9. Blue Leaders: Guiding the Way for Lightning Strikes
Another basic element of lightning development that can cause blue lightning events is blue leaders. Extending from charged areas inside a thundercloud, these ionised channels “search for an opposite charge to complete a lightning strike.” Regarding blue lightning, these leaders may show up as faint blue lines or branches reaching from the cloud.
These leaders have blue hues because of the same process that generates blue streamers: ionisation and consequent recombination of nitrogen molecules in the environment. The path of ionised air created by the leader moves towards a complete lightning strike at last.
Particularly in the beginning of blue jets and massive jets, blue leaders are absolutely vital in the creation of many blue lightning events. Researching these leaders helps scientists understand the parameters required for more spectacular blue lightning storms to occur.