dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaAtmospheric electrification in the Solar System
| Authors | Karen Aplin |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0505123 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0505123 |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10712-005-0642-9 |
| Journal | Surveys in Geophysics, 27, 1, pp 63-108 (2006) |
Abstract
Atmospheric electrification is not a purely terrestrial phenomenon: all Solar System planetary atmospheres become slightly electrified by cosmic ray ionisation. There is evidence for lightning on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, and it appears likely to exist on Mars, Venus and Titan. Atmospheric electricity has controversially been implicated in climate on Earth; here, a comparative approach is employed to review the role of electrification in the atmospheres of other planets and their moons. This paper reviews planetary atmospheric electricity including ionisation and ion-aerosol interactions. The conditions necessary for a global electric circuit, and the likelihood of meeting these conditions in other planetary atmospheres are briefly discussed. Atmospheric electrification could be important throughout the Solar System, particularly at the outer planets which receive little solar radiation, increasing the significance of electrical forces. Nucleation onto atmospheric ions has been predicted to affect the evolution and lifetime of haze layers on Titan, Neptune, and Triton. Atmospheric electrical processes on Titan, pre-Huygens, are summarised. Closer to Earth, heating from solar radiation dominates planetary meteorology; however Mars may have a global circuit based on electrical discharges from dust storms. There is a need for direct measurements of planetary atmospheric electrification, in particular on Mars, to assess the risk for future missions. Theoretical understanding could be increased by cross-disciplinary work to modify and update models and parameterisations initially developed for specific planetary atmospheres to make them more broadly applicable.
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"abstract": "Atmospheric electrification is not a purely terrestrial phenomenon: all Solar\nSystem planetary atmospheres become slightly electrified by cosmic ray\nionisation. There is evidence for lightning on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and\nNeptune, and it appears likely to exist on Mars, Venus and Titan. Atmospheric\nelectricity has controversially been implicated in climate on Earth; here, a\ncomparative approach is employed to review the role of electrification in the\natmospheres of other planets and their moons. This paper reviews planetary\natmospheric electricity including ionisation and ion-aerosol interactions. The\nconditions necessary for a global electric circuit, and the likelihood of\nmeeting these conditions in other planetary atmospheres are briefly discussed.\nAtmospheric electrification could be important throughout the Solar System,\nparticularly at the outer planets which receive little solar radiation,\nincreasing the significance of electrical forces. Nucleation onto atmospheric\nions has been predicted to affect the evolution and lifetime of haze layers on\nTitan, Neptune, and Triton. Atmospheric electrical processes on Titan,\npre-Huygens, are summarised. Closer to Earth, heating from solar radiation\ndominates planetary meteorology; however Mars may have a global circuit based\non electrical discharges from dust storms. There is a need for direct\nmeasurements of planetary atmospheric electrification, in particular on Mars,\nto assess the risk for future missions. Theoretical understanding could be\nincreased by cross-disciplinary work to modify and update models and\nparameterisations initially developed for specific planetary atmospheres to\nmake them more broadly applicable.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0505123",
"authors": [
"Karen Aplin"
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"categories": [
"physics.geo-ph",
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"doi": "10.1007/s10712-005-0642-9",
"journal_ref": "Surveys in Geophysics, 27, 1, pp 63-108 (2006)",
"title": "Atmospheric electrification in the Solar System",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0505123"
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