The Basic Common Concept of Plasma Universe and Thunderclouds Symmetry and Symmetry Breakdown, Dipoles, Electric Reconnection, and Critical Ionization Velocities

Abstract

From a philosophical point of view, a concept of symmetry seems to be an acceptable idea of basic importance in general. This is also true especially for a wide range of scientific structures and phenomena. In fact, elementary particles of a matter are constructed on the basis of a symmetry of particles and antiparticles and/or a pair of positively and negatively charged particles. Such an idea has been applied to 'cosmology' as found in Klein- Alfven's model of matter and antimatter universe (1). Although a symmetry of elementary particles has been well recognized and established both theoretically and experimentally, for example as seen in electron-positron pairs, it may be so difficult to obtain directly convincing proof of a symmetry of universe. One can see, how- ever, a tiny universe in separation of positive and negative charges of thunderclouds consisting of vertical and horizontal dipole cells corresponding to separation of matter and antimatter consisting of matter and antimatter cells. Then lightning phenomena are regarded as a manifestation of symmetry breakdown. An astronomical study based on such an idea of symmetry and symmetry breakdown can also been found in a hereditary book of secrets on astronomy written in Japanese by Zenkichi Kikuchi (1794-1863), an ancestor of the author's lineage (2, 3). It has been found that in many 'lightning strokes', both electric reconnection and critical ionization effects are involved in all discharge processes as proved by many natural and triggered lightning and laboratory discharges (4). The positive leader velocity can be estimated by the ion critical velocity, while the positive streamer, negative and dart leader velocities can be estimated by the electron critical velocity. It is of particular interest that lightning strokes to vertical needles on the ground surface at electrical cusp points before placing them had a most high probability in statistical survey experiments in a costal region of the Sea of Japan though this was accidentally found (4, 5).