Atmospheric electric parameters show significant variations in a period of hours before the formation of fog becomes visible. The same is true for the dissipation of fog. Apparently the recording of the electric parameters yields a sensitive measure for condensation and evaporation processes in nature. In addition, the electric variations indicate the existence of processes in the transition time between clear weather and fog that are not yet understood. Thus an investigation of this atmospheric electric fog effect promises to increase our knowledge of the formation and dissipation of natural fogs. Of course, it also indicates a method for short‐range forecasting of these events. This review describes the discovery of the effect and the present experimental knowledge. Some attempted explanations are discussed, and are found to be insufficient. The fundamental possibilities for the explanation are treated in some detail, and material for further investigations is provided.
Measurements of the electric field, the vertical current density, space charge and conductivity have been carried out at five ground stations and three series of free-air measurements during the 7 March 1970 solar eclipse in and near the totality zone. The problem whether the observed variations in electric parameters are caused by near-ground processes (related to eddy diffusion) or by highaltitude processes is not yet solved. It was possible, however, to offer a speculative explanation with the first assumption for the majority of the observations. The most important conclusion is the ecquisition of a better understanding of the requirements for measurements made for investigating solar eclipse effects. Also, it seems that simple models are not sufficient to explain the sequence of variations seen in the data.
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