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Ann. Geophys., 21, 2193-2200, 2003
www.ann-geophys.net/21/2193/2003/
© European Geosciences Union 2003
Long-term changes in atmospheric electrical parameters observed at Nagycenk (Hungary) and the UK observatories at Eskdalemuir and Kew
F. Märcz1 and R. G. Harrison2
1Geodetic and Geophysical Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-9401 Sopron, POB 5, Hungary
2Department of Meteorology, The University of Reading, P.O. Box 243, Earley Gate, Reading Berks, RG6 6BB, UK
Abstract. The Nagycenk Geophysical
Observatory in Hungary (47° 38 ' N, 16° 43 ' E) has made continuous
measurements of the vertical atmospheric electric Potential Gradient (PG) since
1962. Global signals have previously been identified in the Nagycenk PG data. A
long-term (1920–1981) decrease has been discovered in the PG measured at the
Eskdalemuir Observatory, Scotland (55° 19 ' N, 3° 12 ' W), suggesting that
this represents a global change in the atmospheric electricity related to a
decline in cosmic rays. A 40% decline in PG is shown here to have occurred at
Nagycenk between 1962 and 2001, also consistent with changes in the air-Earth
current measured at Kew (51° 28 ' N, 0° 19 ' W), London, 1966–1978.
Comparison of the long-term PG measurements at both Eskdalemuir and Nagycenk
gives further evidence to support the hypothesis of a global atmospheric
electrical decline from the early twentieth century to the present time, as it
is shown that local effects at Nagycenk are unlikely to have dominated the
changes there.
Key words. Meteorology and
atmospheric dynamics (atmospheric electricity)
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