The ISS managed to capture the appearance of the rarest blue jets and "elves" during a thunderstorm

What do you immediately remember when you mention a thunderstorm? Of course, a discharge of lightning (less often ball lightning). However, at high altitudes directly above thunderclouds, one can observe other kinds of discharges, the nature of which has not been fully understood.

In this material, I just want to tell you about such a rare phenomenon as the manifestation of the rarest blue jets and the so-called "elves", which were recorded thanks to special equipment attached to the ISS. Interesting? Let's start then.

How did you manage to record such a rare phenomenon?

Such a rare phenomenon was recorded using the Monitor of interactions between atmosphere and space (Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor), which was created by special order of the European agencies.

This equipment was installed back in 2018 on an external sling. The first rare phenomenon with the help of this complex was recorded back in February 2019.

The analysis of the data recorded at that time took almost a year. And the results of the work done became available only this year, when an article was published in the journal Nature on January 20.

Amazing flashes and what is known about them

So in the published work, scientists described five flashes in the blue range of visible light, which lasted only 10 μs each. The flares were recorded over the Pacific Ocean and one of the series of flares gave rise to the so-called jet, which was able to reach the stratopause (50-55 km).

What is surprising is that five outbreaks at once were accompanied by the appearance of "elves" in the ionosphere (50-100 km). At the same time, radio signals were recorded in the frequency range from 3 to 300 megahertz.

The data collected by the complex allowed scientists to draw some conclusions about the nature of lightning. So, in particular, it was confirmed that the formation of blue jets is responsible for approximately the same processes that generate classical lightning.

Some patterns in the formation of lightning were also identified. But until now, various electrical phenomena in the upper layers of the planet's atmosphere have been very poorly studied.

The aerospace menagerie that is so little studied

In fact, scientists do not know much about what is happening in our atmosphere. And the thing is that electrical phenomena are transient and difficult to observe. But in the entire history of observations, scientists have managed to record some phenomena and even assign names to them:

• Blue starts (blue starters) - these discharges are formed closest to the ground at altitudes of about 20 km. It is generally accepted that these are some kind of "immature" blue jets (Blue jets)
• Slightly higher are the red Sprites, which, due to their red glow, are more distinguishable than all other species. They appear at altitudes from 50 to 90 km and can grow to incredible sizes up to 50 km across.
• The most mysterious and extremely poorly studied "elves" (abbreviation ELVES - sources of light radiation and low-frequency disturbances as a result of an electromagnetic pulse). This phenomenon can reach 400 km in diameter, while being formed at heights of about 100 km
• In addition, there are so-called "trolls" (TROLL), "fairies" (Pixie), "ghosts" (Ghost), as well as "gnomes" (Gnome). Even less is known about these phenomena.

If you liked the material, then put your finger up and subscribe to the channel. Thank you for your attention!