Static electrification in the atmosphere by the electrolytic process

Electrochemical mechanisms of electrostatic effects in the atmosphere are discussed. The proposed cloud charging mechanism, based on the ion capture process, takes into account the contribution of ions outside the cloud boundaries, in contrast to other ion capture theories, which consider ions produced only within the cloud boundaries. Other electrostatic phenomena involving this charging mechanism are electric fair-weather fields in the atmosphere with potentials of over 200 kV between the earth's surface and the positive space charge, and the charging of aircraft to static potentials of up to 100 kV.