Numerical simulation of sprites halo.

In the framework of C. Wilson's hypothesis substantiating a possibility of electric discharge development in the Earth's atmosphere at high altitudes above thunderclouds, numerical simulations were executed of the discharge exciting the sprite halo with realistic variations of thundercloud dipole moment transferred to the ground by positive lightning discharge. For various values of time and altitude, at which the avalanche-to-streamer transition occurs, optical radiation was calculated in the 1 P, 2 P, and 1 N bands of the nitrogen molecule and Meinel's band of the N ion. The calculated brightness and space-time evolution of the luminescence are consistent with the data of the field observations of the halo luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]