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    Precipitation Modification by Ionization

    R. Giles Harrison1, Keri A. Nicoll1,2, Maarten H. P. Ambaum1, Graeme J. Marlton1, Karen L. Aplin3, and Michael Lockwood1

    • 1Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6BB, United Kingdom
    • 2Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
    • 3Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TR, United Kingdom

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    Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 198701 – Published 13 May, 2020

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.198701

    Abstract

    Rainfall is hypothesized to be influenced by droplet charge, which is related to the global circuit current flowing through clouds. This is tested through examining a major global circuit current increase following the release of artificial radioactivity. Significant changes occurred in daily rainfall distribution in the Shetland Islands, away from pollution. Daily rainfall changed by 24%, and local clouds optically thickened, within the nuclear weapons test period. This supports expectations of electrically induced microphysical changes in liquid water clouds from additional ionization.

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    Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 198701– Published 13 May, 2020
    • Received 6 December 2019
    • Revised 6 February 2020
    • Accepted 17 April 2020
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