15 Types of Blue Lightning vs. Regular Lightning: Latest Scientific Discoveries

12. Halo Events: Rings of Mystery

A kind of blue lightning, halo events show up as scattered, ring-shaped lights in the lower ionosphere. Halos are unlike the clear, distinct pathways of typical lightning; they are rather large, circular areas of lighting spanning several tens of km in diameter. Recent research indicates that strong cloud-to- ground lightning strikes are intimately linked with halo phenomena. These collisions produce a strong electromagnetic pulse that causes the lower ionosphere to briefly but intensely heat, producing the characteristic ring-shaped light. The possible influence of halo events on radio wave propagation is among the most fascinating feature of them. These events have been found to cause localised disturbances in the ionosphere, therefore influencing navigation systems and long-distance radio communications. This result emphasises the need of knowing upper-atmospheric electrical occurrences for both scientific and pragmatic goals.