This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2013/mar/17/weatherwatch-electrical-storms-lightning

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Weatherwatch: The rythm of the earth's electrical heartbeat Weatherwatch: The rythm of the earth's electrical heartbeat
(6 months later)
Around 7pm GMT, Earth's atmosphere crescendos to an electrical peak, with maximal thunderstorms rumbling around the globe. Conversely 3am GMT is the electrical trough, with few lightning forks to be seen. This "electrical heartbeat" is known as "the Carnegie curve" and was discovered during the early 20th Century, by scientists on board a ship operated by The Carnegie Institution of Washington.Around 7pm GMT, Earth's atmosphere crescendos to an electrical peak, with maximal thunderstorms rumbling around the globe. Conversely 3am GMT is the electrical trough, with few lightning forks to be seen. This "electrical heartbeat" is known as "the Carnegie curve" and was discovered during the early 20th Century, by scientists on board a ship operated by The Carnegie Institution of Washington.
The rhythm of the electrical heartbeat is linked to Earth's rotation and the way thunderstorms build. New research shows clouds dance to this rhythm.The rhythm of the electrical heartbeat is linked to Earth's rotation and the way thunderstorms build. New research shows clouds dance to this rhythm.
Giles Harrison and Maarten Ambaum from the University of Reading studied clouds in Finland and Antarctica during periods of solar darkness (to minimise other factors that influence clouds such as the Sun's heat). Writing in the journal Environmental Research Letters, they show that layer cloud (the blanket of low level cloud that covers about 40% of the planet) rises an average of 4m for every 1% increase in electric current, almost shifting up to 200m in the course of an electrical "heartbeat".Giles Harrison and Maarten Ambaum from the University of Reading studied clouds in Finland and Antarctica during periods of solar darkness (to minimise other factors that influence clouds such as the Sun's heat). Writing in the journal Environmental Research Letters, they show that layer cloud (the blanket of low level cloud that covers about 40% of the planet) rises an average of 4m for every 1% increase in electric current, almost shifting up to 200m in the course of an electrical "heartbeat".
So what does the electrical current do to a cloud? Weather balloon measurements show it affects the charge and "stickiness" of droplets at the base of a cloud. It influences the cloud's properties, such as how much rainfall it produces and how much heat reflects into Space. Such information will improve weather forecasts. Interesting to ponder what else jives to this electric heartbeat.So what does the electrical current do to a cloud? Weather balloon measurements show it affects the charge and "stickiness" of droplets at the base of a cloud. It influences the cloud's properties, such as how much rainfall it produces and how much heat reflects into Space. Such information will improve weather forecasts. Interesting to ponder what else jives to this electric heartbeat.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.