experience in their career. And I want to do it again."
The ENLIGHTEN Project
Marisaldi leads the ENLIGHTEN research project, aiming to understand the relationship between high-energy radiation and how lightning is initiated. The project builds on the findings from the 2023 campaign and seeks to solve one of the longest-standing mysteries in atmospheric electricity: What initiates lightning?
The ENLIGHTEN project investigates the causal relationship between high-energy radiation and lightning initiation. The project will help uncover how gamma-ray emissions are linked to lightning, which is crucial for understanding atmospheric electricity.
By combining innovative time-resolved gamma-ray imaging of thunderclouds with simultaneous imaging of lightning from a high-altitude research aircraft, the project aims to identify the mechanisms that trigger lightning and understand the phenomena through data analysis and modeling. The results of the research will set a new standard for research in atmospheric electricity and related fields.
