CHAPTER I/p1-AIR/EARTH CURRENT AND E.M

AIR-EARTH CURRENT AND E.M

The exchange between air and earth surface is very complicated, and more than that there is even a very far difference between the process on land surface and one at sea surface. Both sea surface and land surface are huge themes to research; we do not study the whole but something that relevant to the charges of land and sea surface.

I-General about atmosphere and its electrics:

Figure 1/I-Atmosphere and electric in air (From manual book)

Atmosphere so far is recognized as the air with many layers surrounding the Earth. Certainly, atmosphere is the source of air for human being to breathe, nitrate for fertilizer, CO2 for plants and forest…The figures re-posted in this chapter are definitely excerpted from manuals about atmospheric electric, which present and explain many complicated processes in our atmosphere.

Figure 1a/I-The atmosphere

Figure 2/I-Air electric in atmosphere-The potential gradient (From manual book)

As atmosphere is a mixture of all kinds of air that come from soil and streams, rivers and oceans; therefore atmosphere is very complicated. In addition, both soil and air are heated by sunlight and Earth core, so there must be many processes happening by which we can’t anticipate. Our discussion in this book won’t reach beyond the influence of atmosphere to Earth magnetism. 

2-Convection: This is an activity that happens every time in atmosphere.

Figure 3/II- Convection illustration

a/ Tense and ease: The vital contrast is that the convection is rather tense on land and certainly ease on sea surface.

The cool air flocks to the low pressure place where the hot air just rises; this process makes another story:

-During air-flows touching Earth surface, the earth rotation energizes every of them un-equally on each different wind direction.

-As the Earth is rotating at all the time; every single air-flow is influenced, so each comes to fill a place but not a point; approximately each direction is tangent to an imaginable circle and not to eliminate any other.

-The closer to equator, the faster the Earth surface moves; this is how the Earth surface influences the wind, it is also named as Corriolis Effect; (Approximately 463 m/s at equator, 432 m/s at latitude 21⁰N(S)). This effect writes its own story in another issue-the storm or typhoon. We are expecting to discuss about it in another book.

-The solar heat does not distribute evenly everywhere, therefore some place is warmer than the others, and the convection is such different from one to another place, that’s how complicated the terrestrial convection is.

Despite the convection does not contribute directly to E.M, it does make somewhere more positive or leave somewhere more negative, that’s how it does contribute indirectly to E.M.

 b/ Charge separation: In addition, no matter how much this issue is relevant to our problem, we can’t ignore the magnetic force applying on either ‘’+ion’’ or ‘’–ion’’ during convection. The force obviously separates ‘’+ion’’ from ‘’–ion’’ which used to be mixed together in ion sheath on earth surface before convection. The separation is then writing its own story; we won’t go all the way down every process in this book. 

II-Air-earth current in general (J_cd):

Like any other global matter, air-earth conduction current is a huge issue that researched by several scientists. We don’t go in advance of them but follow.

2/1 . Concept:

There is not only one definition to this concept found, but in general the air-earth conduction current is so far recognized as a direct current of charges under the influence of air-earth electric field, and counted on square meter or square foot laid perpendicular to the general current.

2/2 . Air-earth current research:

‘’The air-earth conduction current’’ is a theme that has been researched in centuries ago and the scientists still keep researching everywhere in the world. One of the pioneers in this science is C.T.R Wilson who pointed out that the global thunderstorm activity is energizing the earth-ionosphere electric circuit. Nonetheless we don’t begin from C.T.R Wilson but with the following that cited from a magazine:

2/3 . What is the role of air-earth current in E.M?

For the matters relating to the sea surface, the book ’’Electromagnetic ocean effect’’ by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration) and another ‘’Oceanic Whitecaps and Their Role in Air-Sea Exchange Processes’’ by group of scientists have presented rather well. Those books are viable reference for the author of this book.

For the happenings on land, almost everything is presented in tens of books about ‘’Atmosphere electric’’.

Our discussion is not about how to repeat or to re-check the works that done by those forerunners but how to perceive those findings and how the Earth Magnetism works under their light.

The following figures are displaying very important researching results that facilitate our research:

Air-Earth conduction current and thunderstorm area

Figure 4/II-Thunderstorm area & air-earth conduction current-Mauna Loa.

The graph displays two plots that direct proportionally rise and fall against the same variable-the time. Although the graph doesn’t say which from the two is pushing behind the other but the analogy in there does suggest the causal relation between them:

‘’The larger thunderstorm area expands, the more air-earth current increases’’.

Like any other global matter, air-earth conduction current is a huge issue that researched by several scientists. We don’t go in advance of them but follow.

The graph displays two plots that direct proportionally rise and fall against the same variable-the time. Although the graph doesn’t say which from the two is pushing behind the other but the analogy in there does suggest the causal relation between them:

‘’The larger thunderstorm area expands, the more air-earth current increases’’.

Figure 5/I- Potential gradient & Air-Earth conduction current-Tirunelveli (India) at 8.73 N, 77.7 E. Recorded on 25^th April, 2007.

The dotted plot displays air-earth current, average value in every minute with Wilson’s plate. The continuous plot is for potential gradient with passive antenna.

Unlike the figure (5/II) that doesn’t specify which is functioning on the other as variable. This graph (6/II) displays 2 in 1, where one of the two, potential gradient and the air-earth current density, definitely depends on the other:

‘’The steeper the potential gradient goes, the more air-earth current increases.’’

Although we are working with gradient but it is not in our discussion. Equation, differentiation as well as gradient are left for mathematicians; while the built graph is for us. 

Fig.6/I-The true record at observer. (at 8.73 N, 77.7 E)

The above result is obtained at Tirunelveli (South India) on 25^th April 2007, but actually, except the local sunrise enhancement, the result is quite analogous with every different observer in the world. 

III-Scrutiny on Paradox, Questions and Causality:

Upon those records above and especially the true details of graph built on 25 April 2007 at Tirunelveli (South India).

Let’s figure out the causal relation between sunshine and air-earth conduction current.

Argument: (Although sea and land don’t make a capacitor, in such a relation that the negative amplitude on one plate is responding to the positive amplitude on the other, but they are in electrically responsive relation to maintain the Earth about a neutral electrically charged body).

 

1-Assumptions:

a-When the Sun shines on the continent, it does not only energize the free ions on land surface, but also heats up the land to enhance the convection on there. The enhanced convection in its turn is to blow the air up to free the ion sheath from land surface.

b-The sea-land difference is then resulted in the real contrast between continent and ocean under sunshine. Land’s free ions are energized under sunshine like the happening in photocell, and each locale is different to another; while all oceans are unified and make only single electrode due to their good electrical conductivity. So, land is localism while the sea is globalism.

c-There had been no solar storm happening to the atmosphere and Earth on 25 April 2007, and so the U2 was unchanged within that 24-hour time of our problem.

Figure 7/I-Localism in land charge-one is different to another.

d-The Sun time at Suva (Fiji) indicates that there is no considerable difference between GMT+12 (as geographical calculations) and real time at longitude 180⁰; therefore we may consider the meridian passing almost as instant local time at any locale in the world.

2-Arguments of Electric paradox & Earth surface charge: ‘’losing electrons to be more negative?’’

+a/The continent is losing electrons and becomes more positive? This question is set to many people and definitely I don’t believe the argument.

Like any material, continent is made of soil, stone and normal material. Under sunshine the continent must lose ion (both positive and negative) and become positive, this is a question?

+b/The average ratio +2000/-1000:

In reality, the convection makes land surface losing ions of both positive and negative. The bold issue we consider is the ratio between positive ion and negative ion in every CC of air in land (not at sea side or sea surface), it is averaged as +2000/-1000, or (2) positive on (1) negative in city; so we should consider the land surface as losing +ions and definitely the Earth becomes more negative.

The charge of the Earth (continents and oceans) becomes more negative when larger part of continent is shined; this is a fact and the matter of fact. We rather discuss about its consequence.

Where no sunlight is shining on land, the surface is not heated up and so no convection is built and nothing special happens. As soon as sunlight shines on land, it is heated up and the convection is built and becoming tense. The convection clears up the land surface which used to be covered with ion sheath on it, and so the land surface becomes less positive or said specifically that the surface in convection becomes negative. We should emphasize the SURFACE and only the surface matter.

+c/Balance charged status of the Earth:

Argument: The positive effect impacts on ocean becomes less, so to make the ion sheath (rather negative) above water surface loose, the ions in there can be freed rapidly; the charge balance is such maintained?

Not really, the reality does not happen in such normal way. The ions on sea surface are stacked on each other, accumulated and controlled by many different rules, not just static electric force. In short, the ease convection happens on there (ref. to ‘’convection’’) and so the balance can be broken on favour of sea surface charge.

Thus, every ion freed from ocean surface would have to stay in the ion sheath; the lateness or ‘’retardation’’ happens to the whole oceans to stabilize the Earth electric status.

The magic act is then working when Sunshine is more on land than sea; in the imbalance between positive land and negative sea charge, the sea surface seems to be unchanged while the land surface becomes more negative because losing positive ions.

Thus, the convection and retardation should be the motives to make to Earth more negative and even many more than that. This is still a question for further debate.

Figure 8/I-The ion sheath blew or retarded.

As mentioned above, the ion freed from land cum the difference in convection between sea and land are the key reasons of the rule ‘’to lose ions to be more negative’’ and not the paradox that ‘’to lose electron to be more negative’’. The paradox found happening to the set of Sea-Land-Sunshine on the Earth is wrongly ascribed to static electric force. Actually it is pure static electric, simple that losing positive ions is to be more negative.

This rule is almost applicable to whole the Earth and not specific to any locale or it is said: the globalism of the law.

From a book ‘’The Oceanic Whitecaps and their roles in Air-Sea exchange processes’’-D.Reidel Publishing company, P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, Holland; we may cite an excerpt of argument: ‘’It has long been recognized that as the Earth rotates, global thunderstorm frequency and the magnitude of the negative charge carried by the Earth are at maximum when the Sun shines on continents and convective activity is most tense, and at minimum when the Sun is shining on the ocean and convection is less tense.’’ (p219)

(PROBLEM: (The real data are not sufficient to set up a pragmatic problem, therefore this is not solved in this book, just entertaining the physics and math lovers).

Suppose the average condensation of ions and their ratio on world’s land is (+1500/-1000) in every cubic centimetre (CC). Average land height (above average sea level):10 m. Average thickness of ion layer is 10 m for either sea or land.

Questions: What is the average ratio of +ions/-ions at sea surface to maintain an electrically neutral Earth? What is contribution of those to the Earth Magnetism if neutral Earth is maintained?(This problem is backing the argument presented in Biot-Savart expression that the magnetic intensity is inversely proportional to the squared distance from a charge to the centre of its hoop. In reality, everywhere the ion status is different and depending on local conditions).

The following is a researching record in some locale of Indian Ocean, somewhere the condensed positive ions are found. We can have reference from the table, and note that it is not incorporated in the above problem.

+d/The Consequence and Causality: (Figure 8a/II).

We may make it clear by supposing that there is a truly neutral point in figure 8a/II, which demonstrates a mock diagram of the Earth’s potential: U1 and the other is U2-potential of ionized layer are taken.      

                 

Figure 8a/I-Potential of ionized layer and Earth.

The potential U2 is relatively stable unless solar storm happens, while the magnitude of Earth charge-U1- is changing at all the time in accordance with the Sun shined land area. The more sunshine the more positive ion the land loses; while the negative sea surface is stable, this status makes the Earth more negative.

Consequently, the variation happens with the voltage between ionized layer and Earth:

V= U2-U1                                                                             (1-3)

As soon as the potential U1 goes up-and-down, the voltage V goes down-and-up, or in another word:

The more negative Earth, the higher voltage between ionized layer and Earth is.

Certainly any change in voltage leads to the change in air-earth conduction current. This is another way by which the Sun can influence the Earth; therefore:

With the brokerage of Earth’s atmosphere the Sun can affect the Earth by several ways.

+e/A question from critics: the Earth is losing ions at all the time and becomes un-neutral, how is the Earth balanced back?

This question is right and nice indeed. Actually, the chemical reaction is happening every time on the Earth to offset the any shortage. Moreover, another ion source is the atmosphere which is ‘’paying’’ back in every lightning with a lot of ions of both positive and negative charges.

4-Review: hourly changes and 24-hr cycle of Earth Magnetism.

-Every day, when the GMT is at 0.0 (or midnight), the local time at the longitude 180⁰ is midday or solar noon by geographical time calculation.

The purpose of this arrangement is to match Sun’s meridian passing time with local time throughout round clock or 24 hrs.

4/1-To match Sun meridian passing to graph:

We consider some specific locales under the Sun meridian passing from 0.0 minute to 1440 minute (24 GMT).

The graph begins at ‘’0’’ minute to 1440 minutes while the Sun is at meridian above 180⁰ to come westward.

Fig. 9/I-Solar noon at 180⁰E when GMT is 0.0

Therefore we got to turn the world map up-side-down and attach to the graph to matching one to the other.

Figure 10/I-Two processes, one is approximately matching the other,

from minute 00 up to minute 1440.

4/2-With a series of assumptions, we may carry out a review:

+Primary demonstration from graph:

-Let’s start at 0.0 GMT from the longitude 180⁰, the Sun is passing meridian and begins its daily trip westward through a half of Pacific Ocean with East Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand…South East Asia.

-Within about 2 hrs after 0.0 GMT, the Sun is still shining on North America but goes westward; then no more America but a bit of Asia is shined instead. The Pacific Ocean is the main under Sun. Air-earth current as well as thunderstorm area are sinking to bottom.    

Therefore the image is demonstrating nothing tense except some lightning happens at Japan or Australia (as normally found).

-After 400 minutes, the Sun is above East Indian Ocean, about 2-3 hrs after leaving Japan, Australia behind. The air-earth current starts soaring up, this happening is attributed for thunder cloud establishing in Japan, Australia or even at Philippine and Indonesia.  

 -The next is Indian Ocean with Bangladesh, India, Pakistan…Middle East and East Africa. The West Africa and Atlantic Ocean and Europe & Africa …

-From minute 480 to minute 600, the Sun is almost above Africa. At this time, the Asian critical region is far away, while the thunder cloud in Africa is established.

- The Sun is passing the Prime longitude Greenwich at minute 720^th then to switch to the other half of the trip from Greenwich (at minute 720^th) to 180⁰ (at minute 1440^th). But from minute 720, both plots are likely falling down on a steep road, the Sun is leaving Africa. Then as soon as the Sun shines on Brazil, the two plots are rising up while the Sun is going to shine tensely & continuously on both North and South America.

-There seems no gap between sun-meridian passing time and variableness of the potential gradient (V/m) as well as Air-earth current density (pA/m2). They all depend on the land shined area; or where the narrowest shined land area is found along within 24 hrs, the lowest potential gradient and air-earth current density are found as well.

4/3-Comment: In general, the air-earth conduction current varies against the following variables:

-The local soil characteristics: The above figure (10/II) hints that the soil of each area is showing off its characteristics under sunshine, this is likely the localism and still a none-answered question.

-The local thunderstorm area: The thunderstorm influences on air-earth current, this has been pointed out by Wilson in centuries ago. We don’t debate again but depict it by our own way and it will work in the next chapter.

-Ocean electric conductivity: The globalism is feature of the ocean due to its electric conductibility. By such feature the potential at everywhere on the ocean, and seas connected with the ocean, is at the same value.

4/4-Special periods of time in a day: (Add another period at beginning for Pacific).

It is known to everyone that approximately the Sun is shining 90⁰ both westward and eastward longitudes from any meridian, and so the meridian passing can justify the ratio of land shined area on ocean shined area but can’t justify definitely the air-earth current which still depends on something else. Notwithstanding, we do consider the following special periods of time in a day for reference:

Figure 10a/I-Minute 0.0 until minute 180, both of plots are getting down.

Figure 10b/I-From minute 420 until minute 500, the Sun meridian at North Indian Ocean and the plots make an impressive dip.

Figure 10c/I-Minute 720 until minute 900, the 2 plots make another dip.

Figure 10d/I-From minute 1020 until minute 1440, the most mystery period in a day.

After above demonstrations, we realize that the sunshine on land is a magic agent that makes the air-earth conduction current to vary. The following is another figure which demonstrates the hourly variableness of E.M with reference observer VSS:

Figure 11/I-Hourly Range for VSS

We need to discuss about the ‘’how’’ at the hourly variation in some other chapter afterward.

CONCLUSIONS:

-By attaching air-earth current graph to up-side-down world map (figure 10/II), we realize that any variation in Sun shined land area must lead to respective change in the global total land charge without any retardation.

-The more sunshine on land, the more positive ions it loses; then the more negative the Earth is. This issue is the key argument which was debated and recognized in history; we just recall in this chapter for reference and again re-recognize.

-The air-earth conduction current incorporates with convection to make one local land different to another on term of electric charge.

-Land surface vs Sea surface: The convection on land makes land more negative; while less convection at sea surface leaves it stable.

-The particular characteristic of sea surface charge is globalism because all the oceans are connected and homogeneous electrically.

-For every Sun’s position on the sky, we always find out a land area shined and the other is ocean area to be so; and the ratio between one to the other of those two under sunlight at each respective time is indirectly demonstrated in the figure 6/II as well as the figure 10/II -The Air-Earth conduction current.

-Although the indirect causality between air-earth conduction current and E.M is defined, the air-earth conduction current only contributes in some from 7 compositions of Earth Magnetism. Notwithstanding the variableness in air-earth current leads to 24-hr cycle of Earth-Magnetism which has been pointed out long ago in science history.