Fluctuation of radiation dose-rate during winter thunderstorm

Torii, Tatsuo  ; Okuyama, Shinichi ; Nozaki, Tatsuo ; Okubo, Koichi; Sugita, Takeshi*; Muraki, Yasushi*

The dose rate of the -rays increases in association with the activities of the thunderstorm. They were observed on the ground in the winter season of Japan. In addition to the measurement by the environmental radiation monitors set up around the fast breeder reactor, Monju, the radiation detectors were prepared which consist of the long proportional counters. The results were compared with the results measured at the same time by the environmental radiation monitors. The following two types of the radiation enhancements have been found during the winter thunderstorm activities; the gradual variation of photon intensity with energy up to a few MeV, and the burst type of the radiation that is attributed to the injection of high energy photons with the energy over 10 MeV. In this paper, we present the observed results during winter thunderstorms, and mention the runaway breakdown produced by the incidence of energetic radiation into thunderclouds.