NASA Captures Stunning Giant Jets Above Himalayas

NASA recently showcased a captivating image capturing gigantic jets soaring from a thunderstorm towards the Himalayas in China and Bhutan. Featured on NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, the composite image reveals four long jets occurring within minutes of each other.

Gigantic jets are a rare type of lightning discharge that occur between certain thunderstorms and the Earth’s ionosphere, high above the storm clouds. These phenomena have been documented only in recent years and are distinct from regular cloud-to-cloud or cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

According to NASA, gigantic jets differ significantly from other atmospheric electrical discharges like blue jets and sprites. They originate as intracloud flashes between the middle negative and upper positive charge regions within thunderclouds. Unlike blue jets, which start between the upper positive charge region and a negative screening layer closer to the Earth’s surface, gigantic jets extend much higher, reaching heights of about 90 km (55 miles) above the Earth.

The process begins with a negatively charged leader moving upward from the thundercloud towards the ionosphere. The bottom part of gigantic jets resembles blue jets, while the upper part resembles red sprites, another form of high-altitude lightning.

NASA explains that understanding gigantic jets is crucial for studying atmospheric electricity and its impact on the Earth’s ionosphere and space weather. These jets play a role in balancing electrical charge across different atmospheric layers.

Observing gigantic jets requires clear visibility of intense thunderstorms from suitable vantage points. NASA’s image, captured during such a moment, provides a rare glimpse into these high-altitude lightning phenomena over the majestic Himalayan peaks.

The occurrence of four gigantic jets captured in one composite image underscores their rarity and the significance of the moment captured by NASA’s observation tools. Such images contribute to ongoing research efforts to understand the dynamics of atmospheric electricity and its implications for climate and weather patterns.

In conclusion, NASA’s recent image of gigantic jets over the Himalayas highlights the awe-inspiring natural phenomena occurring high above thunderstorms. These jets, still a subject of scientific inquiry, add to our understanding of Earth’s atmospheric processes and underscore the beauty and complexity of nature’s electrical displays.

Re-reported from the article originally published in LIVEMINT.