The frequency of terrestrial gamma-ray flash electron beam observations

Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) are brief bursts of gamma-rays detected by satellites. Electrons associated with TGFs are also sometimes observed, though much less frequently as electrons are confined into narrow beams by the geomagnetic field. We present simulations of electron beam production and propagation and estimate the likelihood of satellite detection of electron beams. A Monte Carlo average comparing satellite detection frequencies indicates that electron beams overall account for ~ 1% of TGF observations though the average likelihood of detection varies strongly with source latitude.