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

2. Gigantic Jets: Bridging Earth and Space

Another amazing group of blue lightning that deviates greatly from ordinary lightning strikes are giant jets. Rising altitudes of 90 kilometres or more, these massive electrical discharges span the top of thunderclouds all the way up to the ionosphere. Basically, two important layers of Earth's atmosphere, the troposphere and the ionosphere, are directly connected by massive jets. According to recent research, giant jets are quite strong and can transport up to 50 times more charge than usual lightning bolts. Our knowledge of the worldwide electrical circuit depends much on this large-scale energy movement. These phenomena have been seen to momentarily disrupt the ionosphere, therefore influencing navigation systems and radio communications. The visual look of huge jets and ordinary lightning is one of their most obvious contrasts. While ordinary lightning shows as brilliant white or yellow bursts, enormous jets have a unique blue hue that progressively turns red at higher altitudes. The many kinds of air gases the electrical discharge reacts with as it rises determine this colour range.