Study of Atmospheric Electric Tracing of High-Altitude Irregularities

摘要

Atmospheric electric parameters measured at the ground or in the troposphere are frequently observed to be correlated with aurorae or other cosmic or ionospheric events. Such correlations cannot be explained on the basis of our present knowledge of atmospheric electricity and auroral physics. Several qualitative hypotheses are presented in this document. A new experimental approach is proposed which utilizes a high-flying aircraft suitably equipped with ionospheric instrumentation. The aircraft would tow a float containing atmospheric electric equipment. A general survey of measuring methods for small electric fields in the stratosphere is included in the report. (Author)