Summary
The troposphere is the seat of powerful processes which originate separation of electric charges. Thunder clouds give rise to a huge vertical separation of charges. But also known is a different electrification mechanism activated by wind, which allows for horizontal separation of charges. In favourable conditions, when charges are displaced at long distances, image charges appear in the ionspheric plasma and an upward electric field is originated which makes the ionosphere boundary unstable. If this occurs, recombination of displaced charges involves ionosphere conductivity and gives rise to a downward electron stream ejected from the bottom of the ionosphere. It may produce a peculiar airglow phenomenon, which consists of the emission of light in a narrow region lying at stratospheric or mesospheric altitudes. This outcome of the electrification process just mentioned shows a close connection with a special class of «UFO» sightings, that is, those referred to by J. Hynek as «nocturnal light» and which consist of bright specks of light moving in the night sky.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ratcliffe J. A.,An Introduction to the Ionosphere and Magnetosphere (Cambridge) 1972.
Ratcliffe J. A.,Physics of the Upper Atmosphere (Academic Press, New York, N.Y.) 1960, Chapt. 9.
Fleagle R. G. andBusinger J. A.,An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics (Academic Press, New York, N.Y.) 1963, Chapt. 3.
Rosen J. M., Hofmann D. J., Gringel W., Berlinski J., Michnowsky S., Morita Y., Ogawa T. andOlson D.,J. Geophys. Res.,87 (1982) 1219.
Bragin Yu., Tyutin A. A. andKacheev A. A.,Cosmic Res.,12 (1974) 279.
Hale L. C., Croskey C. L. andMitchell J. D.,Geophys. Res. Lett.,8 (1981) 297.
Maynard N. C., Croskey C. L., Mitchell J. D. andHale L. C.,Geophys. Res. Lett.,8 (1981) 923.
Israel H.,Atmospheric Electricity, Vol. II (Keter Press, Jerusalem) 1973.
Fleming A.,Terrestrial Magnetism and Electricity (McGraw Hill, New York, N.Y.) 1939.
Chalmers J. A.,Atmospheric Electricity (Pergamon Press, Oxford) 1967.
Condon E. U.,Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (Bantam Books, New York, N.Y.) 1969.
Klass P. J.,UFO Explained (Random House, New York, N.Y.) 1974.
Hynek J. A.,The UFO Experience (Henry Regnery, Chicago, Ill.) 1972.
Epstein J.,Phys. Today,27 (1974) 15.
Heaton H. I.,Phys. Today,28 (1975) 11.
Chapman S.,Nuovo Cimento, Suppl. 4 (1956) 1385.
Hines C., Paglis I., Hartz T. R. andFejer J. A.,Physics of the Earth Upper Atmosphere (Prentice Hall, New York, N.Y.) 1965.
Evans R. D.,The Atomic Nucleus (McGraw Hill, New York, N.Y.) 1955.
Katz L. andPenfold A. S.,Rev. Mod. Phys.,24 (1952) 28.
Chen F. F.,Introduction to Plasma Physics (Plenum Press, New York, N.Y.) 1976.
Brovetto P., Bussetti G. andMaxia V.,J. Atmos. Terr. Phys.,38 (1976) 921.
Fermi E.,Nuclear Physics (University Press, Chicago, Ill.) 1953.
Durand E.,Electrostatique, Tome II (Masson, Paris) 1966.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brovetto, P., Maxia, V. On the instability of ionospheric plasma originated by charge separations in the troposphere. The «UFO» phenomenon mechanism. Il Nuovo Cimento D 17, 169–202 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02451595
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02451595