Sprites form at plasma irregularities in the lower ionosphere

Science Focus

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Atmospheric sprites have been known for nearly a century, but their origins were a mystery. Now, a team of researchers has evidence that sprites form at plasma irregularities and may be useful in remote sensing of the lower ionosphere. “We are trying to understand the origins of this phenomenon,” said Victor Pasko, professor of electrical engineering, Penn State. “We would like to know how sprites are initiated and how they develop.” Sprites are an optical phenomenon that occur above thunderstorms in the D region of the ionosphere, the area of the atmosphere just above the dense lower atmosphere, about 37 to 56 miles above the Earth. The ionosphere is important because it facilitates the long distance radio communication and any disturbances in the ionosphere can affect radio transmission. “In high-speed videos we can see the dynamics of sprite formation and then use that information to model and to reproduce the dynamics,” said Jianqi Qin, postdoctoral fellow in electrical engineering, Penn State, who developed a model to study sprites. Sprites occur above thunderstorms, but thunderstorms, while necessary for the appearance of a sprite, are not sufficient to initiate sprites. All thunderstorms and lightning strikes do not produce sprites. Recent modeling studies show that plasma irregularities in the

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