Lightning: TLEs: Jets

(Section 3.2.4.1.1)

These include blue jets, blue starters and gigantic jets. Blue jets are narrow, cone-shaped blue-coloured flares emerging from the top of a thundercloud and rising to about 40−50 km. Blue jets last only a fraction of a second, but have been witnessed by aircraft pilots. Blue starters are fainter and shorter than blue jets, reaching altitudes of about 20 km. Gigantic jets have been photographed to about 70 km.