What is atmospheric electricity?

Modern science has a relatively large stock of knowledge about the Earth's atmosphere and the diversity of processes occurring in it. It would seem that all this should be well researched and meticulously modeled in the laboratories favored by scientists. However, it turns out that until now there is no clear, unambiguous picture of such a phenomenon as atmospheric electricity. On the contrary, there are several models, each of which has its pros and cons.

A bit of history

The man who stood at the origins of research and scientifically confirmed, in fact, the existence of this phenomenon, is the world-famous ideologist of the United States - Benjamin Franklin. Indeed, atmospheric electricity as a physical phenomenon was before it in the stage of hypothetical calculations. One of America's founding fathers first showed his presence in the air, and also explained the causes of lightning. The most interesting thing in this story is the fact that Franklin used to prove a kite with a special pointed wire on it.

Collecting electricity in this way, he received a spark discharge, breaking the key in a simple earthing scheme. A simple way to prove the presence of charged particles in the atmosphere, however, does not detract from the merits of this great politician, as well as the scientist in discovering the phenomenon of nature under consideration here. Later on, physicists around the world began to confirm the results with their own experiments of this kind.

What is atmospheric electricity?

This is a set of diverse processes caused by the presence of charged particles in the air surrounding the Earth. Scientists explore such phenomena as the electric field of the atmosphere, its intensity, currents, existing in connection with this, volumetric charges and many other moments. For example, meteorological, ecological factors, influence on various branches of anthropological activity of mankind: aviation, industry, agriculture, etc.

A convenient physical analogy

Our planet in a very rough approximation is a huge spherical capacitor. This is a simple device capable of storing electrical energy. As the lining of a giant condenser, we can consider the ionosphere and the earth's surface itself. The insulator is air, which under ordinary conditions has very low electrical conductivity. The surface of the Earth is negatively charged, and the ionosphere is positive.

As between the plates of a conventional capacitor, an electric field is formed here, which has completely unique characteristics. For example, its intensity is maximum near the earth's surface, decreasing exponentially with increasing altitude. By the way, already 10 kilometers above sea level, its value is 30 times lower. This field basically forms the whole variety of phenomena united under the general name "atmospheric electricity".

This is one of the most common models in the modern scientific world. It is called the Wilson theory. There is also a hypothesis advanced by the Soviet scientist Frenkel, according to which the ionosphere does not play any significant role in the creation of an electric field. He believed that it is formed mostly due to the interaction of the earth's surface and clouds, as well as their polarization.

Natural generator

But if we return to the condenser model, which provides not only a good analogy, but also theoretical possibilities for creating sources of almost free energy, atmospheric electricity appears only in a few basic processes. Consider the most important.

First of all, these are the so-called leakage currents. As for the conventional capacitor, these are parasitic phenomena, which reduce its efficiency in preserving the charge. In the case of the atmosphere, these convective currents are formed, for example, in hurricane and thunderstorm areas. Their strength reaches tens of thousands of amperes, and despite this, the potential difference between the earth's surface and the ionosphere does not experience any significant changes, and, of course, the field strength is also preserved. In an electrical circuit containing a capacitor, this is only possible with an additional generator.

Following the logic, it is necessary to assume the presence of something similar in the case of the Earth's atmosphere. Indeed, such a source of energy is available. This is the magnetic field of our planet, which, rotating with it in the stream of solar radiation, creates a powerful generator. By the way, there is an idea of using his energy, using just the atmospheric electricity. Free energy is an incredibly powerful stimulus for the development of scientific thought in all areas of human activity. This trend was not ignored by the physics of atmospheric phenomena. But more on that later.

Thunderstorm

The next interesting and important process taking place in the atmosphere is the spark gas discharges that accompany thunderstorms. Like convective currents, this is a parasitic phenomenon in terms of the capacitor model of the electric field created between the Earth's surface and the ionosphere. And, unfortunately, the negative influence of discharge phenomena in the atmosphere is far from being limited. Here it should be noted the danger of lightning for ground-based objects of anthropogenic activity, including the destructive impact of shock and thermal overloads accompanying this formidable phenomenon.

Lightning

The obviousness of the electric nature of lightning, so elegantly proven by Franklin, forms one logical question. Most likely, he worried still contemporaries of the founding father. So, atmospheric electricity is a high or low voltage?

According to the already mentioned capacitor model, the potential difference between the planetary-scale plates should form an electric field. Indeed, the negatively charged surface of the Earth on the one hand and the positively charged ionosphere form a field of great tension. The electrical phenomena in the clouds create huge volumetric charges just in the lower part of the atmosphere. Therefore , the field strength at the earth's surface is much greater than, for example, at an altitude of 10 km.

Obviously, an electric field of this intensity forms powerful discharge currents, which an inexperienced observer can see during an ordinary thunderstorm at mid-latitudes. Therefore, the voltage in the discharge channel is high.

The Lights of St Elma

In addition to spark, in the atmosphere there is a corona discharge, which, due to historical tradition, is called the lights of St. Elm. It looks like brushes or glowing beams at the ends of tall objects, like the masts of ships, towers, etc. And this phenomenon can only be observed in the dark. The cause of the appearance of St. Elm's lights is an increase in the intensity of the electric field of the environment, for example, when approaching or during a thunderstorm, storms, blizzards, etc.

Such a discharge can be easily obtained at home. Indeed, atmospheric electricity with their own hands - it's quite simple. For example, you can take off a synthetic sweater and begin to bring a needle to it. From a certain distance, a discharge appears on its tip, which can be observed well in total darkness.

Ball lightning

Another thunderous manifestation is a gas discharge, usually having a spherical shape. This is a ball lightning, which is a unique and very rare natural phenomenon. Scientists still can not agree on an adequate theoretical basis for the existence of this phenomenon. And until 2012, there was no documentary evidence of the reality of ball lightning. Be that as it may, this is another mystery of the earth's atmosphere, over which scientists are still struggling.

Ecological factor

We have already spoken about the effect of lightning on various types of human activity. Atmospheric electricity as an environmental factor is a very important point, which should also be addressed. From the point of view of man's mastering of the various resources provided to him by the planet Earth, the air environment enables him to maintain existence as a species.

The presence of an electric field in the atmosphere has many unpleasant consequences for anthropogenic activity. Some of them are quite harmless, but many manifestations make the best engineering minds think up effective ways to pacify the formidable forces of nature.

Safety of vital activity

Atmospheric electricity and protection from it - the most important issue that should be discussed in the context of the environment. Naturally, the most dangerous - the most powerful spark discharges, like lightning. And this applies not only to their terrestrial variety. Intra-cloud lightning poses a certain threat to civil and military aviation. Anyway, all discharge atmospheric phenomena are subject to close monitoring and prevention of possible damage. This is done by special engineering services in the same aviation, shipbuilding or lightning protection of buildings, power stations, etc.

Free energy

Finally, let us return to the question of the almost free energy that atmospheric electricity can provide. Tesla, the famous lord of lightning, conducted an enormous amount of research with a view to the practical use of this natural phenomenon. His works were not wasted. Modern engineers patent various ways of extracting energy in connection with the fact of the presence of a powerful electric field near the earth's surface.

A striking example is a circuit with a vertically installed grounded conductor, between the upper and lower ends of which a potential difference appears due to the same field availability. This energy generated by it can be extracted by forming a controlled corona discharge at the upper end of the conductor. As a result, it is possible to maintain current in the conductor, which means that it is safe to connect the consumer to it.

Thus, atmospheric electricity, despite the threats to normal anthropogenic activity, also opens great prospects for providing the entire humanity with almost free energy.