Non-detection of lightning during the second Parker Solar Probe Venus gravity assist | CU Experts

The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) spacecraft completed its second Venus; gravity assist maneuver (VGA2) on 26 December 2019. For a 20 minute; interval surrounding closest approach, the PSP/FIELDS Radio Frequency; Spectrometer (RFS) was set to ‘burst mode’, recording radio spectra from; 1.3–19.2 MHz at sub-second cadence. We analyze this burst mode data,; searching for signatures of radio frequency ‘sferic’ emission from; lightning discharges. During the burst mode interval, only 4 spectra; were observed with strong impulsive signals, and all 4 could be; attributed to saturation of the RFS high gain stage by; emph{in situ} electrostatic plasma waves. These RFS; measurements during VGA2 are consistent with previous non-detection of; radio frequency lightning signals from Venus reported by Gurnett et al.; (2001).

Pulupa M; Bale SD; Curry SM; Farrell W; Goodrich KA; Goetz K; Harvey PR; Malaspina DM; Raouafi N-E

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