High-Energy Atmospheric Radiation: From Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements to Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes

Abstract

This work presents a unified conceptual and observational framework that reinterprets these radiation bursts as manifestations of the same runaway processes happening at different atmospheric depths (Dual-stage model, DSM). We review recent results from satellite (ASIM), aircraft (ALOFT), balloon (HELEN), and ground-based (SEVAN and KANAZAWA) experiments to demonstrate the advantages of this integrated approach. This study addresses key contradictions in the field, introduces new classification criteria based on physics rather than detector location, and enhances our understanding of particle acceleration in thunderstorms.