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Takahashi Y, Sato M, Imai M, Lorenz R, Yair Y, Aplin K, Fischer G, Nakamura M, Ishii N, Abe T, Satoh T, Imamura T, Hirose C, Suzuki M, Hashimoto GL, Hirata N, Yamazaki A, Sato TM, Yamada M, Murakami SY, Yamamoto Y, Fukuhara T, Ogohara K, Ando H, Sugiyama KI, Kashimura H, Ohtsuki S. Initiation of a lightning search using the lightning and airglow camera onboard the Venus orbiter Akatsuki. EARTH, PLANETS, AND SPACE : EPS 2018; 70:88. [PMID: 31007533 PMCID: PMC6448279 DOI: 10.1186/s40623-018-0836-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The existence of lightning discharges in the Venus atmosphere has been controversial for more than 30 years, with many positive and negative reports published. The lightning and airglow camera (LAC) onboard the Venus orbiter, Akatsuki, was designed to observe the light curve of possible flashes at a sufficiently high sampling rate to discriminate lightning from other sources and can thereby perform a more definitive search for optical emissions. Akatsuki arrived at Venus during December 2016, 5 years following its launch. The initial operations of LAC through November 2016 have included a progressive increase in the high voltage applied to the avalanche photodiode detector. LAC began lightning survey observations in December 2016. It was confirmed that the operational high voltage was achieved and that the triggering system functions correctly. LAC lightning search observations are planned to continue for several years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Takahashi
- Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810 Japan
| | - Mitsuteru Sato
- Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810 Japan
| | - Masataka Imai
- Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0810 Japan
| | - Ralph Lorenz
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
| | - Yoav Yair
- School of Sustainability, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC), P. O. Box 167, 46150 Herzliya, Israel
| | - Karen Aplin
- Physics Teaching Laboratories, Oxford University, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Rd, Oxford, OX1 3RH UK
| | - Georg Fischer
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, 8042 Graz, Austria
| | - Masato Nakamura
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Nobuaki Ishii
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Takumi Abe
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
- Department of Space and Astronautical Science, School of Physical Sciences, SOKENDAI, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Takehiko Satoh
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
- Department of Space and Astronautical Science, School of Physical Sciences, SOKENDAI, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Takeshi Imamura
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kiban-tou 4H7, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561 Japan
| | - Chikako Hirose
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Makoto Suzuki
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - George L. Hashimoto
- Department of Earth Science, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita, Okayama, 700-8530 Japan
| | - Naru Hirata
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The University of Aizu, 90 Kami-Iawase, Tsuruga, Ikki-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima 965-8580 Japan
| | - Atsushi Yamazaki
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
| | - Takao M. Sato
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Manabu Yamada
- Planetary Exploration Research Center, Chiba Institute of Technology, 2-17-1 Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba 275-0016 Japan
| | - Shin-ya Murakami
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Yukio Yamamoto
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210 Japan
| | - Tetsuya Fukuhara
- Department of Physics, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8501 Japan
| | - Kazunori Ogohara
- School of Engineering, University of Shiga Prefecture, 2500 Hassaka-cho, Hikone, Shiga 522-8533 Japan
| | - Hiroki Ando
- Faculty of Science, Kyoto Sangyo University, Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto 603-8555 Japan
| | - Ko-ichiro Sugiyama
- Department of Information Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Matsue College, 14-4 Nishi-Ikuma, Matsue, Shimane 690-8518 Japan
| | - Hiroki Kashimura
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 3173-25 Showa-machi, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0001 Japan
| | - Shoko Ohtsuki
- School of Commerce, Senshu University, 2-1-1 Higashimita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8580 Japan
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