Recent advances in global electric circuit coupling between the space environment and the troposphere

The global atmospheric electric circuit is driven by thunderstorms and electrified rain/shower clouds and is also influenced by energetic charged particles from space. The global circuit maintains the ionosphere as an equipotential at∼+250 kV with respect to the good conducting Earth (both land and oceans). Its “load” is the fair weather atmosphere and semi-fair weather atmosphere at large distances from the disturbed weather “generator” regions. The main solar-terrestrial (or space weather) influence on the global circuit arises from spatially and temporally varying fluxes of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) and energetic electrons precipitating from the magnetosphere. All components of the circuit exhibit much variability in both space and time. Global circuit variations between solar maximum and solar minimum are considered together with Forbush decrease and solar flare effects. The variability in ion concentration and vertical current flow are considered in terms of radiative effects in the troposphere, through infra-red absorption, and cloud effects, in particular possible cloud microphysical effects from charging at layer cloud edges. The paper identifies future research areas in relation to Task Group 4 of the Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System (CAWSES-II) programme.

Temporal evolution and electric potential structure of the auroral acceleration region from multispacecraft measurements

Bright aurorae can be excited by the acceleration of electrons into the atmosphere in violation of ideal magnetohydrodynamics. Modelling studies predict that the accelerating electric potential consists of electric double layers at the boundaries of an acceleration region but observations suggest that particle acceleration occurs throughout this region. Using multi-spacecraft observations from Cluster we have examined two upward current regions on 14 December 2009. Our observations show that the potential difference below C4 and C3 changed by up to 1.7 kV between their respective crossings, which were separated by 150 s. The field-aligned current density observed by C3 was also larger than that observed by C4. The potential drop above C3 and C4 was approximately the same in both crossings. Using a novel technique of quantitatively comparing the electron spectra measured by Cluster 1 and 3, which were separated in altitude, we determine when these spacecraft made effectively magnetically conjugate observations and use these conjugate observations to determine the instantaneous distribution of the potential drop in the AAR. Our observations show that an average of 15% of the potential drop in the AAR was located between C1 at 6235 km and C3 at 4685 km altitude, with a maximum potential drop between the spacecraft of 500~V and that the majority of the potential drop was below C3. By assuming a spatial invariance along the length of the upward current region, we discuss these observations in terms of temporal changes and the vertical structure of the electrostatic potential drop and in the context of existing models and previous observations single- and multi-spacecraft observations.

Electron acceleration and parallel electric fields due to kinetic Alfvén waves in plasma with similar thermal and Alfvén speeds

We investigate electron acceleration due to shear Alfven waves in a collissionless plasma for plasma parameters typical of 4–5RE radial distance from the Earth along auroral field lines. Recent observational work has motivated this study, which explores the plasma regime where the thermal velocity of the electrons is similar to the Alfven speed of the plasma, encouraging Landau resonance for electrons in the wave fields. We use a self-consistent kinetic simulation model to follow the evolution of the electrons as they interact with a short-duration wave pulse, which allows us to determine the parallel electric field of the shear Alfven wave due to both electron inertia and electron pressure effects. The simulation demonstrates that electrons can be accelerated to keV energies in a modest amplitude sub-second period wave. We compare the parallel electric field obtained from the simulation with those provided by fluid approximations.

Brief communication: Earthquake–cloud coupling through the global atmospheric electric circuit

We illustrate how coupling could occur between surface air and clouds via the global electric circuit – through Atmospheric Lithosphere–Ionosphere Charge Exchange (ALICE) processes – in an attempt to develop a physical understanding of the possible relationships between earthquakes and clouds

Atmospheric electric fields during the Carrington flare

Karen Aplin and Giles Harrison examine international records of the 1859 Carrington flare and consider what they mean for our understanding of space weather today. Space weather is increasingly recognized as a hazard to modern societies, and one way to assess the extent of its possible impact is through analysis of historic space weather events. One such event was the massive solar storm of late August and early September 1859. This is now widely known as the “Carrington flare” or “Carrington event” after the visual solar emissions on 1 September first reported by the Victorian astronomer Richard Carrington from his observatory in Redhill, Surrey (Carrington 1859). The related aurorae and subsequent effects on telegraph networks are well documented (e.g. Clark 2007, Boteler 2006), but use of modern techniques, such as analysis of nitrates produced by solar protons in ice cores to retrospectively assess the nature of the solar flare, has proved problematic (Wolff et al. 2012). This means that there is still very little quantitative information about the flare beyond magnetic observations (e.g. Viljanen et al. 2014).

A new South American network to study the atmospheric electric field and its variations related to geophysical phenomena

In this paper we present the capability of a new network of field mill sensors to monitor the atmospheric electric field at various locations in South America; we also show some early results. The main objective of the new network is to obtain the characteristic Universal Time diurnal curve of the atmospheric electric field in fair weather, known as the Carnegie curve. The Carnegie curve is closely related to the current sources flowing in the Global Atmospheric Electric Circuit so that another goal is the study of this relationship on various time scales (transient/monthly/seasonal/annual). Also, by operating this new network, we may also study departures of the Carnegie curve from its long term average value related to various solar, geophysical and atmospheric phenomena such as the solar cycle, solar flares and energetic charged particles, galactic cosmic rays, seismic activity and specific meteorological events. We then expect to have a better understanding of the influence of these phenomena on the Global Atmospheric Electric Circuit and its time-varying behavior.

The effect of electric field direction on the-shear stress of ER fluids

The effect of the direction of external electric field on the shear stress of an ER fluid has been studied by molecular-dynamics simulation. Due to the formation of inclined chains, the shear stress strongly depends on the direction of the field, and it may be very large under some special field direction. And theoretical model of ideal microstructure of ER fluids has proved this result. Thus the ER effect may be greatly enhanced just by choosing an optimum direction for the field without any additional requirement, suggesting a promising way to the practical application of ER fluids.

Atmospheric electric field measurements in urban environment and the pollutant aerosol weekly dependence

The weekly dependence of pollutant aerosols in the urban environment of Lisbon (Portugal) is inferred from the records of atmospheric electric field at Portela meteorological station (38°47′N,9°08′W). Measurements were made with a Bendorf electrograph. The data set exists from 1955 to 1990, but due to the contaminating effect of the radioactive fallout during 1960 and 1970s, only the period between 1980 and 1990 is considered here. Using a relative difference method a weekly dependence of the atmospheric electric field is found in these records, which shows an increasing trend between 1980 and 1990. This is consistent with a growth of population in the Lisbon metropolitan area and consequently urban activity, mainly traffic. Complementarily, using a Lomb–Scargle periodogram technique the presence of a daily and weekly cycle is also found. Moreover, to follow the evolution of theses cycles, in the period considered, a simple representation in a colour surface plot representation of the annual periodograms is presented. Further, a noise analysis of the periodograms is made, which validates the results found. Two datasets were considered: all days in the period, and fair-weather days only.

Analysis and manipulation of the structure of odor plumes from a piezo-electric release system and measurements of upwind flight of male Almond Moths, Cadra cautella, to pheromone plumes

We investigated the plume structure of a piezo-electric sprayer system, set up to release ethanol in a wind tunnel, using a fast response mini-photoionizaton detector. We recorded the plume structure of four different piezo-sprayer configurations: the sprayer alone; with a 1.6-mm steel mesh shield; with a 3.2-mm steel mesh shield; and with a 5 cm circular upwind baffle. We measured a 12 × 12-mm core at the center of the plume, and both a horizontal and vertical cross-section of the plume, all at 100-, 200-, and 400-mm downwind of the odor source. Significant differences in plume structure were found among all configurations in terms of conditional relative mean concentration, intermittency, ratio of peak concentration to conditional mean concentration, and cross-sectional area of the plume. We then measured the flight responses of the almond moth, Cadra cautella, to odor plumes generated with the sprayer alone, and with the upwind baffle piezo-sprayer configuration, releasing a 13:1 ratio of (9Z,12E)-tetradecadienyl acetate and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate diluted in ethanol at release rates of 1, 10, 100, and 1,000 pg/min. For each configuration, differences in pheromone release rate resulted in significant differences in the proportions of moths performing oriented flight and landing behaviors. Additionally, there were apparent differences in the moths’ behaviors between the two sprayer configurations, although this requires confirmation with further experiments. This study provides evidence that both pheromone concentration and plume structure affect moth orientation behavior and demonstrates that care is needed when setting up experiments that use a piezo-electric release system to ensure the optimal conditions for behavioral observations.

Transport of the smoke plume from Chiado’s fire in Lisbon (Portugal) sensed by atmospheric electric field measurements

The Chiado’s fire that affected the city centre of Lisbon (Portugal) occurred on 25th August 1988 and had a significant human and environmental impact. This fire was considered the most significant hazard to have occurred in Lisbon city centre after the major earthquake of 1755. A clear signature of this fire is found in the atmospheric electric field data recorded at Portela meteorological station about 8 km NE from the site where the fire started at Chiado. Measurements were made using a Benndorf electrograph with a probe at 1 m height. The atmospheric electric field reached 510 V/m when the wind direction was coming from SW to NE, favourable to the transport of the smoke plume from Chiado to Portela. Such observations agree with predictions using Hysplit air mass trajectory modelling and have been used to estimate the smoke concentration to be ~0.4 mg/m3. It is demonstrated that atmospheric electric field measurements were therefore extremely sensitive to Chiado’s fire. This result is of particular current interest in using networks of atmospheric electric field sensors to complement existing optical and meteorological observations for fire monitoring.

Transport control in fusion plasmas by changing electric and magnetic field spatial profiles

For magnetically confined plasmas in tokamaks, we have numerically investigated how Lagrangian chaos at the plasma edge affects the plasma confinement. Initially, we have considered the chaotic motion of particles in an equilibrium electric field with a monotonic radial profile perturbed by drift waves. We have showed that an effective transport barrier may be created at the plasma edge by modifying the electric field radial profile. In the second place, we have obtained escape patterns and magnetic footprints of chaotic magnetic field lines in the region near a tokamak wall with resonant modes due to the action of an ergodic magnetic limiter. For monotonic plasma current density profiles we have obtained distributions of field line connections to the wall and line escape channels with the same spatial pattern as the magnetic footprints on the tokamak walls. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Static electric fields interfere in the viability of cells exposed to ionising radiation

Purpose: The interference of electric fields (EF) with biological processes is an issue of considerable interest. No studies have as yet been reported on the combined effect of EF plus ionising radiation. Here we report studies on this combined effect using the prokaryote Microcystis panniformis, the eukaryote Candida albicans and human cells. Materials and methods: Cultures of Microcystis panniformis (Cyanobacteria) in glass tubes were irradiated with doses in the interval 0.5-5kGy, using a 60Co gamma source facility. Samples irradiated with 3kGy were exposed for 2h to a 20Vcm-1 static electric field and viable cells were enumerated. Cultures of Candida albicans were incubated at 36C for 20h, gamma-irradiated with doses from 1-4kGy, and submitted to an electric field of 180Vcm-1. Samples were examined under a fluorescence microscope and the number of unviable (red) and viable (apple green fluorescence) cells was determined. For crossing-check purposes, MRC5 strain of lung cells were irradiated with 2 Gy, exposed to an electric field of 1250 V/cm, incubated overnight with the anti-body anti-phospho-histone H2AX and examined under a fluorescence microscope to quantify nuclei with -H2AX foci. Results: In cells exposed to EF, death increased substantially compared to irradiation alone. In C. albicans we observed suppression of the DNA repair shoulder. The effect of EF in growth of M. panniformis was substantial; the number of surviving cells on day-2 after irradiation was 12 times greater than when an EF was applied. By the action of a static electric field on the irradiated MRC5 cells the number of nuclei with -H2AX foci increased 40%, approximately. Conclusions: Application of an EF following irradiation greatly increases cell death. The observation that the DNA repair shoulder in the survival curve of C. albicans is suppressed when cells are exposed to irradiation+EF suggests that EF likely inactivate cellular recovering processes. The result for the number of nuclei with -H2AX foci in MRC5 cells indicates that an EF interferes mostly in the DNA repair mechanisms. A molecular ad-hoc model is proposed.

Electric field gradients in (111)In-doped (Hf/Zr)(3)Al(2) and (Hf/Zr)(4)Al(3) mixed compounds: ab initio calculations, perturbed angular correlation measurements and site preference

The quadrupolar hyperfine interactions of in-diffused (111)In -> (111)Cd probes in polycrystalline isostructural Zr(4)Al(3) and Hf(4)Al(3) samples containing small admixtures of the phases (Zr/Hf)(3)Al(2) were investigated. A strong preference of (111)In solutes for the contaminant (Zr/Hf)(3)Al(2) minority phases was observed. Detailed calculations of the electric field gradient (EFG) at the Cd nucleus using the full-potential augmented plane wave + local orbital formalism allowed us to assign the observed EFG fractions to the various lattice sites in the (Zr/Hf)(3)Al(2) compounds and to understand the preferential site occupation of the minority phases by the (111)In atoms. The effects of the size of the supercell and relaxation around the oversized In and Cd probe atoms were investigated in detail.

On ""Schwinger mechanism for gluon pair production in the presence of arbitrary time dependent chromo-electric field""

Recently the paper ""Schwinger mechanism for gluon pair production in the presence of arbitrary time dependent chromo-electric field"" by G. C. Nayak was published [Eur. Phys. J. C 59: 715, 2009; arXiv:0708.2430]. Its aim is to obtain an exact expression for the probability of non-perturbative gluon pair production per unit time per unit volume and per unit transverse momentum in an arbitrary time-dependent chromo-electric background field. We believe that the obtained expression is open to question. We demonstrate its inconsistency on some well-known examples. We think that this is a consequence of using the socalled ""shift theorem""[arXiv:hep-th/0609192] in deriving the expression for the probability. We make some critical comments on the theorem and its applicability to the problem in question.