Saharan dust electrification perceived by a triangle of atmospheric electricity stations in Southern Portugal

Sliva, H. G., Lopes, F. M., Pereira, S., Nicoll, K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5580-6325, Barbosa, S. M., Conceicao, R., Neves, S., Harrison, R. G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0693-347X and Collares Pereira, M. (2016) Saharan dust electrification perceived by a triangle of atmospheric electricity stations in Southern Portugal. Journal of Electrostatics, 84. pp. 106-120. ISSN 0304-3886 doi: 10.1016/j.elstat.2016.10.002

Abstract/Summary

Atmospheric Electric Potential Gradient (PG) measurements were carried out in three sites forming a triangular array in Southern Portugal. The campaign was performed during the summer, characterized by Saharan dust outbreaks; 16th-17th July 2014 dust event is considered. Short time-scale oscillations of the PG at two of the stations and a mid time-scale suppression of the PG in the three stations are found. Results are interpreted as evidencing long-range dust electrification; attributed to the air-Earth electrical current creating a bipolar charge distribution inside of the dust layer. The relevance of using arrays of sensors, instead of single sited, is highlighted.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/67778
Identification Number/DOI	10.1016/j.elstat.2016.10.002
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	Elsevier
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