reverse lightning
Học thuậtThân thiện
A scientist observes reverse lightning above a distant thunderstorm at night.
Definition
Noun: - A rare atmospheric electrical phenomenon: "Reverse lightning" refers to a specific type of electrical discharge that originates from the top of a powerful thunderstorm cloud and propagates upward into the upper atmosphere, rather than downward toward the ground like typical lightning.
Usage Notes
- This is a specialized scientific term used in meteorology and atmospheric physics. It is not a common term in everyday conversation.
- The phenomenon is more formally known as a transient luminous event (TLE), with specific types including sprites, jets, and elves. "Reverse lightning" is a descriptive, informal name for these events.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- The term is used to contrast with normal cloud-to-ground or intra-cloud lightning. It emphasizes the direction of the discharge (upward).
- It is often described in the context of studying the electrical balance and energy transfer between thunderstorms and the ionosphere.
Variants and Related Words
- Sprite (n): A type of reverse lightning appearing as a large, faint, red flash high above thunderstorms.
- Blue jet (n): A type of reverse lightning characterized by a narrow, blue cone that propagates upward from cloud tops.
- Transient Luminous Event (TLE) (n): The formal scientific category encompassing sprites, jets, elves, and other upper-atmospheric electrical phenomena.
Synonyms
- Upper-atmospheric lightning
- Transient luminous event (TLE) (formal synonym)
Related Phrases
- Upward lightning: A related but distinct term that can sometimes refer to cloud-to-ground discharges initiated from tall structures upward, which is different from the atmospheric "reverse lightning" that initiates from cloud tops.
A scientist observes reverse lightning above a distant thunderstorm at night.
Noun
- atmospheric discharges (lasting 10 msec) bursting from the tops of giant storm clouds in blue cones that widen as they flash upward