title: Enhanced detection of terrestrial gamma-ray flashes by AGILE.
abstract: At the end of March 2015 the onboard software configuration of the Astrorivelatore Gamma a Immagini Leggero (AGILE) satellite was modified in order to disable the veto signal of the anticoincidence shield for the minicalorimeter instrument. The motivation for such a change was the understanding that the dead time induced by the anticoincidence prevented the detection of a large fraction of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs). The configuration change was highly successful resulting in an increase of one order of magnitude in TGF detection rate. As expected, the largest fraction of the new events has short duration (<100 μs), and part of them has simultaneous association with lightning sferics detected by the World Wide Lightning Location Network. The new configuration provides the largest TGF detection rate surface density (TGFs/km2/yr) to date, opening prospects for improved correlation studies with lightning and atmospheric parameters on short spatial and temporal scales along the equatorial region.
authors: INAF-IASF National Institute for Astrophysics Bologna Italy; Birkeland Centre for Space Science, Department of Physics and Technology University of Bergen Norway.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Marisaldi
authors: INAF-IAPS Roma Rome Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Argan
authors: INAF-IAPS Roma Rome Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica Università Tor Vergata Rome Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ursi
authors: Birkeland Centre for Space Science, Department of Physics and Technology University of Bergen Norway; Department of Engineering Sciences University of Agder Norway.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Gjesteland
authors: INAF-IASF National Institute for Astrophysics Bologna Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia Università di Bologna Bologna Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Fuschino
authors: INAF-IASF National Institute for Astrophysics Bologna Italy.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Labanti
authors: ENEA Bologna Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Galli
authors: INAF-IAPS Roma Rome Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica Università Tor Vergata Rome Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Tavani
authors: ASI Science Data Center Rome Italy; INAF-OAR Monteporzio Catone Rome Italy.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Pittori
authors: ASI Science Data Center Rome Italy; INAF-OAR Monteporzio Catone Rome Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Verrecchia
authors: Italian Space Agency Rome Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: D'Amico
authors: Birkeland Centre for Space Science, Department of Physics and Technology University of Bergen Norway.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Østgaard
authors: INAF-IASF Milano Milano Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Mereghetti
authors: INAF-IASF National Institute for Astrophysics Bologna Italy.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Campana
authors: INFN Pavia Pavia Italy.
authors: P W
authors: PW
authors: Cattaneo
authors: INAF-IASF National Institute for Astrophysics Bologna Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bulgarelli
authors: INAF-OAR Monteporzio Catone Rome Italy; School of Physics University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Colafrancesco
authors: CNR-ISAC Roma Rome Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Dietrich
authors: Dipartimento di Fisica Università di Trieste Trieste Italy; INFN Trieste Trieste Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Longo
authors: INAF-IASF National Institute for Astrophysics Bologna Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Gianotti
authors: ASI Science Data Center Rome Italy.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Giommi
authors: INFN Pavia Pavia Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Rappoldi
authors: INAF-IASF National Institute for Astrophysics Bologna Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Trifoglio
authors: INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari Capoterra Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Trois
keywords: atmospheric electricity; terrestrial gamma‐ray flashes