The Pierre Auger Observatory: Studying atmospheric electricity with cosmicray detectors

The Pierre Auger Observatory, designed to detect extensive air showers (EAS) generated by ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, proved be a unique instrument study phenomena associated with atmospheric electricity: Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) and ELVES. TGFs are the most explosive events emitted thunderstorms have usually been observed spacecraft, but surface detector has collected morphology very different from that of EAS, likely downward TGFs. Ground observations crucial addition detection in space, as detectors closer TGF sources, single event can several complementary instruments. In this talk, I will discuss comparison already data simulations well ongoing work adapt data-taking system also status ELVES, upper optical thunderstorms, which we detected since 2013 fluorescence detectors. We recorded unprecedented time space resolution both double latter being classified using radial variation gap photon flux ratio between flashes. classification algorithms were improved detecting ELVES lightning thanks three High Elevation Telescopes, observe night sky an enhanced at elevation angles 30 60 degrees.