The recent discovery of merging black holes suggests that a stochastic gravitational-wave background is within reach of the advanced detector network operating at design sensitivity. However, correlated magnetic noise from Schumann resonances threatens to contaminate observation of a stochastic background. In this paper, we report on the first effort to eliminate intercontinental correlated noise from Schumann resonances using Wiener filtering. Using magnetometers as proxies for gravitational-wave detectors, we demonstrate as much as a factor of two reduction in the coherence between magnetometers on different continents. While much work remains to be done, our results constitute a proof-of-principle and motivate follow-up studies with a dedicated array of magnetometers.

We present the Hylaty geophysical station, a high‐sensitivity and low‐noise facility for extremely low frequency (ELF, 0.03–300 Hz) electromagnetic field measurements, which enables a variety of geophysical and climatological research related to atmospheric, ionospheric, magnetospheric, and space weather physics. The first systematic observations of ELF electromagnetic fields at the Jagiellonian University were undertaken in 1994. At the beginning the measurements were carried out sporadically, during expeditions to sparsely populated areas of the Bieszczady Mountains in the southeast of Poland. In 2004, an automatic Hylaty ELF station was built there, in a very low electromagnetic noise environment, which enabled continuous recording of the magnetic field components of the ELF electromagnetic field in the frequency range below 60 Hz. In 2013, after 8 years of successful operation, the station was upgraded by extending its frequency range up to 300 Hz. In this paper we show the station's technical setup, and how it has changed over the years. We discuss the design of ELF equipment, including antennas, receivers, the time control circuit, and power supply, as well as antenna and receiver calibration. We also discuss the methodology we developed for observations of the Schumann resonance and wideband observations of ELF field pulses. We provide examples of various kinds of signals recorded at the station.

The ability to create time-dependent magnetic fields of controlled polarization is essential for many experiments with magnetic resonance. We describe a microstrip circuit that allows us to generate strong magnetic field at microwave frequencies with arbitrary adjusted polarization. The circuit performance is demonstrated by applying it to an optically detected magnetic resonance and Rabi nutation experiments in nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond. Thanks to high efficiency of the proposed microstrip circuit and degree of circular polarization of 85%; it is possible to address the specific spin states of a diamond sample using a low power microwave generator. The circuit may be applied to a wide range of magnetic resonance experiments with a well-controlled polarization of microwaves.

Thirty‐five sprite‐producing lightning flashes were recorded in nine nights in different seasons at the east coast of Spain with a 3D Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) since July 2011. A low‐frequency time‐of‐arrival network provided data on emissions from return strokes and intracloud processes and a very‐high‐frequency interferometer network produced complementary lightning data. This study analyzes the bidirectional development of flashes in order to understand the positioning and timing of the positive cloud‐to‐ground stroke (+CG) and its consequences for charge neutralization by negative leaders, affecting sprite morphology. A summary of negative leader extents, altitudes, and speeds before and after the + CG stroke is provided, as well as positive leader origins and inferred speeds. Negative leader speeds exhibited modes at 10⁵ and 5 × 10⁵ m s⁻¹. Five examples with different evolutions are discussed: (1) Slow bidirectional development with negative leader termination before the + CG stroke; (2) Fast bidirectional development with the negative leader continuing after the + CG stroke. (3) Slow‐fast bidirectional development with a negative leader exhibiting a sudden lowering and speed increase; (4) Fast secondary bidirectional development from an in‐cloud horizontal positive leader. Negative leaders propagated rapidly into the upper positive charge layer, continuing after the + CG stroke; (5) Slow bidirectional development with a long negative leader (50 km) subject to cutoff while the original positive leader remained trapped inside negative charge. A + CG stroke subsequently occurred under the old negative leader channel. Carrot sprites tended to be associated with fast extending leaders after the stroke, columniform/mixed sprites with slower side branches.

It has been recognized that the magnetic fields from the Schumann resonances could affect the search for a stochastic gravitational-wave background by LIGO and Virgo. Presented here are the observations of short duration magnetic field transients that are coincident in the magnetometers at the LIGO and Virgo sites. Data from low-noise magnetometers in Poland and Colorado, USA, are also used and show short duration magnetic transients of global extent. We measure at least 2.3 coincident (between Poland and Colorado) magnetic transient events per day where one of the pulses exceeds 200 pT. Given the recently measured values of the magnetic coupling to differential arm motion for Advanced LIGO, there would be a few events per day that would appear simultaneously at the gravitational-wave detector sites and could move the test masses of order 10 ⁻¹⁸ m. We confirm that in the advanced detector era short duration transient gravitational-wave searches must account for correlated magnetic field noise in the global detector network.

We present an extraordinary case of sprites in rapid succession—four sprite clusters in only 400 ms—followed by a secondary jet. Simultaneous ELF and optical observations, as well as lightning data, enabled us to thoroughly document this unique event. Locations of the transient luminous events (TLEs) were triangulated using video recordings from Nydek (Czech Republic) and Sopron (Hungary). We found that sprites were displaced up to 70 km from their parent lightning. The current moment waveform and charge moment changes associated with the event were reconstructed from the ELF electromagnetic signature recorded at the Hylaty station (Poland) by a new method. The results suggest that both a short‐delayed and a long‐delayed sprite were generated by a single positive cloud‐to‐ground discharge that had an intense continuing current. It had an unusual progression and lasted 200 ms. A large increase in the current moment during the development of a massive carrot sprite provides evidence in favor of sprite current. Our results also support the formation of an electric environment hypothesized to be necessary for the generation of the secondary TLEs.