ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЕ КОЭФФИЦИЕНТА РЕДУКЦИИ АТМОСФЕРНОГО ЭЛЕКТРИЧЕСКОГО ПОЛЯ В ПРИЗЕМНОМ СЛОЕ

Abstract

The article examines the problem of interpretation of atmospheric-electrical observationsconducted regularly on a network of ground stations that are an integral part of the general monitoringof the state of the atmosphere. To solve the general task of monitoring - obtaining regimedata on the electric field of the atmosphere and identifying trends in its changes, a comparativeanalysis of measurement data at various observation points is required. The electric field strength(potential gradient) is usually measured at a certain height from the earth's surface using variousmethods (geometry) of installing sensors near the earth's surface. The resulting values of the electricfield may differ greatly from the reference values, which are understood as measurements on aflat surface in plain conditions. The structure of the atmospheric electric field near a flat electrodewith spherical inhomogeneity investigates in the paper. For the joint analysis of data from variousobservation points, their unification is usually carried out by introducing a reduction coefficient:the ratio of the values of the electric field strength in geometrically distorted conditions to its referencevalue on the plain. It is shown that the values of the reduction coefficient strongly dependnot only on the geometry of the sensor installation, but also on the values of the measured electricfield. To correctly calculate the reduction coefficient of the electric field, it is proposed to use simultaneouslythe geometric distortion coefficient of the electric field and the coefficient taking intoaccount the influence of the electrode effect near the earth's surface. Calculations of the values ofthe reduction coefficient in the vicinity of the spherical inhomogeneity of the electrode surface forthe cases of classical and turbulent electrode effect in the surface layer are performed. The influenceof meteorological factors and the measured electric field on the values and spatial distributionof the reduction coefficient has been established. For the correct interpretation of the resultsof ground-based atmospheric-electrical observations, taking into account the reduction coefficient,it is necessary to take into account not only the geometry of the sensor installation, but also theeffect of the electrode effect on the obtained values of the electric field.