Аннотация:Spectacular large-scale optical flashes in the stratosphere and mesosphere above large thunderstorm systems were first discovered by Franz et al. [1] serendipitously during a test of a low-light television camera. Interestingly, this phenomenon was predicted by the Nobel prize winner C.T.R. Wilson back in the 1920s [2]. And since then, there has been a lot of evidence from airplane pilots and other eyewitnesses about short-term light flashes of various shapes and colors over storm clouds [3].One of the main reasons why this phenomenon was discovered so late is the difficulty of observing this phenomenon from the earth's surface since the optical flashes in the stratosphere and mesosphere are closed to the observer by thunderclouds. In ground-based measurements, the giant optical flashes above thunderclouds can be seen at a small angle to the horizon at distances of hundreds of kilometers from the flash site. In addition, they have a very short duration and occur much less common than ordinary cloud-to-ground lightning (e.g., [4], and references therein).Chapter Contents:•11.1 Introduction•11.2 Sprites•11.2.1 Basic properties and morphology of sprites•11.2.2 Mechanism of the sprite nucleation•11.2.3 Sprite development•11.2.4 Sprite models•11.2.5 Inner structure and color of sprites•11.2.6 ELF/VLF electromagnetic fields produced by sprites•11.2.7 Effects of sprites on the ionosphere•11.3 Blue jet, blue starter, and gigantic jet•11.3.1 Basic properties and morphology of blue and gigantic jets•11.3.2 Development of gigantic jet•11.3.3 Models of gigantic jet•11.4 Elves•11.5 Other transient atmospheric phenomena possibly related to lightning activity•11.5.1 Gnomes and Pixies•11.5.2 Transient atmospheric events•11.5.3 Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes•References
