Electric Phenomena as a Possible Driver of Polar Snow-air Interactions: Does this Factor Act Synergistically with Photoinduced Effects?

Abstract

Processes that occur inside polar snow cover significantly affect polar atmosphere but they are still poorly understood. Most studies consider photochemistry as the dominant mechanism of chemical transformations but recent field data cannot be interpreted only by such photochemical model. A concept is proposed to consider electric phenomena that are well known to physics but their role was never analyzed by snow chemistry specialists. But there is a question on how to differentiate influences of photo effects and electric phenomena. It can be supposed that these factors are not independent. On the contrary, they reinforce each other and act synergistically.

Electrical charging of snow and ice in polar regions and the potential impact on atmospheric chemistry

“…How these two parallel processes can influence each other remains an open question. 94 For example, the radicals produced by both processes may interact with each other.…”