This book presents, defines and explains the main phenomena of atmospheric electricity found in the lower atmosphere, with emphasis on the troposphere and the stratosphere/mesosphere up to 60-70 km. Electric phenomena in the biosphere are also reviewed and assessed as components of our natural and technical environment. electrodynamics have been published years ago providing an academic knowledge in this special field. However, a consistent and systematic presentation and discussion of the most important phenomena and processes of atmospheric electricity is still lacking. The book should fill this gap, using the knowledge and experience of the author in this field. The long list of references (over 1,300) in this special field of atmospheric electricity reflects the authors' extensive search of the literature. The book is illustrated with 265 figures and 32 tables.

Physics at the beginning of the twenty-first century has reached new levels of accomplishment and impact in a society and nation that are changing rapidly. Accomplishments have led us into the information age and fueled broad technological and economic development. The pace of discovery is quickening and stronger links with other fields such as the biological sciences are being developed. The intellectual reach has never been greater, and the questions being asked are more ambitious than ever before. Physics in a New Era is the final report of the NRC's six-volume decadal physics survey. The book reviews the frontiers of physics research, examines the role of physics in our society, and makes recommendations designed to strengthen physics and its ability to serve important needs such as national security, the economy, information technology, and education.

This latest addition to the Studies in Geophysics series explores in scientific detail the phenomenon of lightning, cloud, and thunderstorm electricity, and global and regional electrical processes. Consisting of 16 papers by outstanding experts in a number of fields, this volume compiles and reviews many recent advances in such research areas as meteorology, chemistry, electrical engineering, and physics and projects how new knowledge could be applied to benefit mankind.

Technology has propelled the atmospheric sciences from a fledgling discipline to a global enterprise. Findings in this field shape a broad spectrum of decisions--what to wear outdoors, whether aircraft should fly, how to deal with the issue of climate change, and more. This book presents a comprehensive assessment of the atmospheric sciences and offers a vision for the future and a range of recommendations for federal authorities, the scientific community, and education administrators. How does atmospheric science contribute to national well-being? In the context of this question, the panel identifies imperatives in scientific observation, recommends directions for modeling and forecasting research, and examines management issues, including the growing problem of weather data availability. Five subdisciplines--physics, chemistry, dynamics and weather forecasting, upper atmosphere and near-earth space physics, climate and climate change--and their status as the science enters the twenty-first century are examined in detail, including recommendations for research. This readable book will be of interest to public-sector policy framers and private-sector decisionmakers as well as researchers, educators, and students in the atmospheric sciences.

Thoroughly revised and up-dated edition of a highly successful textbook.

11. 3. 2. Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 11. 3. 3. Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 11. 3. 4. Some remarks on comfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 11. 3. 5. Electrical heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 11. 4. Electrical fie1ds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 11. 4. 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 11. 4. 2. Open fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 11. 4. 3. The TV set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 11. 4. 4. Upholstery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 11. 5. Electrostatic air c1eaners and ionizers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 11. 5. 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 11. 5. 2. What do they have in common? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 11. 5. 3. What is the difference? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 11. 6. Health effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 11. 6. 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 11. 6. 2. Air conditioning and c1imate control . . . . . . . . . . . 142 11. 6. 3. Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 11. 6. 4. Charged particles and health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 11. 7. Conc1usion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 The atmosphere is not what it is popularly believed to be 163 111. 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 111. 2. Particles in the atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 m. 2. I. General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 m. 2. 2. Partic1es and albedo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 111. 2. 3. Condensation nuc1ei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 111. 3. Pollution sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 111. 3. 1. General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 III. 3. 2. Forest fires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 111. 3. 2. Car emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 111. 3. 3. The e1ectrostatic precipitator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 III. 4. Transport and sinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 111. 4. 1. General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 111. 4. 2. Dust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 111. 4. 3. Se1ective deposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 111. 4. 4. Visibility, ozone layer, and nitrates. . . . . . . . . . . . 206 111. 4. 5. Torrential rains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Contents 8 Tb. Forgotten Pollution 111. 4. 4. Visibility, ozone layer, and nitrates . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 111. 4. 5. Torrential rains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lightning: Physics and Effects is the first book that covers essentially all aspects of lightning, including lightning physics, lightning protection and the interaction of lightning with a variety of objects and systems as well as with the environment. It is written in a style that will be accessible to the technical non-expert and is addressed to anyone interested in lightning and its effects. This will include physicists, engineers working in the power, communications, computer and aviation industries, meteorologists, atmospheric chemists, foresters, ecologists, physicians working in the area of electrical trauma and architects. This comprehensive reference volume contains over 300 illustrations, 70 tables containing quantitative information and a bibliography of more than 6000 references.