Full‐wave reflection of lightning long‐wave radio pulses from the ionospheric D region: Comparison with midday observations of broadband lightning signals

Abstract

We are developing and testing a steep‐incidence D region sounding method for inferring profile information, principally regarding electron density. The method uses lightning emissions (in the band 5–500 kHz) as the probe signal. The data are interpreted by comparison against a newly developed single‐reflection model of the radio wave's encounter with the lower ionosphere. The ultimate application of the method will be to study transient, localized disturbances of the nocturnal D region, including those instigated by lightning itself. Prior to applying the method to study lightning‐induced perturbations of the nighttime D region, we have performed a validation test against more stable and predictable daytime observations, where the profile of electron density is largely determined by direct solar X‐ray illumination. This article reports on the validation test. Predictions from our recently developed full‐wave ionospheric‐reflection model are compared to statistical summaries of daytime lightning radiated waveforms, recorded by the Los Alamos Sferic Array. The comparison is used to retrieve best fit parameters for an exponential profile of electron density in the ionospheric D region. The optimum parameter values are compared to those found elsewhere using a narrowband beacon technique, which used totally different measurements, ranges, and modeling approaches from those of the work reported here.