Abstract
Abstract. The Nagycenk Geophysical Observatory in Hungary (47° 38 ' N, 16° 43 ' E) has made continuous measurements of the vertical atmospheric electric Potential Gradient (PG) since 1962. Global signals have previously been identified in the Nagycenk PG data. A long-term (1920–1981) decrease has been discovered in the PG measured at the Eskdalemuir Observatory, Scotland (55° 19 ' N, 3° 12 ' W), suggesting that this represents a global change in the atmospheric electricity related to a decline in cosmic rays. A 40% decline in PG is shown here to have occurred at Nagycenk between 1962 and 2001, also consistent with changes in the air-Earth current measured at Kew (51° 28 ' N, 0° 19 ' W), London, 1966–1978. Comparison of the long-term PG measurements at both Eskdalemuir and Nagycenk gives further evidence to support the hypothesis of a global atmospheric electrical decline from the early twentieth century to the present time, as it is shown that local effects at Nagycenk are unlikely to have dominated the changes there.Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (atmospheric electricity)
Highlights
An understanding is emerging that the atmospheric electrical system can exert effects on clouds, and in the long-term climate (Carslaw et al, 2002)
One surface atmospheric electrical parameter which has been measured for a long time is the vertical potential gradient (PG), which has been recorded at many sites and some long data series have been re-discovered (Harrison, 2003)
A long-term change appearing in PG data measured at Davos was attributed to a local effect (Israel, 1973)
Summary
An understanding is emerging that the atmospheric electrical system can exert effects on clouds, and in the long-term climate (Carslaw et al, 2002). In this context, establishing whether the atmospheric electrical system has shown significant variation with time may provide evidence of a physical link between solar variability and the climate. To analyse long-term global atmospheric electrical changes, continuous measurements are required from the same site, at which local effects are small. There is evidence of a longterm decline of the Nagycenk PG, apparently still continuing (Marcz et al, 1997), which may be of local or global origin
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