ATMO/ECE 489/589
Outline of Possible Topics
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1.1 Historical Overview
1.2 Review of classical electricity and magnetism

Coulomb's law and Maxwell's equations
Boundary value problems
Electrical units

2.1 Sources of atmospheric ions

Natural radioactivity
Radon and thoron - radon hazard
Cosmic rays
Point Discharge

2.2 Chemistry of primary ions
2.3 Small ion mobilities
2.4 Ion-ion recombination
2.5 Characteristics of the atmospheric aerosol
2.6 Ion-aerosol attachment
2.7 Electrical structure of the atmosphere

Ion balance equations
Conductivity profiles
Fair weather electric fields
Air-earth currents
Global electric "circuit"
Solar-terrestrial interactions

2.8 Applications

3.1 Microstructure of clouds
3.2 Ion-droplet diffusion
3.3 Electrical structure of non-thundery clouds
3.4 Development and evolution of thunderstorms
3.5 Thunderstorm electric fields

Measurements
Screening layers
Effects on cloud microphysics
Charge structure of thunderclouds

3.6 The thunderstorm as a current source

Spatial characteristics
Temporal development

3.7 Thunderstorm electrification

Basic charging requirements
Ion capture and induction mechanisms
Electrical properties of water and ice
Thermoelectric and contact mechanisms
Ice-graupel collisions - laboratory data
Observations in clouds
Large scale charge separation

3.8 Lightning initiation

Gas breakdown phenomena
Behavior of water drops in electric fields
Models of lightning initiation

4.1 Basic lightning phenomenology

Area densities and strike probablilties
Cloud-to-ground flashes
Preliminary breakdown
Stepped leader
Return strokes
Dart Leader
J and K processes
Intracloud discharges

4.2 Triggered lightning
4.3 Characteristics of lightning currents
4.4 Physical characteristics of lightning channels

Dimensions
Thermodynamic properties
Energy balance

4.5 Thunder
4.6 Chemistry of lightning processes
4.7 Electric and magnetic fields produced by lightning

Time domain antenna theory
Radio frequency emissions

4.8 Propagation, sferics, and atmospheric radio noise
4.9 Methods of detecting and locating lightning

Gated, wideband sensors (MDF and TOA)
RF techniques
Satellite lightning sensors

4.10 Electrical transients at high altitudes, "sprites and elves"
4.11 Global lightning activity

5.1 Mechanisms of lightning damage
5.2 Principles of lightning protection

Grounding, bonding, and shielding
Transient protectors
Shielding topology

5.3 Methods of protection against lightning

Buildings
Hazardous structures
Telecommunications and data systems
Electric-power transmission/distribution systems
Aircraft and avionics systems

5.4 Lightning test equipment, methods and standards
5.5 Lightning safety recommendations

6.   Possible additional topics

Ions and health
Stratospheric electricity
The ionosphere
The magnetosphere
Auroral phenomena
Whistlers
Electricity in planetary atmospheres
Ball lightning