This article summarizes how NASA and international partners study fleeting upper-atmosphere lightning phenomena, known as transient luminous events (TLEs), from the International Space Station to improve weather and climate models.
By combining space-based instruments with CubeSats and advanced cameras, researchers are uncovering how these rapid discharges influence storm dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, and communication systems—and why they matter for aviation safety and infrastructure planning.
Understanding transient luminous events and why they matter
They include entities such as sprites, blue jets, elves, and corona discharges.
Although short-lived, these events can perturb the ionosphere and influence radio signals and space weather, offering a new window into how thunderstorms couple with the upper atmosphere.
By observing TLEs, scientists aim to reduce uncertainties in atmospheric chemistry—especially ozone interactions—and to refine climate-relevant models that feed into weather forecasts and long-range climate projections.
Capturing TLEs requires rapid, multi-wavelength sensing and clever triggers that can seize events that flicker and vanish almost instantly.
The ISS-based platform has become a key vantage point, allowing scientists to observe the upper atmosphere with a global-scale perspective and to compare remote sensing data with ground-based and airborne measurements.
ASIM on the ISS: a dedicated window into ultra-fast luminous events
The Atmosphere Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) was mounted on the ISS in 2018 to monitor the electromagnetic theater above thunderstorms.
By combining
- instruments that detect infrared and ultraviolet light with
- X-ray and gamma-ray sensors and
- smart onboard triggers that maximize data capture during bursts,
ASIM has confirmed that lightning-like discharges near storm tops can trigger elves and can perturb the ionosphere in ways that matter for radio propagation and space weather forecasting.
In addition, ASIM data have helped characterize corona discharges and offered new insights into how lightning initiates, addressing a long-standing question in atmospheric electricity.
Complementary platforms expanding the TLE picture
Beyond ASIM, researchers are deploying and testing additional tools to capture TLEs with higher timing precision and broader coverage.
The combination of high-speed imaging and compact sensors enables a more complete map of lightning and thunderstorm interactions, from microsecond timing to regional weather patterns.
This multi-instrument approach helps bridge gaps between ground sensors, airborne campaigns, and space-based observations.
Thor-Davis and the race for microsecond timing
ESA and DTU Space have tested an event-based high-speed camera, known as Thor-Davis, in the ISS Cupola. This technology records changes in light at up to 100,000 frames per second, delivering microsecond-scale timing while conserving onboard resources.
Such capabilities are crucial for resolving the precise sequence of luminous events. They also help synchronize optical signals with other detectors on the ISS and ground networks.
To broaden the observational baseline, JAXA’s Light-1 CubeSat has detected terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs), high-energy bursts associated with thunderstorms that could pose radiation risks to aircraft and electronics.
The Light-1 mission demonstrates how small, cost-effective satellites can complement larger missions and ground sensors. This contributes to more complete lightning and thunderstorm maps that feed weather and aviation safety decisions.
The enhanced observations of TLEs help reduce uncertainties in how storms affect atmospheric chemistry—especially ozone. They can refine climate-relevant models.
These efforts have practical implications: better storm warnings and optimized airline routing. They also support resilient communications and more robust infrastructure planning in weather-affected regions.
Through a mix of international collaboration, innovative sensors, and agile space platforms, researchers are turning rapid, elusive flashes into actionable intelligence. This work supports a safer and more climate-informed future.
Here is the source article for this story: NASA is monitoring storms from the International Space Station, and what it’s observing about blue jets, sprites, and ELVES could forever change the way we predict extreme weather events