Comparison of thunderstorm systems that produce or lack RHESSI identified terrestrial gamma ray flashes

Thunderstorms associated with RHESSI-identified terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) tend to be tall tropical thunderstorms in regions of significant lower tropospheric convergence. Yet despite the frequent occurrence of thunderstorms with these attributes within the RHESSI footprint, TGF detection is relatively rare. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) data that sync, in both space and time, with RHESSI, are used to determine whether there are observable differences between thunderstorm systems in which the RHESSI observes a TGF and those that it does not. In particular, TRMM Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) data are used to identify electrically active, but non-TGF producing, thunderstorms within a RHESSI footprint . TRMM precipitation and cloud-derived products from the null events are analyzed and compared to the same products composited from TGF producing storms. In addition, observations collected as part of the recent Airborne Detector for Energetic Lightning Emissions (ADELE) project are analyzed in this context.