Discussion on “The use of the electrostatic method for the measurement of power”

Wilson, Ernest J.; Nalder, F.H.; Highfield, J.S.; Addenbrooke, G.L.; Trotter, A.P.; Campbell, A. E.; Paul, Riya; Irwin, J. T.; Morris, John; Walker, Miles; Longman, R.M.; Moore, Anthony; Ratcliff, H.A.; Paterson, C.C.; Rayner, E.H.; Kinnes, A.

doi:10.1049/jiee-1.1913.0057

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“…7 One anecdote describes how Lord Kelvin asked another Glasgow professor if he could recommend an instrument maker who might be good at producing electrometers commercially. Mr White, a skilled microscope maker was recommended, but Kelvin's colleague subsequently found that he was unable to get hold of microscopes any more, since Mr White's shop had rapidly become full of Kelvin's electrometers (Wilson, 1913).…”

Section: Kelvin's Legacy To Atmospheric Electricity Instrumentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whilst in no sense a creationist standpoint, the Victorian view of an inherited earth system, informed by the "book of nature" approach mentioned above, may have contributed to this expectation of steady electrostatic conditions 10 . Subsequent independent work on ionisation of air by Elster and Geitel (1900) in Germany and CTR Wilson (1901) in Scotland established the need for atmospheric current flow, and with it, ultimately the concept of a varying, dynamic, terrestrial atmospheric electricity system.…”

Section: ! ")!mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lord Kelvin's atmospheric electricity measurements

Aplin

Harrison

2013

Hist. Geo Space. Sci.

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Abstract. Lord Kelvin (William Thomson) made important contributions to the study of atmospheric electricity during a brief but productive period from 1859-1861. By 1859 Kelvin had recognised the need for "incessant recording" of atmospheric electrical parameters, and responded by inventing both the water dropper equaliser for measuring the atmospheric potential gradient (PG), and photographic data logging. The water dropper equaliser was widely adopted internationally and is still in use today. Following theoretical considerations of electric field distortion by local topography, Kelvin developed a portable electrometer, using it to investigate the PG on the Scottish island of Arran. During these environmental measurements, Kelvin may have unwittingly detected atmospheric PG changes during solar activity in August/September 1859 associated with the "Carrington event", which is interesting in the context of his later statements that solar magnetic influence on the Earth was impossible. Kelvin's atmospheric electricity work presents an early representative study in quantitative environmental physics, through the application of mathematical principles to an environmental problem, the design and construction of bespoke instrumentation for real world measurements and recognising the limitations of the original theoretical view revealed by experimental work.

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Section: Kelvin's Legacy To Atmospheric Electricity Instrumentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: ! ")!mentioning

confidence: 99%