Unraveling Thundercloud Mysteries: NASA's ER-2 Takes Flight

NASA's ER-2 aircraft, as part of the ALOFT project, flew near thunderclouds in July 2023 to study the relationship between lightning and atmospheric energy fields. Operating at a unique altitude of 60,000 feet, the aircraft collected detailed data on high-energy radiation emissions from thunderstorms, aiming to deepen our understanding of gamma-ray flashes and advance space-based lightning mapping technologies. The research involved instruments and researchers from the University of Bergen, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Sandia National Labs, and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.