7. Halos: The Celestial Crowns of Thunderstorms
Another type of transient luminous event connected to red light phenomena are halos. Usually between 75 and 80 km, these diffuse, disk-shaped flashes of red light show up in the lower ionosphere. Usually preceding or accompanying sprite formations, halos provide the sense of a celestial crown atop thunderstorms.
Halos have a smooth, uniform glow unlike the more ordered look of sprites. Lasting just a few moments, they can reach distances of 40 to 100 kilometres. Halos’ red hue results from nitrogen molecules excited in the rarefied air of the upper atmosphere.
Though occurring at lower altitudes where the air is heavier, halos are believed to be generated by the same intense electromagnetic pulses that generate ELVES. Although less visually striking than some other red lightning events, halos offer crucial details on the electric fields and energy transfer mechanisms in the top atmosphere during thunderstorms.
8. Chimney Events: Towering Columns of Red Light
Sometimes known as column sprites, chimney events are a special sort of red sprite distinguished by their tall, thin form. The look of a brilliant chimney ascending into space is created by these vertical red light columns extending from the top of thunderclouds up to heights of 90 km.
Unlike the more often occurring carrot-shaped sprites, chimney occurrences keep their width constant all through their length. Usually found in groups, they create an array of brilliant red pillars over thunderstorms that resembles a forest. Though their precise causes are yet unknown, chimney phenomena are thought to be connected to especially strong positive cloud-to- earth lightning strikes.
Because they offer a direct visible depiction of the electrical link between several levels of the atmosphere, chimney events pique especially great interest for researchers. Their long vertical structure lets researchers investigate how electrical energy is dispersed and transported over a broad altitudinal range.
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