There are many people who through their generosity and knowledge have made important contributions to this dissertation. It would be impossible to list everyone who contributed, or to adequately list the extent of the contributions for those who are mentioned.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my adviser, Paul Krehbiel, for the oustanding leadership and support that he provided over the past several years. Without his insightful direction, many of the results presented in this dissertation would not have been possible. I am also deeply grateful to Marx Brook for his diligent efforts to acquire and share sferics data as well as for the lenses and filters which he provided. He has shared many thought-provoking discussions with me and has instilled a sense of awe and wonder of the atmospheric electrical phenomena which surround us.
I would like to extend a special thanks to Steve Cummer of Duke University. All of the charge moment data based on extremely low frequency (ELF) measurements presented in this dissertation were calculated by him based on models and routines which he perfected over the past few years. Steve is beyond a shadow of a doubt the current ``Jedi Master'' of ELF. He has also shared valuable insights and other results with me on countless occassions.
I am deeply indebted to Bill Abrahams of Speed Vision Technologies, who loaned us the KODAK EktaPro High-Spec Motion Analyzer Model 1012 which was used in the high-speed video study of sprites. I am equally indebted to Bill Klein of Eastman-KODAK Company, who loaned us a replacement KODAK EktaPro Intensified Imager Model VSG on short notice.
I thank Chris Barrington-Leigh of Stanford University for providing the magnetic loop antenna in 1997. His detailed analysis of the events which recently were given the name ``sprite halos'' was a major step forward in our understanding of high altitude electrical phenomena. Furthermore, I am indebted to him for the numerous exchanges of ideas that we have shared.
I thank Bill Rison of New Mexico Tech for the design of the A/D boards which acquired all of the sferic and interferometer data presented in this study. His mastery of electronic design continues to amaze us all. I'm also grateful to Ron Thomas of New Mexico Tech, who demonstrated his mastery of IDL programming by writing sferic analysis routines which enabled the processing of large volumes of sferic data.
A special thanks goes to Charles B. Moore of New Mexico Tech for providing VHS recording equipment and heavy-duty tripods which were invaluable in the sprite research. I also thank Otha H. Vaughan for loaning the normal speed low light level cameras to us.
I am indebted to Walt Lyons and Tom Nelson of FMA Research for providing the photometer data in early 1997 which provided conclusive evidence that sprites emit a unique ELF signature. Furthermore, we have shared many insightful results and illuminating discussions, and have even exchanged chilis and garlic. I can personally verify that Walt Lyons has the best and most complete selection of garlic products ranging from the ordinary to the exotic at http://www.thegarlicstore.com/.
Much of the hard work of transporting and securing observation equipment was performed by Gary Coppler of Langmuir Laboratory. I am indebted to him for his diligent efforts. I also thank Bill Winn of Langmuir Laboratory for his assistance. Bill also taught a ``Spark Discharge'' course in the fall of 1999 which had a significant influence on this dissertation. I am indebted to Sandy Kieft of Langmuir Laboratory for taking care of paper-work and other arduous tasks too numerous to mention.
I am indebted to Ken Cummins and John Cramer of Global Atmospherics, Inc. for providing stroke-level National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) data of sprite-producing discharges. I also thank Dave Suszcynsky of Los Alamos National Laboratory for providing the photometer which was used in 1997.
Last, but far from least, I would like to thank my parents, Gerald and Ellen Stanley, as well as my brother, Randy Stanley, and his wife, Nicole Stanley, for the endless encouragement and support they have offered through the years. The strength of my family has been a tremendous boost to me. In recognition of this, I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my grandmother, Mary Alice Cook, and grandfather, Clifford Stanley, who both passed away while I was a graduate student at New Mexico Tech. Their work ethic, personal strength, and devotion to truth have been passed down from generation to generation through the eternal power of love.