JD: 00-164 DoW: SUN /MON UTC Date: 12JUNE2000

SUMMARY: Sprites from MCS in NE; Partially Blocked by Clouds

TLE PREDICTION: 0.35 [0.7 x 0.50]

RESULTS: 11+; heard many more

LESSONS: Sprites located near coldest cloud tops

PERSONNEL: Lyons, Nelson, Fossum, Nordem, Maria,

STEPS STATUS: STEPS

YRFS OPERATION LOGS: Several orogenic MCS drifted into the Plains and kept going after dark. Major MCS moved slowly through central NE, along with hail, mesos and TVS. Tops to 500. Another system moved directly into the STEPS array as sunset approached. However, it dissipated rapidly after dark. Virtually all the lighting had ceased by the time the low light cameras could be turned on. No sprites or lightning were imaged. System in panhandle probably also producing sprites, monitored for a while, but debris clouds near horizon prevented viewing. The NE system was severe, though the NLDN flash rates were not all that high (none of the Plains MCS had much lightning). Sampled some VLF and Winckler PMT. Maybe a few sprites in tele view.

Blue camera problems. Can not focus. Unsure of reason. Some digital noise found. Three quarter moon was bright, illuminating clouds. Still some thin haze/smoke around.

STEPS OPERATIONS: STEP.

KEY RESULTS : must check out sprite/cloud height relationship

Total TLEs from Yucca Ridge This Campaign: 241

FMA

Red Xybion (A)-Patrol: 2 tapes

Sony TRV900 3CCD: shot TL scenes during day; GEN III tapes at night

GEN III unit; 4 tapes of sprites (slight problem with mating attachment)

JVC KY-19: shoot daytime TL/STEPS Cam (to ESE);

Pulnix CCD: shoot various TL scenes

Photodiode: lens mated to original unit, needs to be tested

Winckler PMT: OK-used; moonlight

GPS: OK

WWV Source: OK

VLF Inspire: sampled

ELF N-S: not available

ELF E-W: not available

NLDN Live: OK

NLDN Paper: 10 maps

NLDN Archive: 2 saves

MRC Data Acquisition: Several samples

FMA Data Acquisition: not available

Thunder Mic: available

LANL Tracker: OK

Red Xybion (B)-Zoom; 2 tapes (in patrol mode)

Red Xybion (C)-Tele: 2 tapes

Blue Xybion(D)-zoom: problems with focus

Mountain Cam: nominal

STEPS Cam: nominal

Shure Mic: OK

NEXRAD Archive: WeatherTap problems

GOES Archive: OK

RUC2 Archive: OK

STANFORD/STAR LAB:

Telescope OK-gets at least one

LLTV OK

ELF/VLF OK

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY: not present

MIT ELF: problems with vertical antenna?

FUELLEKRUG ELF: operational

ISRAELI ELF: nominal