On Sat, 23 Dec 2006 10:02:20 -0500, chuck wrote:

Since there is no assumed
contact with charged particles in the exogenous electrification mode,
electrification may be a misnomer today. As I suggested in an earlier
post, all an electric field can do to an isolated conductor is
redistribute the charges preexisting on the conductor. Of course if the
redistribution of charges leads to coronal discharges favoring either
the positive or negative "end" of the plane, then the plane could
acquire a non-zero net charge (i.e., be electrified). The authors don't
give a hint that this is what was envisioned, though.

Hi Chuck,

The author wasn't particularly interested in the electrification as he
was the conduction and subsequent discharge. In actuality, what is
described as exogenous electrification is no different from
autogenous. The air currents described simply convect smaller
particles as has been described in subsequent years in other aviation
material starting with "Atmospheric Electricity," Chalmers, J.A. -
1967; or earlier with "The Fair Weather Atmospheric Electric Potential
and its Gradient," Clark, J.F. 1958.

Normal convection builds up a charge stratification on the order of
190 V/m at ground level, but declines to half that a mile up. At that
same mile altitude (above ground level) charge density increases
1000%.

Needless to say, aircraft at different altitudes in identical, clement
weather are subject to vastly different fields.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC