THE DIURNAL VARIATION OF ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY AS A METEOROLOGICAL-AEROLOGICAL PHENOMENON

Abstract

This paper first gives a short survey of the modern view of atmospheric electricity. According to this, there exists in the atmosphere an electric-current system which generates from the thunderstorm activity and which is influenced in an essential manner by the resistance of the air and its variations. This electric resistance of the air, its magnitude and its diurnal variation, depend on local conditions, on the season and on the weather situation. For these reasons, the electric resistance of the air is an essential correlator between the meteorological-aerological and the atmospheric-electrical phenomena. Observations of the potential gradient and the air-earth current at the Jungfraujoch in Switzerland (3472 m) during summer and autumn are given as examples. It follows from these observations that: (1) the diurnal variation of the austausch reaches to this altitude during summer (in the free atmosphere only to about 2500 m), (2) during autumn the Alps' ridge becomes free from this effect, and (3) diurnal variations of advective movements of air masses become evident in their atmospheric-electric action at this time.