中高层瞬态发光事件（TLEs）是发生在电离层底部的一种发光现象，对全球电路平衡和高层大气光化学效应等方面具有重要的科学价值。根据现有观测结果，TLEs的始发机制很难仅仅依靠对流层闪电多样性来解释，但已有研究结果都过度地强调了对流层闪电的重要性，而忽视了电离层底部扰动（电子和中性空气密度变化）的影响。因此，本项目拟开展雷暴诱发的电离层扰动及其对TLEs的调制效应研究。首先，充分利用子午工程已建立的全天空气辉成像仪，自主建立对流层和中高层大气光/电综合观测网，并结合卫星和其他资料，实现对对流层闪电、TLEs和大气重力波的协同观测。然后，利用3D FDTD算法或全波法反演不同类型雷暴上方电离层电子密度时空分布，并利用地基/星载同步观测资料和再分析背景场资料，反演不同类型雷暴重力波对中性大气密度扰动。最后，利用TLEs三维电动力耦合/光辐射模式，研究雷暴诱发电离层扰动对TLEs的调制效应。

TLEs (Transient Luminous Events) such as sprites and elves are large-scale optical phenomena occurring in the altitudes below D-layer ionosphere, and from the observed data, it is very difficult to explain the complexity of TLEs such as its spatial structures and streamer onset locations. However, the important role of the lightning-drived LEMP on the TLEs initial process has been excessively stressed, ignoring the important effect of plasma irregularities and neutral density fluctuations at lower ionospheric altitudes due to thunderstorm gravity waves and lightning discharge. Therefore, we will study the ionospheric perturbation induced by thunderstorms activity and its modulation on the TLEs.Firstly, cooperating with the all-sky airglow imager network during the Meridian Space Weather Monitoring, and with other satellite and in-site data, we will develop an array of optical/electric sensors and make observations on the simultaneously occurrences of TLEs and gravity waves spatially and temporally. Secondly, it is planned to probe the electron density of lower ionosphere by using the VLF/LF lightning sensors data, and the neutral density fluctuations due to the thunderstorm gravity waves by using the satellite and ground-based observation data. Finally, a 3-D finite different time domain model is used to simulate the lightning electromagnetic pulse and its interaction with lower ionosphere, andstudy the physical mechanisms of TLEs modulated by the ionospheric perturbation in associated with intense lightning and thunderstorm gravity waves.