Vol. 19, issue 10, article # 2

pdf Kaul B. V. Effect of electric field on orientation of ice cloud particles. // Atmospheric and oceanic optics. 2006. V. 19. No. 10. P. 751-755.
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Abstract:

I consider orientation of water ice cloud particles under simultaneous actions of the aerodynamic force due to gravity and vertical gradient of the electric field. These processes compete. The former one orients particles by their large diameters horizontally while the latter one does the same along vertical. It is shown that a field with the strength about 104 V/m is capable of compensating for the action of the aerodynamic forces in case of particles with sizes of a few microns. To orient submicron particles, the electric field strength of 105 V/m is required, because at lower values the energy of electric interaction turns out to be less than kT. Besides, the field of such strength is capable to overcome the action of the aerodynamic forces and orient micron particles by their large diameters vertically. To orient all particles with sizes between 0.1 and 1000 µm following the electric pattern, the electric field has to have the strength about 2 · 105 V/m.