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"Gigantic Jets" Blast Electricity Into the Ionosphere
New Scientist has an update on the so-called "gigantic jets" first discovered in 2003 — these are lightning bolts that reach from cloud tops upward into the ionosphere, as high as 90 kilometers. (There's a video at the link.) What's new is that researchers from Duke University have managed to measure the electrical discharge from a gigantic jet and confirm that they carry as much energy skyward as ordinary lightning strikes carry to the ground. According to the article, "Gigantic jets are one of a host of new atmospheric phenomena discovered in recent years. Other examples are sprites and blue jets."
Stupid slashdot removing my line breaks. :(
What's your point? That science is a process of constant discovery? That science requires proper evidence for something to be accepted?
What element of solar winds isn't accurately modelled by current theory? The solar wind is a lot more complex a charge flow than charge flow in a wire - you get magnetohydrodynamic effects, the particle flows are also partially ballistic, all sorts. EU is an over simplistic model in itself and current models can accurately explain all the observations, while EU cannot.
Oh wait, my bad! Not the Giants vs. the Jets blasting ratings into the Ionosphere... I thought that the ionosphere remark would be a bit too intellectual for the football fans. They've just become familiar with what stratosphere is or means, metaphorically, wouldn't want to confuse them... Carry on.
Not news. Tesla built a wireless electrical transformer a hundred years ago. http://www.teslascience.org/