What's causing these weird images?

[julesdownunder]

Hi all,

I'm new to this site, and basically came on here hoping members might be able to explain what causes the really weird image presentation in certain photos I am taking, some of which I have attached (hopefully come thru ok in this post, if not I guess will be in my members area).

I experiment with photographing diffracting light (as it diffracts off air molecules in surroundings) and also capturing lens flare. I shoot into the periphery of light radiating from the sun between 42 and 90 degrees. In the process I capture beautiful rainbow diffraction patterns, amzing colourful orbs and other shapes, and often this wild purple pink flare which comes out of nowhere looking almost like plasma bursts. When I blow the images up, the areas of purple pink flare have this really weird pixel presentation - best viewed in the attached 'closeup'.

I am using a digital Ricoh Caplio RR530. It JPEG format only, so I can't capture RAW to rule out if its a demosaicing issue within the firmware of the camera for light captured under these particular conditions. Perhaps the algorithm (whatever they call it) in the firmwear don't know what to make if this light, and so the surrounding sample just throws this result to 'fill'... but wow what a detailed 'fill'! At first I wondered if I had captured some sort of digital transmission on the airwaves with my camera's sensor plate - maybe a satellite or externally regenerated optical fibre transmission. Would this be possible?

Any ideas as to the physics behind this would be welcome.

Would also really like an opinion if this light may non-visible wavelengths in the realms of either infrared or ultraviolet. With a compact digital I can't add any lenses to experiment with specifically capturing these wavelengths. Has anyone tried shooting diffracting light or experimented with lens flare using UV or IR lenses?