The structure of red sprites determined by VLF scattering

Abstract

Red sprites occur high above the stratosphere, just under the ionosphere. Although the first reported observation was over 100 years ago, and the first theory was 40 years ago, only over the last year or so has the subject spread into the popular science magazines, and into the secular media. Most of the studies of the sprite structure have been optical, using the light they emit for a few tens of milliseconds for imaging (low-light video and photography) and spectroscopy. Here, we concentrate on the scattering by sprites of man-made VLF radio waves. This scattering shows that the columnar elements of sprites have a substantial electrical conductivity.