What Is Sprite Lightning?
QUICK ANSWER
Sprite lightning is a brief, large-scale electrical discharge that occurs high above active thunderstorms, in the mesosphere at altitudes of 50-90 km (30-55 miles). Sprites appear as red flashes lasting only milliseconds, often shaped like jellyfish or carrots. First photographed in 1989, they remain difficult to observe due to brevity.
Sprite lightning is one of the most exotic atmospheric phenomena, occurring high above the visible weather we normally see. Lasting only milliseconds and glowing red in the upper atmosphere, sprites were only confirmed scientifically in 1989 despite occasional reports for decades before. They remain difficult to study and continue to reveal new aspects of atmospheric electricity and the connection between weather and the upper atmosphere.
What are sprites?
Sprites are brief, large-scale electrical discharges that occur high above active thunderstorms. Unlike regular lightning bolts that connect cloud to cloud or cloud to ground, sprites occur in the upper atmosphere at altitudes of 50-90 km (about 30-55 miles). They appear as flashes of reddish or pinkish light, often shaped like jellyfish with tendrils hanging down, carrots, or columns. Each sprite lasts only milliseconds and can span tens of kilometers vertically. They're classified as transient luminous events (TLEs).
Where do sprites occur?
Sprites occur in the mesosphere, far above the cumulonimbus thunderclouds that produce regular lightning. The strongest sprites tend to form above large, intense thunderstorm systems like mesoscale convective complexes. They appear directly above active lightning regions, typically following a strong positive cloud-to-ground lightning strike. Sprites occur worldwide above thunderstorm activity, though most documented observations are from the United States, Japan, and South America. The high altitude means they're rarely visible from the ground except in remote, clear locations.
How are sprites different from regular lightning?
Sprites differ from regular lightning in several ways. They occur at much higher altitudes (50-90 km vs 0-15 km for normal lightning). They glow red because they excite nitrogen molecules at low atmospheric density, while normal lightning's white-blue color comes from heating denser air. Sprites don't follow the channeled bolt structure of regular lightning; they're more diffuse glowing volumes. They're triggered by, but separate from, the lightning below them. The physics involves different processes than the plasma channel formation of regular lightning bolts.
When were sprites first discovered?
Sprites were first photographed scientifically in July 1989, by accident, when researchers at the University of Minnesota were testing a low-light camera. Pilots had reported flashes above thunderstorms for decades, but the reports were often dismissed as illusions or mistakes. After the 1989 confirmation, sprites became an active area of research. Special cameras and observations from aircraft and the International Space Station have documented many examples. Related phenomena like blue jets, elves, and other transient luminous events were discovered in subsequent research.
What are sprites?
Sprites are brief, large-scale electrical discharges that occur high above active thunderstorms. Unlike regular lightning bolts that connect cloud to cloud or cloud to ground, sprites occur in the upper atmosphere at altitudes of 50-90 km (about 30-55 miles). They appear as flashes of reddish or pinkish light, often shaped like jellyfish with tendrils hanging down, carrots, or columns. Each sprite lasts only milliseconds and can span tens of kilometers vertically. They're classified as transient luminous events (TLEs).
Where do sprites occur?
Sprites occur in the mesosphere, far above the cumulonimbus thunderclouds that produce regular lightning. The strongest sprites tend to form above large, intense thunderstorm systems like mesoscale convective complexes. They appear directly above active lightning regions, typically following a strong positive cloud-to-ground lightning strike. Sprites occur worldwide above thunderstorm activity, though most documented observations are from the United States, Japan, and South America. The high altitude means they're rarely visible from the ground except in remote, clear locations.
How are sprites different from regular lightning?
Sprites differ from regular lightning in several ways. They occur at much higher altitudes (50-90 km vs 0-15 km for normal lightning). They glow red because they excite nitrogen molecules at low atmospheric density, while normal lightning's white-blue color comes from heating denser air. Sprites don't follow the channeled bolt structure of regular lightning; they're more diffuse glowing volumes. They're triggered by, but separate from, the lightning below them. The physics involves different processes than the plasma channel formation of regular lightning bolts.
When were sprites first discovered?
Sprites were first photographed scientifically in July 1989, by accident, when researchers at the University of Minnesota were testing a low-light camera. Pilots had reported flashes above thunderstorms for decades, but the reports were often dismissed as illusions or mistakes. After the 1989 confirmation, sprites became an active area of research. Special cameras and observations from aircraft and the International Space Station have documented many examples. Related phenomena like blue jets, elves, and other transient luminous events were discovered in subsequent research.
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