Cloud-to-ground lightning. Typically, lightning discharges 30,000 amperes, at up to 100 million volts, and emits light, radio waves, x-rays and even gamma rays.[1] Plasma temperatures in lightning can approach 28,000 kelvins.
Atmospheric electricity describes the electrical charges in the Earth's atmosphere (or that of another planet). The movement of charge between the Earth's surface, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere is known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit. Atmospheric electricity is an interdisciplinary topic with a long history, involving concepts from electrostatics, atmospheric physics, meteorology and Earth science.[2]
Thunderstorms act as a giant battery in the atmosphere, charging up the electrosphere to about 400,000 volts with respect to the surface.[3] This sets up an electric field throughout the atmosphere, which decreases with increase in altitude. Atmospheric ions created by cosmic rays and natural radioactivity move in the electric field, so a very small current flows through the atmosphere, even away from thunderstorms. Near the surface of the Earth, the magnitude of the field is on average around 100 V/m,[4] oriented such that it drives positive charges down.[5]
Atmospheric electricity involves both thunderstorms, which create lightning bolts to rapidly discharge huge amounts of atmospheric charge stored in storm clouds, and the continual electrification of the air due to ionization from cosmic rays and natural radioactivity, which ensure that the atmosphere is never quite neutral.[6]
^See Flashes in the Sky: Earth's Gamma-Ray Bursts Triggered by Lightning
^Chalmers, J. Alan (1967). Atmospheric Electricity. Pergamon Press.
^Gish, O. H. (1939). "Chapter 4: Atmospheric electricity". In Fleming, J. A. (ed.). Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors. McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. p. 209. doi:10.1002/qj.49706628317.
^Harrison, R. G. (January 1, 2011). "Fair weather atmospheric electricity". Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 301 (1): 012001. Bibcode:2011JPhCS.301a2001H. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/301/1/012001. ISSN 1742-6596.
^""Glossary of Meteorology: atmospheric electric field"". American Meteorological Society. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
^"Soaking in atmospheric electricity". March 17, 2008. Archived from the original on March 17, 2008. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
and 28 Related for: Atmospheric electricity information
Atmosphericelectricity describes the electrical charges in the Earth's atmosphere (or that of another planet). The movement of charge between the Earth's...
Within the atmospheric sciences, atmospheric physics is the application of physics to the study of the atmosphere. Atmospheric physicists attempt to model...
Agricola Bauer in 1896. It was renamed to Terrestrial Magnetism and AtmosphericElectricity in 1899 and in 1948 it acquired its current name. In 1980, three...
in his honour, as is the CTR Wilson Institute for AtmosphericElectricity, the AtmosphericElectricity Special Interest Group of the Royal Meteorological...
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Nordheim, T.A.; Konovalenko, A.; Zakharenko, V.; Zarka, P. (2020). "AtmosphericElectricity at the Ice Giants". Space Science Reviews. 216. doi:10.1007/s11214-020-00647-0...
and surface. The global circuit concept is closely related to atmosphericelectricity, but not all atmospheres necessarily have a global electric circuit...
Nordheim, T.A.; Konovalenko, A.; Zakharenko, V.; Zarka, P. (2020). "AtmosphericElectricity at the Ice Giants". Space Science Reviews. 216. doi:10.1007/s11214-020-00647-0...
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electrical experiments by 1810: those on atmosphericelectricity were outlined in George Singer's text Elements of Electricity and Electro-Chemistry (1814). He...
over it." In this same lecture Loomis maintained that harnessing atmosphericelectricity would someday be used to melt icebergs, result in "malaria cleared...
atmospheric signal or sferic (sometimes also spelled "spheric") is a broadband electromagnetic impulse that occurs as a result of natural atmospheric...
Tommaso Laghi [it]. Galvani was investigating the effects of distant atmosphericelectricity (lightning) on prepared frog legs when he discovered the legs convulsed...
Aplin, K. L.; Harrison, R. G. (September 3, 2013). "Lord Kelvin's atmosphericelectricity measurements". History of Geo- and Space Sciences. 4 (2): 83–95...
ionosphere is ionized by solar radiation. It plays an important role in atmosphericelectricity and forms the inner edge of the magnetosphere. It has practical...
Primer: Questions and Answers about Thunderstorms. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2009-09-01. "Types of Thunderstorms". JetSteam...
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a limited but focused science payload that would have measured atmosphericelectricity on Mars and local meteorological conditions. Launched together...
investigated, among other things, the production of power based on atmosphericelectricity. Plauson was born in Dorpat, Estonia. He was the director of the...
arbitrary division of electromagnetic phenomena. Some examples are: Atmosphericelectricity Biefeld–Brown effect — Thought by the person who coined the name...
Atmospheric dispersion modeling AtmosphericelectricityAtmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility (ARM) (in the U.S.) Atmospheric stratification...
maintains the ionization, the ball is then a soliton in the flow of atmosphericelectricity. Powell's kinetic theory calculation found that the ball size is...
to transient luminous events — sprites, ELVES, jets, and other upper-atmospheric lightning.[citation needed] A new field of interest using Schumann resonances...
telegraph" in July 1872. The patented system claimed to utilize atmosphericelectricity to eliminate the overhead wire used by the existing telegraph systems...
dissipation stage, the thunderstorm is dominated by the downdraft. If atmospheric conditions do not support super cellular development, this stage occurs...
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