Modern science has a relatively large stock of knowledge about the Earth’s atmosphere and the variety of processes occurring in it. It would seem that all this should be well researched and meticulously modeled in the laboratories of choice by scientists. However, in fact, 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 person who stood at the origins of the study and scientifically confirmed, in fact, the existence of this phenomenon, is the world famous ideologist of the formation of the United States - Benjamin Franklin. Indeed, atmospheric electricity as a physical phenomenon was before him in the stage of hypothetical calculations. One of the founding fathers of America was the first to show 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 a kite with a special pointed wire on it to prove it.
By collecting electricity in this way, he received a spark discharge, breaking the key in the simplest grounding circuit. A simple way of proving the presence of charged particles in the atmosphere, however, does not detract from the merits of this great politician, as well as a scientist, in discovering the natural phenomenon considered here. In the future, physicists around the world began to confirm the results with their own experiments of this kind.
What is atmospheric electricity?
This is a combination of various processes caused by the presence of charged particles in the air surrounding the Earth. Scientists are exploring phenomena such as the electric field of the atmosphere, its intensity, currents existing in this regard, space charges and many other moments. For example, meteorological, environmental factors, the impact on various branches of human anthropological activity: aviation, industry, agriculture, etc.
Convenient physical analogy
In a very rough approximation, our planet is a huge spherical capacitor. This is the simplest device that can save electrical energy. As the plates of a giant capacitor, we can consider the ionosphere and the Earth’s surface itself. In this case, the insulator is air, which under normal conditions has a very low electrical conductivity. The Earth's surface is negatively charged, and the ionosphere is positively charged.
As between the plates of a conventional capacitor, an electric field is formed here, which has completely unique characteristics. For example, its tension is maximum at the earth's surface, decreasing exponentially with increasing height. By the way, already at 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 Wilson's theory. There is also a hypothesis put forward by the Soviet scientist Frenkel, according to which the ionosphere does not play any significant role in creating an electric field. He believed that it is formed mainly due to the interaction of the earth's surface and clouds, as well as their polarization.
Natural generator
But if we return to the capacitor model, which provides not only a good analogy, but also theoretical possibilities for creating sources of practically free energy, then atmospheric electricity is manifested in only a few basic processes. Consider the most important.
First of all, these are the so-called leakage currents. As for a conventional capacitor, these are parasitic phenomena that reduce its efficiency in charge conservation. In the case of the atmosphere, these are convective currents generated, for example, in hurricane and thunderstorm regions. Their strength reaches tens of thousands of amperes, and, despite this, the potential difference between the earth's surface and the ionosphere does not undergo any significant changes, preserving, of course, the field strength. In an electric circuit containing a capacitor, this is only possible with an additional generator.
Following the logic, it is worth assuming the presence of something similar in the case of the Earth’s atmosphere. And indeed, such a source of energy is available. This is the magnetic field of our planet, which, rotating with it in a stream of solar radiation, creates a powerful generator. By the way, there is an idea of using its energy, using just atmospheric electricity. Free energy is an incredibly powerful incentive for the development of scientific thought in all areas of human activity. This trend did not bypass the physics of atmospheric phenomena. But more on that later.
Thunderstorms
The next interesting and important process occurring in the atmosphere is spark gas discharges accompanying thunderstorms. Like convective currents, this is a parasitic phenomenon in terms of a capacitor model of the electric field created between the Earth’s surface and the ionosphere. And this, unfortunately, is far from limited to the negative effect of discharge phenomena in the atmosphere. It should be noted the danger of lightning to ground objects of anthropogenic activity, including the destructive impact of shock and thermal overloads accompanying this formidable phenomenon.
Zippers
The evidence of the electrical nature of lightning, so delicately proven by Franklin, forms one logical question. Most likely, he still worried contemporaries of the founding father. So, is atmospheric electricity high or low voltage?
According to the already mentioned capacitor model, the potential difference between the plates of the planetary scale 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 high tension. Electrical phenomena in the clouds create huge space 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 such intensity forms powerful discharge currents that an inexperienced observer can see during an ordinary thunderstorm in mid-latitudes. Therefore, the voltage in the discharge channel is high.
Lights of St. Elmo
In addition to the spark, a corona discharge is observed in the atmosphere , which, by virtue of historical tradition, is called the lights of St. Elmo. It looks like brushes or luminous bundles at the ends of tall objects, such as masts of ships, towers, etc. Moreover, this phenomenon can only be observed in the dark. The reason for the appearance of the lights of St. Elmo is an increase in the electric field of the environment, for example, when approaching or during a thunderstorm, storm, blizzard, etc.
A similar discharge can be quite easily obtained at home. Indeed, do-it-yourself atmospheric electricity is a snap. For example, you can take off your synthetic sweater and begin to bring a needle to it. From a certain distance, a discharge will appear at its tip, which can be well observed in complete darkness.
Ball lightning
Another thunderstorm manifestation is a gas discharge, usually having a spherical shape. We are talking about ball lightning, which is a unique and very rare natural phenomenon. Scientists still cannot agree on an adequate theoretical justification 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, which scientists are still struggling with.
Environmental factor
We have already talked about the effect of lightning on various human activities. Atmospheric electricity as an environmental factor is a very important point that should also be addressed. From the point of view of human development of the diverse resources provided to him by the planet Earth, the air environment gives him the opportunity to maintain existence as a species.
The presence of an electric field in the atmosphere has many unpleasant consequences for anthropogenic activities. Some of them are quite harmless, but many manifestations force the best engineering minds to come up with effective ways to pacify the formidable forces of nature.
Life safety
Atmospheric electricity and protection against it is the most important issue that should be discussed in the context of ecology. Naturally, the most dangerous are 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. One way or another, all discharge atmospheric phenomena are subject to close monitoring and prevention of possible damage. Special engineering services in the same aviation, shipbuilding, or with lightning protection of buildings, power plants, etc., are engaged in this.
Free energy
Finally, we return to the issue of almost free energy that atmospheric electricity can provide. Tesla, the famous lord of lightning, conducted a huge amount of research with the aim of practical use of this natural phenomenon. His works were not in vain. Modern engineers patent various methods of energy production in connection with the fact of the presence of a powerful electric field near the earth's surface.
A vivid example is a circuit with a vertically mounted grounded conductor, between the upper and lower ends of which a potential difference appears due to the same presence of the field. This energy created by it can be extracted by forming a controlled corona discharge at the upper end of the conductor. As a result, the current can be maintained in the conductor, which means that it is safe to connect a consumer to it.
Thus, atmospheric electricity, despite the existing threats of normal anthropogenic activity, also opens up great prospects for providing all of humanity with practically free energy.