By in Science & Nature —

Gigantic Jets: The Rare Upward Lightning That Touches the Edge of Space

Far above a thunderstorm, a rare electrical phenomenon erupts not towards the ground, but upwards to the edge of space. Known as Gigantic Jets, these massive discharges were once dismissed as pilot folklore but are now confirmed, reminding us how much we have to learn about our own planet.

Beyond the Anvil Cloud

Most of us have a primal, almost instinctual familiarity with thunderstorms. We know the dark clouds, the rumble of thunder, and the brilliant, jagged flashes of lightning that race to meet the earth. It’s a spectacular display of nature's power, directed downwards. But what if the lightning was going the wrong way? What if, from the turbulent top of a storm cloud, a colossal bolt of electricity shot straight up, reaching for the stars? For decades, this was the stuff of pilot tales and fleeting glimpses, often dismissed as optical illusions or retinal after-images. Today, we know them to be real, and they have a fittingly grand name: Gigantic Jets.

An Upward Bolt from the Blue

A Gigantic Jet is a type of Transient Luminous Event (TLE), a category of upper-atmospheric electrical phenomena that includes their more famous cousins, Sprites and Elves. Unlike a typical lightning bolt that might travel a few miles, a Gigantic Jet is an absolute behemoth. It originates from the top of a thundercloud, typically around 10 miles (16 km) high, and blasts upwards to altitudes of 50 to 60 miles (80-96 km). This pushes it deep into the ionosphere, the electrically charged layer of our atmosphere that is often considered the very edge of space. In essence, it’s a direct electrical connection between a terrestrial storm and the upper limits of our world.

While related, they are distinct from other TLEs. Sprites are wispy, reddish, jellyfish-like flashes that occur high above a powerful cloud-to-ground lightning strike. Elves are even higher, rapidly expanding rings of light. A Gigantic Jet, however, is a more focused and sustained discharge, a direct bolt that bridges the gap between the storm and the ionosphere.

From Folklore to Fact

The journey to confirming the existence of Gigantic Jets was a long one. For years, the scientific community was skeptical of the anecdotal reports from pilots. The events were too brief, too high, and too rare to be easily believed. It wasn't until the advent of low-light, high-speed camera technology in the late 1990s and early 2000s that researchers could definitively capture and study these elusive flashes. What was once dismissed as myth was suddenly a new and exciting field of atmospheric science.

One of the most detailed observations occurred over a 2018 thunderstorm in Oklahoma. A citizen-scientist photographed the event, which allowed researchers to analyze it in unprecedented detail. This single event was found to have moved an incredible amount of electrical charge—an estimated 300 coulombs—into the ionosphere, rivaling the charge of the most powerful traditional lightning bolts. Levi Boggs, a research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, commented on the significance of the find:

"We were able to map a very powerful gigantic jet in three dimensions with really high-quality data. We were able to see very high frequency (VHF) sources above the cloud top, which had not been seen before with this level of detail."

Why Do They Matter?

Beyond being a stunning natural spectacle, Gigantic Jets are scientifically important. They reveal a crucial, and previously unobserved, piece of Earth’s global electrical circuit. By moving so much charge from the lower to the upper atmosphere, they can influence the chemistry and electrical properties of the ionosphere. This region is critical for radio communications and is home to the International Space Station and numerous other satellites. Understanding these powerful upward discharges helps us better comprehend the complex systems that govern our planet's atmosphere.

Every new observation serves as a powerful reminder that there are still profound mysteries to uncover right here at home. In the familiar chaos of a thunderstorm lies a connection to the cosmos, a rare and mighty flash that challenges our understanding of the world and reminds us to always, sometimes, look up.

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