Mathematical modeling of the turbulent-convective surface layer electrical structure

Abstract

There was developed and examined a model of the ground layer electrodynamic state assisted by the electrode effect near the Earth surface considering turbulent and convective transfers in the atmosphere. Model equations’ analysis via similarity theory methods enabled to make a few proved physical assumptions. There were obtained analytical solutions of electrodynamic equations in approximations of the classical and turbulent electrode effect as well as the total current equations for various weather environment using mathematical simulation methods. Analytical formulas are obtained for calculating space distributions of electrical characteristics in the ground layer: air electrical conductivity, concentration of polar air ions (conductivity ions), space charge and electric field intensity. There were investigated distribution dependences of the ground layer electrical characteristics on the electric field values, on the turbulent mixing degree and the convective transfer speed. It is shown that the electrode effect parameter (the ratio of electric field intensity values on the Earth's surface and on the upper boundary of the electrode layer) is barely dependent on atmospheric environment, while the electrode layer height and thus, the distribution scale of electrical characteristics in the ground layer change significantly. Turbulent mixing intensification or convective transfer speed in the ground layer boosts the height of the electrode layer and, as a consequence, the distribution scale of its parameters’ distribution. The electric field enhancement provides a decrease in its height. Analytical calculations’ results match well with test data and the known results for numerical simulation of electrical structure in the ground layer. The obtained analytical formulas and calculated data can be useful in solving a number of application tasks in geophysics, notably to monitor the atmosphere electrical state.