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

9. Red Ghosts: The Afterimage of Sprites

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Following sprite discharges, a subtle and enigmatic phenomena known as red ghosts arises. After the primary sprite event ends, these weak, diffuse red glows linger in the top atmosphere for several seconds to produce an ethereal afterimage in the night sky. Originally observed by pilots flying high-altitude aeroplanes, red ghosts have subsequently been verified by sensitive camera views. They are thought to be resulting from the delayed relaxation of agitated nitrogen molecules in the upper atmosphere following the strong electrical activity of a sprite discharge. Red ghosts offer important information about the long-term consequences of upper atmospheric electrical discharges, even if they are not as strikingly aesthetically as the first sprite incident. Their tenacity points to a more important and long-lasting influence of sprite activity on the chemistry and physics of the upper atmosphere than until assumed.