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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 29, NO. 24, 2217, doi:10.1029/2002GL015765, 2002

Universal spectra of electric field pulsations in the atmosphere

S. V. Anisimov

Borok Geophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavl, Russia


E. A. Mareev

Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia


N. M. Shikhova

Borok Geophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavl, Russia


E. M. Dmitriev

Borok Geophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavl, Russia


Abstract

Short-term (f ≃ 10−3–1 Hz) electric field pulsations in the surface atmospheric layer have been measured during 1999–2001 under the fair-weather and fog conditions. At the frequencies of 10−2–1 Hz these pulsations have a power-law spectrum with the spectral index varying in the range from −1.23 to −3.36 while the most probable values of the index fall into the range from −2.25 to −3.0, unlike the temperature fluctuation spectra which obey in the inertial subrange the Kolmogorov power law with the spectral index close to −5/3. Under the fog conditions the intensity of electric-field pulsations increases by about an order of magnitude compared to the fair-weather conditions. The relation of spectral characteristics to the formation of aero-electric structures (AESs) is evident; the spectral index distribution during AES flyby has two maxima. Analysis of the mechanisms explains the relationship between electric-field spectra and the neutral-gas turbulence and AES formation.

Published 27 December 2002.

Index Terms: 3304 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Atmospheric electricity; 3307 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Boundary layer processes; 3367 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Theoretical modeling; 3379 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Turbulence; 3394 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Instruments and techniques.

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Citation: Anisimov, S. V., E. A. Mareev, N. M. Shikhova, and E. M. Dmitriev (2002), Universal spectra of electric field pulsations in the atmosphere, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(24), 2217, doi:10.1029/2002GL015765.