This Gigantic jet is the second recorded in brazilian State of Paraíba. The phenomenon was recorded using a BRAMON experimental camera in João Pessoa, which monitors the skies 24 hours a day in Full HD . Check out the video:

It formed from a storm cloud that was close to Caicó, in Rio Grande do Norte State, about 250 km from where it was recorded, in João Pessoa.

The gigantic jet is the rarest of Transient Luminous Events (TLEs), which are very short phenomena that occur above storms clouds. TLEs are associated with common lightning strikes, also known as lightning, within storms. The most common TLEs are sprites, which have also been recorded in Paraíba a few times. There are also other TLEs, such as elves, halos, trolls, blue starters and blue jets.

Transient Luminous Events – Credits: Frankie Lucena

The gigantic jets are considered to be a variation of blue jets that have developed more intensely, and have evolved. The most accepted theory is that the giant jets form between two oppositely charged regions in a storm cloud, and then fire into the ionosphere, reaching up to 90 km of altitude, and forming, in its highest part, reddish branches.

The giant jets are so rare that it was only in 2017 that the first video record was made in Brazil, which took place in Paraíba, in Taperoá, and recorded in Campina Grande.

More about TLEs, Sprites and Gigantic Jets, veja: Sprites Vermelhos – Os Misteriosos Espíritos do Ar Flagrados em Câmeras ao Redor do Mundo (in portuguese)

Text by: Diego Rhamon – BRAMON member, Graduated in Meteorology at Universidade Federal de Campina Grande e Mastering at Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais in Cachoeira Paulista, SP.