Red Lightning: 15 Mysterious Phenomena - How Many Have You Seen?

15. Gigantic Ground-to-Cloud Discharges: Earth's Red Lightning Cannons

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Rare situations where a strong electrical discharge results from tall buildings on the ground and travels upward into the thundercloud are gigantic ground-to--cloud discharges, commonly known as upward lightning or ground-to--cloud lightning. Although not usually red in colour, as these events interact with the upper atmosphere they can occasionally generate amazing red glows and streamers. Usually from tall man-made structures like communication towers, wind turbines, or skyscrapers, these large discharges can also arise naturally from mountain tops. Ground-based and upper atmospheric electrical events can be directly visual linked by the upward-moving leader of the discharge triggering sprite activity in the upper atmosphere. From the base to the ionosphere, giant ground-to---cloud discharges present a special chance to investigate the whole vertical profile of atmospheric electrical activity. Their frequency offers important new perspectives on the mechanisms behind upper atmospheric transient light occurrences and the part ground-based structures play in modulating atmospheric electricity.