Besides lightning , electric storm can acquire unusual lights , whose unexplained nature led meteorologist to give them names such asSpritesandElves . Satellites have revealed even higher - powered upshot at wavelengths far too short for the human eye to see , but it has been debated if the two are connect . For the first time , these volley of energy have been study with detectors covering a broad expanse of the electromagnetic spectrum to respond that question .
Astronomers use great cause to uncover the sources ofgamma - ray burstshalfway across the universe , but we have some much closer to home . Known asterrestrial gamma - ray flashes(TGFs ) , these bursts of exceptionally powerful ( that is forgetful - wavelength ) photon last less than a few milliseconds and have been detected by satellites passing over electric storm .
Atmospheric scientists have agreed for some time that TGFs result from negatron being accelerated in electrical storm ' electrical fields ; fields so brawny the charges travel close enough to ignite speed for the foreign aftermath of special relativity to take hold . Whether the electrons are release by the heat at the tip of a lightning deadbolt or produce by cosmic re hitting the air has remained controversial .
TGFs are hard to predict , and therefore to study , but on October 10 , 2018 one was seen above East Sulawesi , Indonesia , and scientist were ready . The International Space Station was forthwith overhead carry decade - ray and gamma - ray demodulator trained downwards , along with three ultraviolet and optical light meter . No TGF has ever been observe across such a spectrum .
Along with the TGF , all this equipment captured the fast - build UV radiation sickness and flourish ring of red known as an Elve .
A paper inScienceanalyzing the observations attributes the ruby freshness to discharge from atomic oxygen , cause by the current in alightning leaderchannel , where ionized gas precedes the actual lightning stroke . The lightning hit itself grow visible radiation at a wavelength just too short for human vision , but easily visible to many creature . Although gremlin are fairly common , studying something so short - lived that can only be see from space or high in the atmosphere has been a challenge .
The paper attributes both sets of observations to the loss leader of a lightning bolt jump within the cloud , rather than come to ground . The paper argues only a specially swift and tight - changing , but very powerful , lightning source current could produce the specific manikin of radiation syndrome observe here .
Although this work establish that some TGFs and Elves are connected through a vernacular lineage , many more notice will be required to show if this is always the case , or if the phenomena sometimes occur independently .
