Exact closed-form solution for the electrostatic interaction of two equal-sized charged conducting spheres

Banerjee, Shubho; Levy, Mason

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/646/1/012016

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 5 publications

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“…Charged, colliding water droplets therefore experience an infinite system of electrostatic image charges between them, with associated electric forces (Thomson 1853;Russell 1922;Davis 1964). Formally, the net dropletdroplet force is always attractive at small separations regardless of the droplets' relative polarities, unless the exact ratios of their charges would make them an equipotential on contact (Lekner 2012;Banerjee and Levy 2015). With natural variability, this unique equipotential condition is unlikely to occur, hence two colliding charged cloud droplets can be generally considered as being more likely to coalesce than two neutral droplets.…”

Section: A Properties Of Charged Dropletsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Demonstration of a Remotely Piloted Atmospheric Measurement and Charge Release Platform for Geoengineering

Harrison

Nicoll

Tilley

et al. 2021

Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

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Electric charge is always present in the lower atmosphere. If droplets or aerosols become charged, their behaviour changes, influencing collision, evaporation and deposition. Artificial charge release is an unexplored potential geoengineering technique for modifying fogs, clouds and rainfall. Central to evaluating these processes experimentally in the atmosphere is establishing an effective method for charge delivery. A small charge-delivering Remotely Piloted Aircraft has been specially developed for this, which is electrically propelled. It carries controllable bipolar charge emitters (nominal emission current ±5 μA) beneath each wing, with optical cloud and meteorological sensors integrated into the airframe. Meteorological and droplet measurements are demonstrated to 2 km altitude by comparison with a radiosonde, including within cloud, and successful charge emission aloft verified by using programmed flight paths above an upwards-facing surface electric field mill. This technological approach is readily scalable to provide non-polluting fleets of charge-releasing aircraft, identifying and targeting droplet regions with their own sensors. Beyond geoengineering, agricultural and biological aerosol applications, safe ionic propulsion of future electric aircraft also requires detailed investigation of charge effects on natural atmospheric droplet systems.

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