Drought and Electric Charge

From: Rodney Blackall (rblackall_at_rodsrisc.demon.co.uk)
Date: 07/04/04 

Date: Sun, 04 Jul 2004 21:22:59 +0000 (GMT)

In article <q2gee0dtsv8ak2827041k07mgl1e35nv44@4ax.com>, Robert <RB@..>
wrote:
> Australia is experiencing the worst drought in history...and there is
> no end in sight.

> Some time ago, I put forward the theory that electric surface charge
> might be preventing the formation of rain bearing clouds.

Surface charge preventing the formation of clouds a mile or more above?

> I see pleanty of evidence of this.

> What we see happening regularly is that the cloud fronts, which
> normally move from W to E across southern Australiam, are being
> 'pushed' southward so the moisture never reaches the dry east coast.

Pushed by the winds circulating around a persistent high pressure area or
moved by a force other than upper winds?

> I believe that because dry ground is highly resistive, its surface
> charge builds up considerably. When rain DOES fall, it probably
> increases that charge and causes further rain to be 'suspended' in the
> air until it evaporates.

Have you any idea of the forces involved? What is the weight of a
raindrop? Assume the static field is 1000 v/m, what charge must the drop
carry to be held in suspension. I guess that it is much more likely that
the raindrops will be accelerated and the probability of lightning
increased. (Think drought, thunderstorm, forest fire.)

> Has anyone ever tried to measure the electric charge on various parts
> of the Earth's surface to see if there is any connection with local
> weather patterns?

The 'fair weather field' changes dramatically with the approach of any
decent sized cloud. My copy of 'Flight of the thunderbolts' by Schonland
is out of reach by a Google on 'fair weather field' should get lots of
hits. 

-- 
Rodney Blackall (retired meteorologist)
Buckingham, ENGLAND
Using Acorn SA-RPC OS 4.02 with ANT INS and Pluto 3.03h

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