Preliminary Analysis: Measuring Atmospheric High-Energy Photons Using an Array of Detectors

The atmosphere has proven to be an interesting laboratory where high energy photons are produced via a variety of physical processes. These photons provide a window to observe atmospheric processes and their production methods are deeply connected to the dynamics of the atmosphere, whether it be clear sky or thunderstorms. We report on a multi-year, continuing measurement of photons using an array of detectors that range from southern Wisconsin to eastern Iowa. We focus on early results and analysis techniques to control for interesting backgrounds and connections to other datasets, like the lightning strike data reported by the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN). We also describe the continuing analysis and the next generation of detectors we plan to deploy.