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Persistent URL
http://purl.org/net/epubs/work/43490
Record Status
Checked
Record Id
43490
Title
Investigating Earth's atmospheric electricity: a role model for planetary studies
Contributors
KL Aplin
,
RG Harrison
,
MJ Rycroft
Abstract
The historical development of terrestrial atmospheric electricity is described, from its beginnings with the first observations of the potential gradient to the global electric circuit model proposed by C.T.R. Wilson in the early 20th century. The properties of the terrestrial global circuit are summarised. Concepts originally needed to develop the idea of a global circuit are identified as "central tenets", for example, the importance of radio science in establishing the conducting upper layer. The central tenets are distinguished from additional findings that merely corroborate, or are explained by, the global circuit model. Using this analysis it is possible to specify which observations are preferable for detecting global circuits in extraterrestrial atmospheres. Schumann resonances, the extremely low frequency signals generated by excitation of the surface-ionosphere cavity by electrical discharges, are identified as the most useful single measurement of electrical activity in a planetary atmosphere.
Organisation
SSTD
,
STFC
Keywords
96.15.Hy
,
01.65.+g
,
Physics
,
92.60.Pw
,
Natural environment
,
96.30.Bc
Funding Information
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Language
English (EN)
Type
Details
URI(s)
Local file(s)
Year
Journal Article
Space Sci Rev
137, no. 1-4 (2008): 11-27. Is in proceedings of: ISSI/Europlanet Planetary Atmospheric Electricity, Bern, Switzerland, 23-27 Jul 2007.
doi:10.1007/s11214-008-9372-x
Aplin_etal08.pdf
2008
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