Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites
Previous research has shown that the study of the global electrical circuit can be relevant to climate change studies, and this can be done through measurements of the potential gradient near the surface in fair weather conditions. However, potential gradient measurements can be highly variable due...
Published in: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.614639 https://doaj.org/article/8b564b41fa3e44a6ade7905bf9e12ccb |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:8b564b41fa3e44a6ade7905bf9e12ccb |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:8b564b41fa3e44a6ade7905bf9e12ccb 2023-05-15T13:37:15+02:00 Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites José Tacza Keri A. Nicoll Edith L. Macotela Marek Kubicki Anna Odzimek Jyrki Manninen 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.614639 https://doaj.org/article/8b564b41fa3e44a6ade7905bf9e12ccb EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.614639/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-6463 2296-6463 doi:10.3389/feart.2020.614639 https://doaj.org/article/8b564b41fa3e44a6ade7905bf9e12ccb Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol 8 (2021) potential gradient carnegie curve global electric circuit polar cap potential arctic antarctica Science Q article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.614639 2022-12-31T06:21:14Z Previous research has shown that the study of the global electrical circuit can be relevant to climate change studies, and this can be done through measurements of the potential gradient near the surface in fair weather conditions. However, potential gradient measurements can be highly variable due to different local effects (e.g., pollution, convective processes). In order to try to minimize these effects, potential gradient measurements can be performed at remote locations where anthropogenic influences are small. In this work we present potential gradient measurements from five stations at high latitudes in the Southern and Northern Hemisphere. This is the first description of new datasets from Halley, Antarctica; and Sodankyla, Finland. The effect of the polar cap ionospheric potential can be significant at some polar stations and detailed analysis performed here demonstrates a negligible effect on the surface potential gradient at Halley and Sodankyla. New criteria for determination of fair weather conditions at snow covered sites is also reported, demonstrating that wind speeds as low as 3 m/s can loft snow particles, and that the fetch of the measurement site is an important factor in determining this threshold wind speed. Daily and seasonal analysis of the potential gradient in fair weather conditions shows great agreement with the “universal” Carnegie curve of the global electric circuit, particularly at Halley. This demonstrates that high latitude sites, at which the magnetic and solar influences can be present, can also provide globally representative measurement sites for study of the global electric circuit. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Arctic Climate change Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Frontiers in Earth Science 8 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
potential gradient carnegie curve global electric circuit polar cap potential arctic antarctica Science Q |
spellingShingle |
potential gradient carnegie curve global electric circuit polar cap potential arctic antarctica Science Q José Tacza Keri A. Nicoll Edith L. Macotela Marek Kubicki Anna Odzimek Jyrki Manninen Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites |
topic_facet |
potential gradient carnegie curve global electric circuit polar cap potential arctic antarctica Science Q |
description |
Previous research has shown that the study of the global electrical circuit can be relevant to climate change studies, and this can be done through measurements of the potential gradient near the surface in fair weather conditions. However, potential gradient measurements can be highly variable due to different local effects (e.g., pollution, convective processes). In order to try to minimize these effects, potential gradient measurements can be performed at remote locations where anthropogenic influences are small. In this work we present potential gradient measurements from five stations at high latitudes in the Southern and Northern Hemisphere. This is the first description of new datasets from Halley, Antarctica; and Sodankyla, Finland. The effect of the polar cap ionospheric potential can be significant at some polar stations and detailed analysis performed here demonstrates a negligible effect on the surface potential gradient at Halley and Sodankyla. New criteria for determination of fair weather conditions at snow covered sites is also reported, demonstrating that wind speeds as low as 3 m/s can loft snow particles, and that the fetch of the measurement site is an important factor in determining this threshold wind speed. Daily and seasonal analysis of the potential gradient in fair weather conditions shows great agreement with the “universal” Carnegie curve of the global electric circuit, particularly at Halley. This demonstrates that high latitude sites, at which the magnetic and solar influences can be present, can also provide globally representative measurement sites for study of the global electric circuit. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
José Tacza Keri A. Nicoll Edith L. Macotela Marek Kubicki Anna Odzimek Jyrki Manninen |
author_facet |
José Tacza Keri A. Nicoll Edith L. Macotela Marek Kubicki Anna Odzimek Jyrki Manninen |
author_sort |
José Tacza |
title |
Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites |
title_short |
Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites |
title_full |
Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites |
title_fullStr |
Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites |
title_full_unstemmed |
Measuring Global Signals in the Potential Gradient at High Latitude Sites |
title_sort |
measuring global signals in the potential gradient at high latitude sites |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.614639 https://doaj.org/article/8b564b41fa3e44a6ade7905bf9e12ccb |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Arctic Climate change |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Arctic Climate change |
op_source |
Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol 8 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.614639/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-6463 2296-6463 doi:10.3389/feart.2020.614639 https://doaj.org/article/8b564b41fa3e44a6ade7905bf9e12ccb |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.614639 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Earth Science |
container_volume |
8 |
_version_ |
1766089758873747456 |