Trystan Casey
Atmospheric electricity refers to the electrical phenomena that occur in the Earth's atmosphere. This includes lightning, atmospheric ionization, the air-earth current, and other quiescent electrical processes. The Earth's surface, the ionosphere, and the atmosphere are known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit. The movement of charge between these layers is what creates atmospheric electricity. This field of study is interdisciplinary, involving concepts from electrostatics, atmospheric physics, meteorology, and Earth science.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Electrical phenomena that occur in the Earth's atmosphere |
| Phenomena | Lightning, atmospheric ionization, the air-earth current, and other quiescent electrical processes |
| Causes | Spray electrification, dust electrification, cosmic-ray ionization, radioactive-particle ionization, thunderstorm electrification, evaporation from the Earth's surface, chemical changes on the Earth's surface, and the expansion, condensation, and variation of temperature of the atmosphere and of the moisture contained in it |
| Lightning | Lightning discharges 30,000 amperes, at up to 100 million volts |
| Lightning Detection Instruments | North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (NALMA), electric field mills, Lightning Instrument Package (LIP), Fly's Eye GLM Event Simulator (FEGS), International Space Station, GOES-16 satellite, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Optical Transient Detector (OTD) |
| Research Topics | Lightning, high-energy particles, transient luminous events, the role of non-thunderstorm electrical processes in weather and climate, storm microphysics, lightning safety, global lightning climatologies, mechanisms of charge separation in electrified clouds, global thunderstorm activity, the electrical properties of the atmosphere in fair and disturbed weather |
| Current Density | 10 micromicroamperes per square meter |
| Total Electric Current Reaching the Earth's Surface | 1800 amperes |
| Voltage | 400,000 volts |
| Power | 700 megawatts |
| Atmospheric Electric Field Magnitude | 100 V/m near the surface of the Earth, 120 V/m over a flat field on a clear day |
| Ionization | Ionization increases with altitude |
| Conductivity | The air is weakly conductive due to the presence of atmospheric ions |
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What You'll Learn
Lightning
There are three primary forms of lightning, distinguished by where they occur: Intra-cloud (IC) or in-cloud, which occurs within a single thundercloud; Cloud-to-cloud (CC) or inter-cloud, which occurs between two clouds; and Cloud-to-ground (CG), which occurs between a cloud and the ground and is referred to as a lightning strike. Cloud-to-ground lightning is the least common but best understood type of lightning. It is initiated by a stepped leader moving down from the cloud, which is met by a streamer moving up from the ground.
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Electrification of the air
Atmospheric electricity refers to the electrical phenomena that occur in the Earth's atmosphere. This includes lightning, atmospheric ionization, the air-earth current, and other quiescent electrical processes. The movement of electrical charges between the Earth's surface, its atmosphere, and the ionosphere is known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit.
The electrification of the air is a continuous process due to ionization from cosmic rays and natural radioactivity, ensuring that the atmosphere is never electrically neutral. The Earth's surface is negatively charged, while the atmosphere is positively charged. This potential difference leads to a flow of ions from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, creating an electric field. The electric field is stronger near objects protruding from the Earth's surface, such as trees and flowers, which can increase the electric field strength to several kilovolts per meter.
The density of the air impacts the behaviour of ions in the atmosphere. As air density decreases, the mean free path of ions increases, allowing them to travel farther in the electric field before colliding with other particles. This results in a rapid increase in conductivity as altitude increases. However, the electric field strength decreases with increasing altitude, and the atmosphere is a poorer insulator compared to the air at the Earth's surface.
The electrification of the air has been a subject of scientific investigation for centuries, with early experimenters such as Hauksbee, Newton, and Benjamin Franklin exploring the similarities between electrical phenomena in the laboratory and those observed in the atmosphere. The development of aviation also provided a strong incentive to study atmospheric electricity, as understanding atmospheric phenomena like lightning and turbulence became crucial for aviation safety.
Today, NASA and other organizations employ a range of ground-, air-, and space-based instruments to study atmospheric electricity and lightning. These instruments help scientists better understand the characteristics of lightning and transient luminous events, which are electrical lights sometimes seen in the upper atmosphere beyond the troposphere.
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The global atmospheric electrical circuit
Atmospheric electricity refers to the electrical phenomena that occur in the Earth's atmosphere, including lightning, atmospheric ionization, the air-earth current, and other quiescent electrical processes. The movement of electrical charge between the Earth's surface, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere is known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit.
Thunderstorms play a crucial role in the global atmospheric electrical circuit. They carry negative charges to the ground, which is then discharged gradually through the air away from the storms, in conditions known as "fair weather". This discharge creates a potential difference between the Earth's surface and the ionosphere, with the ionosphere being positively charged relative to the ground. This potential difference results in a small current of approximately 2 picoamperes per square meter, transporting charged particles in the form of atmospheric ions between the ionosphere and the surface.
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The Earth's electrical circuit
Atmospheric electricity refers to the electrical phenomena that occur in the Earth's atmosphere. This includes lightning, atmospheric ionization, the air-earth current, and other quiescent electrical processes. The Earth's electrical circuit is also known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit, and it is central to the study of atmospheric physics and meteorology.
The movement of charge between the Earth's surface, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere is known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit. Thunderstorms play a crucial role in this circuit by acting as a giant battery, charging the electrosphere to about 400,000 volts with respect to the surface. This creates an electric field throughout the atmosphere, which decreases with increasing altitude. The ionosphere is positively charged relative to the ground due to the electrical potential difference created by lightning returning current to the ground.
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The mechanisms of charge separation in clouds
Atmospheric electricity refers to the electrical phenomena that occur in the Earth's atmosphere, including lightning, atmospheric ionization, and the air-earth current. During thunderstorms, lightning bolts rapidly discharge large amounts of atmospheric charge stored in storm clouds.
The process of charge separation in clouds can be further explained by the following:
- Convective Charging Mechanism: This mechanism involves the ingestion of positive space charge into the cloud. A negative screening layer then forms on the outside boundary of the cloud particles, moving towards the cloud base. As the positive charge is ingested at the base, additional negative charge flows, creating a separation of charges.
- Inductive Process: The inductive process utilises a pre-existing vertical electric field to induce charges. Particle rebounds within the electric field separate the charges and strengthen the field.
- Ice Particle Mechanisms: Various ice particle mechanisms contribute to charge separation. This includes the Workman-Reynolds freezing potentials, contact potentials, dislocation charges, temperature gradients, melting effects, ice splinter charges, and fragmentation effects.
- Laboratory Studies: Laboratory studies on ice/ice charging mechanisms provide insights into the charging requirements and dynamics of ice particles within clouds.
It is important to note that all clouds are electrified to some degree, but vigorous convection is required to achieve sufficient charge separation. This leads to strong cloud electrification and the potential for lightning strikes.
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Frequently asked questions
Atmospheric electricity is the electrical charge present in the Earth's atmosphere. It involves the movement of charge between the Earth's surface, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere.
Atmospheric electricity is generated by a combination of minor and major processes. Minor processes include spray electrification and dust electrification. Major processes include cosmic-ray ionization, radioactive-particle ionization, and thunderstorm electrification.
Atmospheric electricity has a broad range of impacts. It can create ozone-producing chemicals and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. It can also trigger wildfires, cause property damage, and pose safety risks to individuals.
Atmospheric electricity is an interdisciplinary field involving concepts from electrostatics, atmospheric physics, meteorology, and Earth science. NASA uses ground-, airborne-, and space-based instruments to detect and study atmospheric electricity, including lightning and thunderstorms.
The study of atmospheric electricity has a long history, with early experiments dating back to the 18th century. Scientists such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas-François Dalibard conducted iconic kite experiments to understand the link between lightning and electricity. Over time, advancements in technology, such as balloon ascents and space-based observations, have contributed to our understanding of atmospheric electricity.
