dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaThe global atmospheric electrical circuit and climate
| Authors | R. G. Harrison |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0506077 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0506077 |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10712-004-5439-8 |
| Journal | Surveys in Geophysics, Volume 25, Numbers 5-6, November 2004, pp. 441-484(44) |
Abstract
Evidence is emerging for physical links among clouds, global temperatures, the global atmospheric electrical circuit and cosmic ray ionisation. The global circuit extends throughout the atmosphere from the planetary surface to the lower layers of the ionosphere. Cosmic rays are the principal source of atmospheric ions away from the continental boundary layer: the ions formed permit a vertical conduction current to flow in the fair weather part of the global circuit. Through the (inverse) solar modulation of cosmic rays, the resulting columnar ionisation changes may allow the global circuit to convey a solar influence to meteorological phenomena of the lower atmosphere. Electrical effects on non-thunderstorm clouds have been proposed to occur via the ion-assisted formation of ultrafine aerosol, which can grow to sizes able to act as cloud condensation nuclei, or through the increased ice nucleation capability of charged aerosols. Even small atmospheric electrical modulations on the aerosol size distribution can affect cloud properties and modify the radiative balance of the atmosphere, through changes communicated globally by the atmospheric electrical circuit. Despite a long history of work in related areas of geophysics, the direct and inverse relationships between the global circuit and global climate remain largely quantitatively unexplored. From reviewing atmospheric electrical measurements made over two centuries and possible paleoclimate proxies, global atmospheric electrical circuit variability should be expected on many timescales
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"abstract": "Evidence is emerging for physical links among clouds, global temperatures,\nthe global atmospheric electrical circuit and cosmic ray ionisation. The global\ncircuit extends throughout the atmosphere from the planetary surface to the\nlower layers of the ionosphere. Cosmic rays are the principal source of\natmospheric ions away from the continental boundary layer: the ions formed\npermit a vertical conduction current to flow in the fair weather part of the\nglobal circuit. Through the (inverse) solar modulation of cosmic rays, the\nresulting columnar ionisation changes may allow the global circuit to convey a\nsolar influence to meteorological phenomena of the lower atmosphere. Electrical\neffects on non-thunderstorm clouds have been proposed to occur via the\nion-assisted formation of ultrafine aerosol, which can grow to sizes able to\nact as cloud condensation nuclei, or through the increased ice nucleation\ncapability of charged aerosols. Even small atmospheric electrical modulations\non the aerosol size distribution can affect cloud properties and modify the\nradiative balance of the atmosphere, through changes communicated globally by\nthe atmospheric electrical circuit. Despite a long history of work in related\nareas of geophysics, the direct and inverse relationships between the global\ncircuit and global climate remain largely quantitatively unexplored. From\nreviewing atmospheric electrical measurements made over two centuries and\npossible paleoclimate proxies, global atmospheric electrical circuit\nvariability should be expected on many timescales",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0506077",
"authors": [
"R. G. Harrison"
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"doi": "10.1007/s10712-004-5439-8",
"journal_ref": "Surveys in Geophysics, Volume 25, Numbers 5-6, November 2004, pp.\n 441-484(44)",
"title": "The global atmospheric electrical circuit and climate",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0506077"
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