Abstract We present the two‐dimensional (2‐D) speed profile of six stepped leaders with terrestrial gamma‐ray flashes (TGFs) (observed in 2021 (Abbasi et al., 2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024jd041260 ) and 2022 (Kieu et al., 2024, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024jd041720 )) and 94 stepped leaders without TGFs (detected in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024). These stepped leaders were observed in the southwestern desert of Utah, USA. We used data from the telescope array surface detectors (TASD) to identify the TGFs associated with the stepped leaders. Also, we used high‐speed camera videos (set at 40,000 fps acquisition rate) to calculate the speed profile of leaders. The results show that lightning flashes with TGFs are five times faster than those without TGFs, and also show that there is a relationship between 2‐D speed and height exhibiting a boundary between TGF‐related leaders and unrelated ones. This boundary could serve as a factor in determining whether a leader may produce TGFs.
Cruz et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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