Electric field measurements in the stratosphere

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

doi:10.1016/0021-9169(57)90113-7

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Even over a thunderstorm in the stratosphere the conductivity has been reported to be close to fair weather values [cf. Stergis et al, 1955], in agreement with Figure 3. Directly over the storm the conductivity a increased exponentially, but at a much lower rate (longer scale height) than the profile used by Park and Dejnakarintra [1973].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Electrical measurements in the atmosphere and the ionosphere over an active thunderstorm: 2. Direct current electric fields and conductivity

et al. 1985

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On August 9, 1981, a series of three rockets were launched over an air mass thunderstorm off the eastern seaboard of Virginia while simultaneous stratospheric and ground‐based electric field measurements were made. The conductivity was substantially lower at most altitudes than the conductivity profiles used by theoretical models. Direct current electric fields over 80 mV/m were measured as far away as 96 km from the storm in the stratosphere at 23 km altitude. No dc electric fields above 75 km altitude could be identified with the thunderstorm, in agreement with theory. However, vertical current densities over 120 pA/m² were seen well above the classical “electrosphere” (at 50 or 60 km). Frequent dc shifts in the electric field following lightning transients were seen by both balloon and rocket payloads. These dc shifts are clearly identifiable with either cloud‐to‐ground (increases) or intercloud (decreases) lightning flashes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Electrical measurements in the atmosphere and the ionosphere over an active thunderstorm: 2. Direct current electric fields and conductivity

et al. 1985

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“…The total potential for ¾ is obtained by extrapolating the exponential variation in potential gradient in the 3-to 6-kin region to the high atmosphere. This procedure gives a total potential which is probably too low by something less than 6 per cent [Clark, 1958] because it is known that the increase in conductivity and decrease in potential gradient above 6 km is less than exponential [Stergis and others, 1955;Stergis, Rein, and Kangas, 1957a]. The increment in columnar resistance above 6 km, obtained from balloon conductivity data [Woessner, Cobb, and Gunn, 1958;Stergis, and others, 1955], is mulplied by the average current density to provide V• total.…”

Section: A Comparison Between Surface Measurements Of Conduction Currmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurements of current density in the fair weather atmosphere

Kraakevik¹

1961

J. Geophys. Res.

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Simultaneous measurements of potential gradient and conductivity have been made from an airplane over an altitude range of from 15 m to 6 km. Within the exchange layer over the oceans, the conduction current density decreases with altitude, requiring a convection current which is probably caused by the upward diffusion of positive space charge. The conduction current is a maximum at 15 m above the earth's surface, where it is found to be on the average some 40 per cent, and on some soundings 200 per cent, higher than that above the exchange layer. Overland, space charge convection produces a conduction current within the exchange layer which is randomly variable, and on the average some 20 per cent higher than that above the layer. A convection current of some 50 per cent of the total current is sometimes observed at the top of the exchange layer. Above it, the current density is constant with altitude to within 10 per cent, and is found to vary from 1.1×10−12 amp/m2 over Maryland to 4.1×10−12 amp/m2 over Greenland, approximately inverse to the variation in columnar resistance. The average value of current density over the oceans is 2.7×10−12 amp/m2, giving an estimated world‐wide conduction current of 1400 amp. Over Greenland, the total potential and average current density aloft on individual soundings both vary together with time and are in phase with the universal variation in thunderstorm activity. A comparison of simultaneous measurements at the surface and aloft in Greenland and near Key West, Florida, show that surface measurements of current density at a single station cannot be used to provide an index of world‐wide effects on a day‐to‐day basis.

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“…The voltage difference between the probes was recorded by photographing the needle setting of a milliammeter. The 1950s saw much development into radiosonde based electric field sensors, typically using radioactive probes (Koenigsfeld and Piraux 1950;Venkiteshwaran et al 1953;Stergis et al 1957a), and allowed the data to be sent back in real time by radio, avoiding the need for recovery of the instrumentation. Koenigsfeld (1955) made numerous radiosonde flights measuring E z in fair weather conditions and deduced that generally, above several km, E z decreases approximately exponentially with height as found by the early manned balloon flights, reaching values between 0 and 1Vm -1 in the lower stratosphere.…”

Section: Electric Field Measurements Aloftmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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Electric field measurements in the stratosphere

Cited by 11 publications

References 4 publications

Electrical measurements in the atmosphere and the ionosphere over an active thunderstorm: 2. Direct current electric fields and conductivity

Electrical measurements in the atmosphere and the ionosphere over an active thunderstorm: 2. Direct current electric fields and conductivity

Measurements of current density in the fair weather atmosphere

Measurements of Atmospheric Electricity Aloft

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