On Mon, 24 May 2004 09:14:50 +0100, "Waghorn"
wrote:

Uncovering a previously unknown phenomenon this film explores megalightning, a
form of lightning which strikes from the clouds up into space. Thousands of
times bigger and more powerful than ground lightning it has brought down
airplanes and is being investigated as a possible contributory cause of the
Columbia space shuttle disaster.

LOL
AFAIK the 'Sprite' phenomenon has not been implicated in aircraft accidents and has been completely
ruled out of the Columbia accident (tho an Israeli astronaut investigating sprites was on board).
First reports of upward lightning events above thunderstorms date from at least the late 19/early 20
cent


Purely a hunch but with my meteorological and electrical engineering background
I don't find it surprising that electrical current will flow in the atmosphere
on a larger scale than the average thunderstorm. Wherever there is a potential
difference (or any "difference") nature will try and eliminate the difference -
2LOT at work, I guess.

Martin

See-
http://www.fma-research.com/Papers&p...ions/100YR.htm
http://www.fma-research.com/