Electric field measurements above thunderstorms

Stergis, C. G.; Rein, Glen; Kangas, T.

doi:10.1016/0021-9169(57)90114-9

Cited by 47 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…They found that in general, the conductivity of the air above thunderstorms was not appreciably different from its value at the same altitude at distances far from the cloud. These results are supported by the Gerdien condenser measurements of Stergis et al (1957b) and Blakeslee et al (1989) both from balloon platforms, and Bailey et al (1999) and Mach et al (2009), both from aircraft platforms. Measurements of conductivity above storms using the relaxation technique from a constant level balloon platform, however, have found contradictory results (e.g.…”

Section: Conductivity Above Thunderstormssupporting

confidence: 78%

“…significantly lower than those generally observed within thunderstorm clouds, but no mention of the height of the cloud tops, or the distance of the aircraft above cloud tops is given. Similar measurements were made by Stergis et al (1957b) who observed electric fields ranging from 0.15 to > 0.5 kVm -1 (which was instrument saturation), and Vonnegut (1966), who found that the electric field was generally close to zero, except in the region over penetrating convective tops, with peak electric fields of 0.4kVm -1…”

Section: Above Storm Topssupporting

confidence: 56%

“…Early measurements of currents above thunderstorms estimated the average total upwards current from an individual storm to be +0.5A (Gish and Wait 1950) and +1.3A (Stergis et al 1957b), using simultaneous measurements of electric field and conductivity to derive the conduction current. Similar results of positive polarity upward flowing currents were found by Blakeslee et al (1989) (+1.7A), and Thomas et al (2009) (+2.5A).…”

Section: Current Flow Above Thunderstormsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Measurements of Atmospheric Electricity Aloft

Nicoll

2012

Surv Geophys

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Measurements of the electrical characteristics of the atmosphere above the surface have been made for over 200 years, from a variety of different platforms, including kites, balloons, rockets and aircraft. From these measurements, a great deal of information about the electrical characteristics of the atmosphere has been gained, assisting our understanding of the global atmospheric electric circuit, thunderstorm electrification and lightning generation mechanisms, discovery of transient luminous events above thunderstorms, and many other electrical phenomena. This paper surveys the history of atmospheric electrical measurements aloft, from the earliest manned balloon ascents to current day observations with free balloons and aircraft. Measurements of atmospheric electrical parameters in a range of meteorological conditions are described, including clear air conditions, polluted conditions, non-thunderstorm clouds, and thunderstorm clouds, spanning a range of atmospheric conditions, from fair weather, to the most electrically active.2

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Section: Conductivity Above Thunderstormssupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Above Storm Topssupporting

confidence: 56%

Section: Current Flow Above Thunderstormsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Measurements of Atmospheric Electricity Aloft

Nicoll

2012

Surv Geophys

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“…They occur mostly in the tropics in the local afternoon and evening. Aircraft and balloon measurements above thunderstorms show that a total current of 0.1-6 A, with an average of 0.4 A, flows from the top of a thunderstorm cell to the ionosphere (Gish and Wait, 1950;Stergis et al, 1957;Vonnegut et al, 1973;Kasemir, 1979). Below a thunderstorm the transfer of charge by point discharge, lightning, precipitation, convection and displacement currents contributes to the net current flowing between the thunderstorm's base and the ground.…”

Section: Global Electric Circuitmentioning

confidence: 98%

The electrical environment of the Earth’s atmosphere: A review

Singh

Kamra

2004

Space Sci Rev

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The study of the electrical environment of the Earth's atmosphere has rapidly advanced during the past century. Great strides have been made towards the understanding of lightning and thunderstorms and in relating them to the global electric circuit. The electromagnetic fields and currents connect different parts of the Earth's environment, and any type of perturbation in one region affects another region. Starting from the traditional views in which the electrodynamics of one region has been studied in isolation from the neighboring regions, the modern theory of the global electrical circuit has been discussed briefly. Interconnection and electrodynamic coupling of various regions of the Earth's environment can be easily studied by using the global electric circuit model. Deficiencies in the model and the possibility of improvement in it have been suggested. Application of the global electric circuit model to the understanding of the Earth's changes of climate has been indicated.

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“…Thunderstorm activity on the global scale has been shown to be at least ge --ally capable of provid~n; the return current required to keep the fr --weather electric field current flowing (Brooks, 1925; Gish and Wait, 1950; Stergis et al, 1957).…”

Section: Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Source of Atmospheric Electrification

Webb¹

1967

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WHT AD ISL AGNWMXC Ditiuio0fti reoti ulmtd 0cm UNTDSAE0RYELCRNC OMN BetAalbeCp DOC AVAILABILITY NOTICEDistribution of this :-eport is unlimited. DISPOSITION INSTRUCTIONSDestroy this report when it is no longer needed. Do not return it to the originator. PRECEDINGJ PAGE BLANK ABSTRACT Synoptic rocket exploration of the stratospheric circulation has revealed the presence of hemispheric tidal circulations which are indicated to be in part characterized by systematic vertical motions in low latitudes of the sunlit hemisphere. These vertical motions are powered by maridional oscillations in the stratospheric circulation produced by solar heating of the stratopause region, and serve as the energy source of electrical current systems which are postulated to result from an impressed electromotive force which is produced by charged particle mobility differences in the lower ionosphere as the tidal circulations tend to force these particles across the earth's magnetic field. These dynamo currents are variable with geometry and time variabilities of the tidal circulations as well as variability in the solar-induced conductivity of the E region. The semiconducting lower atmosphere and highly conducting earth's surface occupy the near field of the lower side of this current system with a resulting complex tropospheric electrical structure. Low impedance electric current paths along magnetic field linrs result in development of currents in the exosphere which are A driven and controlled by the electrical structure of the primary dynamo circuit and exert a control of their own through interaction with the solar wind. The basic physical process which provides the required electromotive force for maintenance of the earth's atmospheric environment electrical structure is thus indicated to center in thermally driven tidal motions in the lower ionosphere, with locally observed structure such as the fair-weather electric field,

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Electric field measurements above thunderstorms

Cited by 47 publications

References 4 publications

Measurements of Atmospheric Electricity Aloft

Measurements of Atmospheric Electricity Aloft

The electrical environment of the Earth’s atmosphere: A review

The Source of Atmospheric Electrification

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