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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."

6 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I used to use linux, but my dad just got me a mac for college this fall. I found a weird system directory I am not familiar with called /gpn. Anyone know what it is for?

    1. Re:Question by trapnest · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      I don't know if that was a serious question, but it doesn't exist on my system. januszeal@173-137-98-124:~$ cd /gpn -bash: cd: /gpn: No such file or directory januszeal@173-137-98-124:~$ uname -a Darwin 173-137-98-124.pools.spcsdns.net 9.8.0 Darwin Kernel Version 9.8.0: Wed Jul 15 16:55:01 PDT 2009; root:xnu-1228.15.4~1/RELEASE_I386 i386 januszeal@173-137-98-124:~$

    2. Re:Question by trapnest · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Stupid slashdot removing my line breaks. :(

  2. Re:Sprites by caramelcarrot · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    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.

  3. Who's Ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!? by Anonymous+Cowar · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    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.

  4. Not news. Tesla did this a hundred years ago. by koelpien · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Not news. Tesla built a wireless electrical transformer a hundred years ago. http://www.teslascience.org/