Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics, Vol. 48, No. 8, 2005 MODELING OF THE ELECTRIC-FIELD DYNAMICS IN THE ATMOSPHERE USING THE TEST-STRUCTURE METHOD M. V. Shatalina, 1 E. A. Mareev, 1 ∗ S. V. Anisimov, 2 and N. M. Shikhova 2 UDC 533.9.072+537.87.872.32 We propose the test-structure method for modeling of electric-field pulsations in the atmosphere. Numerical calculations necessary for interpretation of the behavior of experimental spectra and structure functions of the electric field are performed. Analysis of experimental data shows that the aeroelectric-field strength, being a nonlocal quantity, is formed by an inhomogeneous distribu- tion of space charges surrounding the observation point. Quantitative assessments of the state of the atmospheric boundary layer, electro-gas-dynamic turbulence and convection parameters are discussed on the basis of spectral and structure functions of the electric field. 1. INTRODUCTION As was recently found, the atmospheric boundary layer comprises aeroelectric structures manifested in short-period electric-field pulsations (with period from several to several hundred seconds) [1–3]. The formation of aeroelectric structures is most rapid under conditions of intensive convection. The sizes of such structures are determined by characteristic variation scales of aerodynamic and electrodynamic parameters of the atmosphere (including the surface-layer height and the atmospheric “electrode” layer scale) [3, 4] as well as heating inhomogeneities of the ground (water) surface. Formed as a result of convective processes or capture of positive and negative charged particles (both ions and aerosols) by convective cells, aeroelectric structures move in an air flow along the Earth’s surface. Since the further evolution of convective cells results, in particular, in cloud formation [5, 6], relationship between such convective cells of the atmosphere and the aeroelectric-structure evolvement leads to the assumption that charge separation and accumulation processes are characteristic of even early stages of cloud formation. Obviously, development of the methods of diagnostics and modeling of aeroelectric structures is important for a study of both convective and electric processes in the lower troposphere. The test-structure method developed in this paper is aimed, first of all, at solution of the mentioned problems. Analysis of experimental data shows that aeroelectric-field pulsation spectra in a sufficiently wide frequency band of 10 −2 –1 Hz obey the power law and that the most probable values of the spectrum index under fair-weather conditions lie in a range of −3.0 to −2.2 [7–9]. Hence, as one of theoretical approaches for a study of electric-field fluctuations, one can consider modeling of spectra of electro-gas-dynamic turbulence. In particular experimental realizations, short-period electric-field pulsations are, probably, indeed related to a turbulent mixing of charged particles [9–14]. However, unlike the conventional velocity, temperature, and pressure fields in the atmospheric turbulence theory [15], the electric-field strength should not be considered a local parameter since its fluctuations are generated by the joint action of electric-charge perturbations in * mareev@appl.sci-nnov.ru 1 Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; 2 Geophysical Observatory “Borok” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Borok, Yaroslavl Region, Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 8, pp. 648–660, August 2005. Original article submitted May 27, 2004; accepted April 28, 2005. 0033-8443/05/4808-0575 c  2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 575