Testing of a Solar Wind-Atmospheric Electricity-Weather and Climate Mechanism

电流密度的增加会导致云顶的气溶胶和过冷水滴上积累更多的静电荷。 理论模型和实验室测量表明，这将增加初始冰成核的速率，导致冬季气旋强度和大气环流的观测变化。 PI将首先澄清和量化全球电路的变化，以响应太阳风的变化。 这将为静电荷对云微物理影响的定量模型提供基础。 第二，他们将测试他们对1992-94年冬季威尔科克斯效应回归的预测，当时平流层气溶胶负荷因皮纳图博而增加，并且在扇区边界处存在相对论电子沉淀的调制。 最后，PI将测试南半球气象数据集对福布什减少和扇区边界交叉的反应。

Increases in current density result in greater accumulation of electrostatic charge on aerosols and supercooled water droplets at the tops of clouds. Theoretical models and laboratory measurements indicate this will increase the rate of initial ice nucleation, leading to observed changes in winter cyclone intensity and in general circulation. The PIs will first clarify and quantify changes in the global electric circuit in response to changes in the solar wind. This will provide a basis for more quantitative models of electrostatic charge effects on cloud microphysics. Second, they will test their prediction of the return of the Wilcox effect for the winters of 1992-94, when stratospheric aerosol loading was increased by Pinatubo, and there was modulation of relativistic electron precipitation at sector boundaries. Finally, the PIs will test the southern hemisphere meteorological data sets for responses to Forbush decreases and sector boundary crossings.***