An earthquake is an element of the global electric circuit (GEC) -this new idea suggested in the space age is tested in our study. In the frame of the GEC concept, one may expect that tectonic structures of the northern and southern hemi spheres may be magnetically conjugated. It is found that the midocean ridges of the southern hemisphere, located along the boundary of the Antarctic lithosphere plate, are magnetically conjugated with the areas of the junction of continental orogens and platforms in the northern hemisphere. The closest geomagnetic conjugacy exists between the southern boundary of Nazca lithospheric plate and the northern boundaries of Cocos and Caribbean lithospheric plates. Аннотация: Проведено тестирование новой идеи, рожденной в эру космических исследований, что землетрясение является элементом глобальной электрической цепи, в рамках которой можно ожидать, что тектонические структу ры в северном и южном полушариях Земли могут быть магнитосопряженными. Выявлено, что срединноокеани ческие хребты южного полушария, расположенные вдоль границы Антарктической литосферной плиты, магнитно сопряжены с зонами сочленения орогенных и платформенных структур в северном полушарии. Наиболее выражен ная геомагнитная сопряженность наблюдается между южной границей литосферной плиты Нацка и северной грани цей литосферных плит Кокос и Карибская.Ключевые слова: тектонические структуры, геомагнитная сопряженность.

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The subject of wave-particle interactions occurring in space plasmas has developed strongly, both observationally and theoretically, since the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts of energetic charged particles trapped in the Earth's magnetosphere over forty years ago. These wave-particle interactions are recognized today as being a most important research topic in space plasma physics. This book provides a full and systematic description of the physical theory of whistler and Alfvén cyclotron masers acting in planetary magnetospheres, and in the Sun's outer atmosphere. The book introduces research topics by examining significant problems in the subject. It gives sufficient detail on the topic that readers can go on to apply the methods presented to new problems, helping them with their own research. This book is a valuable reference for researchers and graduate students working in space science, solar-terrestrial physics, plasma physics, and planetary sciences.

The paper reviews recent advances in studies of electric discharges in the stratosphere and mesosphere above thunderstorms, and their effects on the atmosphere. The primary focus is on the sprite discharge occurring in the mesosphere, which is the most commonly observed high altitude discharge by imaging cameras from the ground, but effects on the upper atmosphere by electromagnetic radiation from lightning are also considered. During the past few years, co-ordinated observations over Southern Europe have been made of a wide range of parameters related to sprites and their causative thunderstorms. Observations have been complemented by the modelling of processes ranging from the electric discharge to perturbations of trace gas concentrations in the upper atmosphere. Observations point to significant energy deposition by sprites in the neutral atmosphere as observed by infrasound waves detected at up to 1000 km distance, whereas elves and lightning have been shown significantly to affect ionization and heating of the lower ionosphere/mesosphere. Studies of the thunderstorm systems powering high altitude discharges show the important role of intracloud (IC) lightning in sprite generation as seen by the first simultaneous observations of IC activity, sprite activity and broadband, electromagnetic radiation in the VLF range. Simulations of sprite ignition suggest that, under certain conditions, energetic electrons in the runaway regime are generated in streamer discharges. Such electrons may be the source of X-and Gamma-rays observed in lightning, thunderstorms and the so-called Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) observed from space over thunderstorm regions. Model estimates of sprite perturbations to the global atmospheric electric circuit, trace gas concentrations and atmospheric dynamics suggest significant local perturbations, and possibly significant meso-scale effects, but negligible global effects.

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The Earth's global atmospheric electric circuit depends on the upper and lower atmospheric boundaries formed by the ionosphere and the planetary surface. Thunderstorms and electrified rain clouds drive a DC current (∼1 kA) around the circuit, with the current carried by molecular cluster ions; lightning phenomena drive the AC global circuit. The Earth's near-surface conductivity ranges from 10 −7 S m −1 (for poorly conducting rocks) to 10 −2 S m −1 (for clay or wet limestone), with a mean value of 3.2 S m −1 for the ocean. Air conductivity inside a thundercloud, and in fair weather regions, depends on location (especially geomagnetic latitude), aerosol pollution and height, and varies from ∼10 −14 S m −1 just above the surface to 10 −7 S m −1 in the ionosphere at ∼80 km altitude. Ionospheric conductivity is a tensor quantity due to the geomagnetic field, and is determined by parameters such as electron density and electron-neutral particle collision frequency. In the current source regions, point discharge (coronal) currents play an important role below electrified clouds; the solar wind-magnetosphere dynamo and the unipolar dynamo due to the terrestrial rotating dipole moment also apply atmospheric potential differences. M.J. Rycroft ( ) CAESAR Consultancy,

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