Introduction 4
1 Main atmospheric characteristics, factors and sources that define electric
structure near the surface 6
1.1 Atmospheric ionization near the surface and conductivity of surface
layer 6
1.1.1 Atmospheric ionizers 6
1.1.2 Electric conductivity of the Earth’s atmosphere 9
1.1.3 Concentration of ions and atmospheric conductivity according to
measurements 11
1.2 Ionization processes in the atmosphere 13
1.3 Electric currents in the Earth's atmosphere 14
1.4 Sources for electric field strength in the atmosphere 17
2 Measurements of electrical characteristics of the atmosphere in
Leningrad oblast’ according to Voeikovo station data 19
2.1 Geographical characteristics of Leningrad oblast 19
2.2 Devices and methods of measurements of atmospheric electric
parameters 22
3 Analysis of daily and annual variations of electric field strengths and
atmospheric conductivity near the surface in Leningrad oblast in 2017 25
3.1 Description of initial data 25
3.2 Analysis of daily variations of electric field strengths in good weather
in Leningrad oblast in 2017 26
3.3 Analysis of daily variations of atmospheric conductivity in good
weather in Leningrad oblast in 2017 28
3.4 Analysis of annual variations of electric field strengths near the
surface in good weather in Leningrad oblast in 2017 33
3.5 Analysis of atmospheric electric field strength depending on the height
of the lower cloud boundary 37
Conclusion 43
References 45
Atmospheric electricity has a highly significant meaning nowadays. Studying atmospheric electricity parameters is important for both researching in the sphere of the Earth sciences and for practical use in ecology, aviation meteorology and the like.
Atmospheric electricity characteristics such as electric field strengths, electric conductivity, ions concentration and others are important parameters and they need to be analyzed.
Due to differences in climate, geographical position and orography atmospheric electricity parameters are different in every region. By analyzing such parameters it becomes possible to estimate meteorological processes and weather conditions, atmospheric pollution.
The aim of this work is to estimate time variations in atmospheric electricity parameters and their connection with meteorological processes. To achieve this goal, following steps had been done:
• collecting data connected with atmospheric electricity for the year 2017 for Voeikovo station;
• analyzing annual variations of atmospheric electric field strengths;
• analyzing daily variations of atmospheric electric field strengths and conductivity in fair weather;
• analyzing variations of atmospheric electricity parameters under different weather conditions.
This consist of introduction, three chapters, conclusion and references. Aim of this work, its goals and topicality are written in the introduction. In the first chapter main atmospheric electrical characteristics, formulas, laws and other relevant parameters are written. Geographical characteristics, climate influence are in the second chapter as well as methods and device of measuring atmospheric electrical parameters. In the third chapter there is analysis of collected data: annual and daily variations in atmospheric parameters, variations under different weather conditions.
As a result of the conducted work, the following conclusions were obtained:
• Annual variation of atmospheric electric field strengths is different in every region and is being highly influenced by geographical position and climate.
• Annual variation of atmospheric conductivity represents the roles of ionizers. In the winter main ionizers are cosmic rays, in the summer there are both cosmic rays and radioactive emissions from the soil and the atmosphere. That’s why the atmospheric conductivity is higher in summer.
• Daily variation for both atmospheric electric conductivity and electric field strengths can be indicators for atmospheric pollution. The less impurities in the atmosphere, the more the number of light ions and their mobility. So the conductivity decreases, and electric field strengths rises. Conductivity and EFS have inverse dependence.
• There are two main types of daily variations of atmospheric electric conductivity. The first one is a winter type ( minimum value for EFS is in the morning hours, maximum value is in the afternoon). The summer type of daily variation of EFS has minimum in 12-15 hours and maximum at 21-24 hours). During spring and autumn the one type is being restructured to the other type.
• Distribution with the height for atmospheric electric field and atmospheric conductivity also have inverse dependence. Atmospheric electric field decreases with height because radioactive influence from the soil becomes less. On the other hand atmospheric conductivity rises with height because there number of the light ions becomes more with height. They are being transported from the Earth’s surface upwards due to convection.
• The lower boundary of the Cumulonimbus clouds and ,therefore, heavy rains, thunderstorms and hail have a significant influence on the electric field strengths near the surface. The higher is the lower cloud boundary (Cumulus and Cumulonimbus), the less influence these clouds have. On the height of lower cloud boundary of 20000 meters the value of electric field is equal to 130 W/m. This is the average value for electric field in Leningrad oblast at good weather conditions. It means that at this point Cumulus and Cumulonimbus clouds have no influence on the surface electric field strengths.
