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A quasi-static model of global atmospheric electricity. II - Electrical coupling between the upper and lower atmosphereThe paper presents a model of global atmospheric electricity used to examine the effect of upper atmospheric generators on the global electrical circuit. The model represents thunderstorms as dipole current generators randomly distributed in areas of known thunderstorm frequency; the electrical conductivity in the model increases with altitude, and electrical effects are coupled with a passive magnetosphere along geomagnetic field lines. The large horizontal-scale potential differences at ionospheric heights map downward into the lower atmosphere where the perturbations in the ground electric field are superimposed on the diurnal variation. Finally, changes in the upper atmospheric conductivity due to solar flares, polar cap absorptions, and Forbush decreases are shown to alter the downward mapping of the high-latitude potential pattern and the global distribution of fields and currents.
Document ID
19800037007
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Roble, R. G.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, Colo., United States)
Hays, P. B.
(Michigan, University Ann Arbor, Mich., United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 84
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
80A21177
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-23006
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-77-26889
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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