HR: 0830h
AN: AE21A-1097    [PDF]
TI: Cosmic-ray Ionization Current to Ground And Its Impact on The Global Circuit
AU: * Colman, J J
EM: jonah@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Atmospheric, Climate, and Environmental Dynamics (EES-2), Mail Stop D401, Los Alamos, nm 87545 United States
AU: Roussel-Dupre, R A
EM: bobrd@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Atmospheric, Climate, and Environmental Dynamics (EES-2), Mail Stop D401, Los Alamos, nm 87545 United States
AB: The constant current that sustains the earth's global electrical circuit has a magnitude ranging from $\sim$ 750A - 2000A and is believed to originate from a thousand or so thunderstorms distributed across the globe. Based on a very limited set of measurements each thunderstorm is believed to carry approximately 0.5A - 1A of net positive current to the ionosphere over extended periods of time (hours) and in this way maintain the circuit and the associated earth-ionosphere potential of $\sim$ 300 kV. The difficulties faced in verifying this paradigm have prompted us to search for a simpler alternative. In this presentation we examine the role played by the ionization produced by cosmic rays and radioactivity in driving a net electron current into the ground in a process generally referred to as the probe effect. A detailed calculation of the steady state electron distribution function from zero energy to relativistic energies is presented. Both the cosmic ray flux and the amount of radioactivity due to various radioactive gases are varied. The effects of attachment and detachment are included and the water vapor content is varied. The net flux of electrons into the ground is calculated. The impact of the results on our understanding of the global circuit will be discussed.
DE: 0335 Ion chemistry of the atmosphere (2419, 2427)
DE: 2409 Current systems (2708)
DE: 2419 Ion chemistry and composition (0335)
DE: 2427 Ionosphere/atmosphere interactions (0335)
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting