Solar modulation of atmospheric electrification and possible implications for the Sun–weather relationship

The Global Circuit Intensity: Its Measurement and Variation over the Last 50 Years

“…The positive correlation between in the stratosphere and Vi is consistent with the hypothesis that the variation of ionization in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere due to solar modulation of cosmic radiation, the primary source of atmospheric ionization, changes global circuit intensity and does so in the generator part of the circuit but not in the fair-weather return-path regions (Markson 1978).…”

“…Ionospheric potential variation cannot be measured reliably with electric field instruments at the Earth's surface over land, sea, or ice due to local anthropogenic and natural factors because there are many processes influencing the fair-weather electric field and air-Earth conduction current, including 1) manmade and natural aerosols that change conductivity; 2) the breaking of sea bubbles (Blanchard 1963) and the electrode effect (Chalmers 1967, p. 42), both creating positive space charge concentrated within a few tens of meters of the ocean surface, which through turbulence cause 10%-50% variations in electric field intensity over periods of seconds to minutes (Markson 1975); 3) the electrode effect also occurs over ice fields (Kraan 1971, p. 47) and land regions that do not contain ionization sources (uranium and radon); 4) electrified ice crystals in the air in regions of snow and ice (Chalmers 1967, p. 75); 5) space charge and aerosols emitted by engines, fires, and industry; 6) changes in the air-Earth current and thus the electric field caused by the lower conductivity (higher resistance) of cloud layers; 7) electrification from some clouds; 8) the modulation of electric fields by high objects, such as trees and buildings, in the vicinity of the sensor (Chalmers 1967, p. 136); and 9) conductivity variations caused by changes in the mobility of ions affected by relative humidity variations [particularly near the deliquescence point at about 80% relative humidity (RH); Pruppacher and Klett 1978;Markson et al 1999]. Air motion causes spatial and temporal variations of these elements.…”

“…Aircraft and balloon electric field measurements provide methods to measure the global circuit magnitude and variability. Three approaches to these measurements have been pursued: 1) constant altitude time series measurements of electric field or air-Earth current over a diurnal cycle at remote fair-weather locations with few or no clouds above or below the measuring platform should be well correlated with each other and with the Carnegie curve as both are proportional to Vi (Markson 1976(Markson ,1985, if a well-defined Carnegie curve variation (defined by Whipple and Scrase 1936) is not seen every day, the measurement is not globally representative since deep convection maximizes over the continents every afternoon and the continents do not move, 2) a time series of Vi soundings over a full day or substantial portion of a day should be well correlated with the Carnegie curve, and 3) simultaneous measurements of Vi at remote locations should have the same magnitude (Muhleisen 1971;Markson 1985;Markson et al 1999).…”

Long-period fading in atmospherics during severe meteorological activity and associated solar geophysical phenomena at low latitudes

“…It was suggested that the air movements in thunderstorms might generate acoustic gravity waves which could reach ionospheric heights. Also expected is an apparent relationship between certain ionospheric disturbances and the occurrences of severe weather in the troposphere (Kimpara, 1965;Markson, 1978). It was suggested that such disturbances might be due to perturbation of the electron density in the ionosphere by gravity waves in the neutral atmosphere which have propagated upwards from below and then travel horizontally, aecting the lower ionospheric characteristics.…”

Cosmic rays and space weather: effects on global climate change

“…Cosmic rays play a key role in the formation of thunderstorms and lightnings (see extended review in Dorman, 2004, Chapter 11). Many authors (Markson, 1978;Price, 2000;Tinsley, 2000;Schlegel et al, 2001;Dorman and Dorman, 2005;Dorman et al, 2003) have considered atmospheric electric field phenomena as a possible link between solar activity and the Earth's climate. Barnard et al (2011) used data on cosmogenic nucleus in ice for about 9300 yr for investigation of great solar energetic particle events and long-time galactic cosmic ray variations for research of space climate in the past and possible predictions for some time ahead.…”