Atmospheric electricity measurements in the upper air over Poona

Abstract

Atmospheric electricity measurements made during the last decade at Poona using balloon-borne sondes are briefly reviewed. The vertical distribution of potential gradient in the free atmosphere follows theoretical values only during the monsoon months, when the air is comparatively free from dust. During the summer months, the potential gradient is constant above the exchange layer and this is associated with the presence of the deep, dense dust layer that lies over the region and extends to over 10 km into the atmosphere. The increase with height of the potential gradient above the 10 km level during winter is shown to be closely related to the presence of the subtropical jet stream, which presumably transports electric charges to the upper levels over Poona.