Instances of occurrence of red elves

On May 1, 2001, Su Zonghan, associate professor of the Department of Physics, Taiwan National Cheng Kung University, and Zhang Zhangao, a software engineer, used a high-sensitivity black-and-white CCD camera at the Alishan Meteorological Observatory in Taiwan, near Guangdong, China. More than ten images of red elves were captured. This is also the only image of red elves that has been successfully captured in my country.

Following the red sprites over the Asian continent, the red sprites over the ocean were subsequently observed, and it was found that most of the continental red sprites appeared in groups, while the oceanic red sprites appeared as single ones. The higher probability caused the high-altitude lightning research community to pay attention to the different characteristics of high-altitude lightning over the ocean and the continent for the first time, and shifted the focus of high-altitude lightning research to ocean-type high-altitude lightning.

In addition, in 2002, the Chengdu University team made a discovery that shocked the world. On July 22, there were 6 cases of huge blue jets during observation in Eluanbi, Taiwan, with heights ranging from 16 kilometers. The clouds reach to the top of the cloud 90 kilometers away. Scientists around the world have only recorded six cases of this special natural phenomenon so far. However, there is currently no documentation in this area in China.

The "Imager of Sprite: Upper Atmosphere Lightning" (ISUAL) space program science team of the Department of Physics of National Cheng Kung University was engaged in red work at the Alishan Workstation of the Meteorological Bureau on the evening of April 30 During the sprite observation, a thunderstorm system about 600 kilometers away in the direction of Fujian and Guangdong on the mainland captured more than ten images of red sprites with a high-sensitivity black and white CCD camera. The attached picture is one of the obvious events. The two carrot-shaped lights in the picture are red elves.

This series of images can be said to be the first clear images of red elves taken in Taiwan. These red elves appeared in the sky above thunderclouds about 600 kilometers away. The moment the red elves appeared, even the night sky of Alishan lit up.

This batch of red elf images were taken by Su Hanzong, associate professor of the Department of Physics at National Cheng Kung University, and Zhang Zhangao, a software engineer. Other members of the observation team include Professor Xu Ruirong of the Department of Physics, postdoctoral researcher Dr. Chen Bingzhi, assistant Li Yizhen, and senior students Chen Xiaofang and Chen Qiuwen. The instruments used include Sigma 20mm, f/1.8 wide-angle lens, Watec's WAT-902H low-light CCD and SONY DCR-PC5 DV digital video recorder.

Before this, we had conducted three observations at the Lulinshan Observatory of Central University, but found nothing. It was not until April 28 that Professor Su Hanzong led two students, Chen Xiaofang and Chen Qiuwen, to conduct the observation this time. Several red elves were detected, but because the image quality was not ideal, Professor Su Hanzong and Mr. Zhang Zhangao went to the Alishan Weather Station again for observation on April 30, and finally started observing at 0:00 on May 1 This is a clear series of red elf events. The Red Elf observation project in Taiwan is being carried out one after another. I believe that in the near future we will collect more and better quality Red Elf images and conduct scientific analysis in the hope of gaining a better understanding of the physical mechanism of Red Elf.

The ISUAL space program is the scientific payload of the China-2 satellite. China-2 is a low-orbit sun-synchronous satellite with an orbital altitude of approximately 891 kilometers and an inclination angle of approximately 99 degrees. The main payload mission uses the Remote Sensing Instrument (RSI) to conduct near-real-time atmospheric, oceanic and land telemetry on Taiwan's land and sea areas to obtain information that can be applied in land use, disaster assessment, agriculture and forestry environment, and environmental pollution. Condition monitoring, etc., as well as information on scientific experimental research. The main scientific goals of the ISUAL space program are:

(1) Determine the dynamic history and spectrum changes of high-altitude atmospheric lightning (red sprite) to solve the mystery of the occurrence of high-altitude atmospheric lightning.

(2) Use the ultraviolet band to explore unknown phenomena in high-altitude atmospheric lightning. (3) Confirm the degree of ionization of the atmosphere during high-altitude atmospheric lightning to understand how high-energy γ-ray is generated on the Earth. (4) Establish a data database on the global distribution of high-altitude atmospheric lightning, atmospheric glow and aurora. Additional technical goals are: establishing capabilities in the planning, design, assembly, testing and system integration of space-grade optical measurement instruments and scientific payloads. These include the establishment of a scientific payload development laboratory, a scientific payload testing laboratory, and a scientific data processing and data distribution center. There are more than 20 international organizations and groups studying the phenomenon of red elves in different parts of the world. In addition to the famous NASA and the University of Minnesota, the Sky-Fire Company in Colorado, USA, is also conducting atmospheric physics research and research on red elves. Achieved, Sky-Fire has conducted extensive and detailed research on red sprites and blue jets, and also has dedicated personnel responsible for investigating and collecting information on red sprites and blue jets from around the world.

The foreign cooperation teams mainly include the "UCB Team" led by Professor S. Mende of the University of California, Berkeley; Space Science Laboratory; Tohoku, Japan "TU Team" led by Professor H. Fukunishi of Tohoku University. In Taiwan Province of China, there is also a Red Elf research team composed of the Department of Physics of National Cheng Kung University and other academic groups. It has also made great achievements in the research of high-altitude atmospheric lightning.

The Red Elf research team is under the supervision of Professor Li Luoquan, director of the Space Program Office, and led by Professor Chen Zhilong of the Department of Physics of National Cheng Kung University (responsible for the payload development part), the chief coordinator of the project. Responsible for the development, testing and system integration of scientific libraries, and establishing a data center and scientific exploration team.

The members of the "National Cheng Kung University Team" include Chen Zhilong (responsible for the payload development part), Xu Ruirong (responsible for the scientific exploration part), Su Hanzong (responsible for the data center part), Cai Jinjun (responsible for the payload part) of the Department of Physics of National Cheng Kung University Testing part) and four other professors, as well as Zhang Minghui, assistant professor at Far Eastern Institute of Technology. There is also the "CUHK Team" composed of Professor Ni Jianbai and Professor Ye Yongxuan of National Central University, and the "Precision Instrument Center Team" composed of Dr. Chen Zhixin and Dr. Zhang Shengcong, who are cooperating to implement the entire plan.