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Raindrop charges, electric field and space charge measurements at a mountain station covered with monsoon clouds

Messungen der Ladungen von Regentropfen, des elektrischen Feldes und der Raumladung auf einer mit Monsun-Wolken bedeckten Bergstation

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Summary

Raindrop charges, electric field, space charge and rainfall intensity have been measured at a mountain station, Mahabaleshwar, during the southwest monsoon season when it is almost always covered with stratus and strato-cumulus clouds. Negative potential gradients of less than −300 V/m, small fluctuating space charges and negative charges on 71% of the total number of the charged raindrops have been observed to prevail. Net charge being transported by precipitation to the ground has been observed to be negative. Analysis of the electrical characteristics of five different showers indicates no distinct groups in which these showers need be divided.

Zusammenfassung

Auf der Bergstation Mahabaleshwar, die in der Zeit des Südwest-Monsuns meist ganz mit Stratus- und Stratocumuluswolken bedeckt ist, wurden Ladungen der Regentropfen, das elektrische Feld, die Raumladung und die Regenintensität gemessen. Dabei wurden negative Potentialgradienten kleiner als −300 V/m, nur wenig schwankende Raumladungen und negative Ladungen an 71% der Gesamtzahl von geladenen Tropfen als vorherrschend beobachtet. Die Gesamtladung, die durch den Niederschlag zum Boden gebracht wird, wurde als negative Ladung festgestellt. Die Analyse der elektrischen Charakteristiken von fünf Schauern weisen auf keine unterschiedlichen Gruppen hin, in die diese Schauer eingeteilt werden müßten.

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Kamra, A.K., Sathe, A.B. Raindrop charges, electric field and space charge measurements at a mountain station covered with monsoon clouds. Arch. Met. Geoph. Biocl. A. 32, 145–153 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02272719

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