Occasionally,lightningshoots out from the top of a thunderstorm and connects to the bottom edge of space, forming a huge jet.
In 2018, storms caused by dense clouds sent lightning up 80 km, far enough to graze the ionosphere.
Scientists began investigating this anomalous retrograde electrical burst, classifying it as a "giant jet."
According to a study published last week, these "negative giant jets" originate between the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere, and the ionosphere, where the Earth's atmosphere resides. Transfers an abnormal amount of electrical charge. meet the universe
Upward discharges from thunderstorms can take many forms and are classified primarily by altitude.
They are short pulses of highly confined light near cloud tops called 'pixies' or blue diffuse cones reaching altitudes of about 40 km called 'blue jets'. it could be the light.
``Giant jets'' are the largest and can skim the edges of space and take the form of large tree-like structures.
These phenomena are part of a larger family of upper atmospheric discharges known as transient luminance events (TLEs).
"Of all the TLEs, giant jets are extremely rare and perhaps the most spectacular because they directly connect the lower and upper atmospheres," the researchers said. rice field.
This phenomenon has not been extensively studied, as many sightings are incidental. The 2018 sighting was a fortunate occurrence near a relevant scientific instrument in the state.
Citizen scientists in the area even took pictures with low-light cameras. So with all these clues, the scientific crew was able to collect as much data as possible about the jet.
"We were able to map this giant jet in his three dimensions using very high quality data," said a research scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology Research Institute. said Levi Boggs, author of the paper in .
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