DISCHARGES IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE AS A COMPONENT OF THE TERRESTRIAL ELECTROMAGNETISM PROCESS
Keywords:
Upper atmospheric discharges, red sprites, elves, blue jets, ionosphere, Earth's magnetic field, Lorentz force, global electric circuitAbstract
This article examines the physical nature of high-altitude electrical discharges (sprites, elves, and jets) as integral components of Earth's global electrical circuit. The authors hypothesize that these phenomena ensure the transfer of positive charge from the tops of thunderclouds to the ionosphere, while conventional linear lightning transfers negative charge to the planet's surface. Particular attention is paid to the mechanism of "elves" formation, which is explained by intense ion recombination at the interface between charged regions in the lower ionosphere.
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