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

4. Elves: Expanding Rings of Light

Short for Emission of Light and Very Low Frequency Perturbations owing to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources, elves offer still another fascinating variation of blue lightning. Usually occurring at heights of roughly 100 kilometres, these events show up as fast expanding rings of light in the ionosphere. Unlike ordinary lightning, which shows up as discrete bolts or flashes, elves show up as diffuse, round halos with a 400-kilometer circumference. Recent research indicates that a strong lightning strike creates an electromagnetic pulse that drives elves. Rising upward, this pulse excites nitrogen molecules in the lower ionosphere and produces light emission. The outcome is a brief, but strong, ring of illumination spreading almost at the speed of light. Elves and normal lightning vary most in their possible influence on space weather. Scientists have shown that elves can cause localised ionosphere disturbances, therefore influencing GPS signals and radio communications. This result emphasises the need of researching these top-atmospheric events for both scientific knowledge and pragmatic uses.