HR: 16:20h
AN: SA54A-01 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Atmospheric dusty plasma creation by ground air ionization
AU: * Pulinets, S A
EM: pulse@geofisica.unam.mx
AF: Institute of Geophysics, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegacion Coyoacan, Mexico, DF 04510, Mexico
AB: The problems of the climate change and confirmation of the cosmic rays effects on the global cloud coverage attracted more attention to the processes of air ionization by energetic particles. But still the role of the ground radioactivity in the Global Electric Circuit remains underestimated. Our studies show that within the areas of increased radon emanation the essential modification of the atmospheric boundary layer takes place, especially of atmospheric electricity. Ions produced by radon ionization grow up to aerosol size due to water molecules attachment to ions. The ion concentration reaches the levels of order 105 - 106 cm-3 and we can speak on the atmospheric dusty plasma. Due to ion clusters low mobility the conductivity of the boundary layer drops what leads to sharp growth of the vertical electric field gradient. Additional electric field generation process takes place due to convective flow generated by the latent heat release in the process of water condensation on ions. Different kind of electromagnetic emissions can be expected which are characteristic to such kind of plasma. The rotational dipole frequencies are of order 100-200 MHz, and the local plasma frequency is of order of few mHz. The pulsed emission can be generated due to formation of electric cusps and electric reconnection. The model of atmospheric dusty plasma has experimental confirmation in the form of increased aerosol concentration measured by Aeronet network under increased levels of ionization, and in the data of electromagnetic monitoring both in the VHF and ELF bands.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
DE: 0335 Ion chemistry of the atmosphere (2419, 2427)
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3314 Convective processes
DE: 7849 Plasma interactions with dust and aerosols (2461)
SC: SPA-Aeronomy [SA]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly