What is Atmospheric Electricity?

When we go outside, we are exposed to many types of energy, including atmospheric electricity, or high voltage. Atmospheric electricity is vital for our health and well-being.

Since the days of Ben Franklin, scientists have been fascinated with atmospheric electricity. What is the source of this electricity? Atmospheric electricity is the movement of charge between the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere, and the ionosphere.

Thunderstorms act like giant capacitors charging up the electrosphere to about 400,000 volts with respect to the earth, creating an electric field throughout the atmosphere. Atmospheric ions created by cosmic rays move in the electric field, so a very small current flows through the atmosphere, even away from thunderstorms. Lightning acts like a giant switch rapidly discharging huge amounts of the atmospheric charge stored in storm clouds. Continual electrification of the air due to ionization from cosmic rays produces lightning discharges up to 100 times a second.

Spending time outdoors connects us to this giant circuit providing vital energies to help maintain healthy cellular function.