Ray-tracing simulations and estimates of whistler wave damping show that magnetospherically reflected whistlers can persist for ~102 s in a low frequency band ( f~1 kHz). The combined contribution from whistler rays produced by a single lightning flash but entering the magnetosphere at different points form a continuous hiss-like signal, as observed at a fixed point. Estimates indicate that the total whistler wave energy input into the magnetosphere from lightning discharges may maintain experimentally observed levels of magnetospheric hiss. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1992