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Modifying natural droplet systems by charge injection

R. Giles Harrison, Graeme J. Marlton*, Maarten H. P. Ambaum, and Keri A. Nicoll

  • Department of Meteorology, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6BB, United Kingdom

  • *Present address: MetOffice, Fitzroy Road, Exeter, UK.
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Phys. Rev. Research 4, L022050 – Published 31 May, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.L022050

Abstract

Modifying droplet behavior has wide applications, from removing pathogens to increasing rainfall. In an environmental experiment, negative charge release is demonstrated to influence a natural fog. During charge emission, the average mass concentration of 1 μm droplets increased by 95.3%. For smaller droplets, concentrations during charge emission exceeded those without charge emission at the 99% confidence level. This is consistent with charge both facilitating formation of small droplets and inhibiting their evaporation. Physics-based droplet modification has immediate relevance to weather modification and, conceivably, pathogen control, without the introduction of additional chemical materials.

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Phys. Rev. Research 4, L022050– Published 31 May, 2022
  • Received 6 January 2022
  • Accepted 5 May 2022
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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