The Effect of Earth Minerals on Electrically Charged Clouds: a Theoretical Study

This article studies some aspects on cloud electricity. It introduces the effect of earth minerals on the lightening phenomena. This is further followed by potential applications of lightening on remote mineral sensing. The paper then proceeds to introduce effects, other than lightening, that are associated with electrically charged clouds flying across above regions of earth minerals. Several cases were studied: a lumped-spot of earth minerals, a line-distribution of earth minerals, a contour distribution of earth minerals, and a surface distribution of earth minerals.

The topic is analyzed using basic-physics laws for forces between charged objects, as well as some mathematical methodology.

The analysis shows that earth minerals play, among other factors, a re-directing role in cloud-motion. They can cause the cloud to rotate, re-orient, slow-down, speed-up, loose or gain height; while crossing the region of earth minerals. This, among other factors, contributes to lightening discharge and rain falling. The paper then concludes with some estimates and examples, giving some suggestions for further research in this scope. It also projects on possible application of this effect on mineral detection by cloud-motion observation