ESA Captures Rare Red Lightning Bolt from Space
The European Space Agency (ESA) has recently unveiled a remarkable moment captured from space, showcasing a rare red lightning bolt occurring nearly 100 kilometers above Earth’s surface. This extraordinary phenomenon belongs to a category of atmospheric events known as Transient Light Events (ELT), which are actively studied on the International Space Station (ISS) to understand their impact on greenhouse gases.
The red lightning bolt, often referred to as a «goblin,» was captured by astronaut Andreas Mogensen as part of the Huginn mission and the Thor-Davis experiment. Within the ISS, a highly sensitive camera is installed in one of its modules, specifically designed to capture these electrical manifestations that occur above storm clouds.
ELTs are elusive phenomena that were only discovered in the 1990s with the development of advanced, ultra-sensitive cameras. Due to their mysterious nature, different types of ELTs have been given names inspired by mythological beings, such as goblins, elves, blue squirts, gnomes, trolls, and pixies. The lightning bolt captured by Mogensen belongs to the goblin category, which is the most commonly observed.
The Last Gigantic Red Goblin
According to the ESA report, the red goblin stretched an impressive 26 kilometers in length. Thanks to the Davis camera’s exceptional capability to capture information at a speed equivalent to 100,000 photographs per second, researchers obtained a video showcasing its spontaneous formation in space. This ELT occurred in the mesosphere and consisted of a central nucleus followed by several tentacles that spread throughout the area.
Leprechauns, although their nature remains somewhat unclear, are associated with storms and are believed to originate from an upward discharge. Occasionally, a powerful electric field forms in the upper clouds, resulting in a high concentration of positively charged ions. These phenomena do not behave like traditional storm lightning. The physical process that illuminates the region is similar to the mechanism behind the northern lights. The alteration of nitrogen in the mesosphere is responsible for the mesmerizing red glow.
The Huginn Mission: Unveiling the Secrets of ELTs
The Huginn mission derives its name from one of the ravens that accompany Odin, a Norse deity associated with electricity. This unique endeavor takes advantage of the International Space Station’s privileged position to study ELTs. The experiments investigating electrical activity in Earth’s upper atmosphere are led by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
«The interaction between these phenomena and the upper atmosphere is not yet fully understood. Thanks to Thor, we now know that there is more to ELTs than we initially expected. With the Thor-Davis experiment, we have the opportunity to analyze and quantify their impact and determine the extent to which they are associated with the overshoot of storm cloud tops, injecting greenhouse gases and aerosols into the stratosphere. In a changing climate, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of these phenomena,» explains Oliver Chanrion, the principal investigator at DTU, for ESA.
This marks Andreas Mogensen’s second visit to the International Space Station. During his previous stay, the astronaut managed to capture a blue jet, another type of ELT. Mogensen regularly shares his experiences and discoveries from orbit through his official social media channels.