Beyond Earth,electrical discharges have also been observed,or postulated to exist,on other bodies of the Solar System.In this work the state of the art of research on electrical discharges in the atmosphere of several...Beyond Earth,electrical discharges have also been observed,or postulated to exist,on other bodies of the Solar System.In this work the state of the art of research on electrical discharges in the atmosphere of several planets and one moon is reported.The main charging mechanisms as well as the discharge characteristics and its effect on the atmosphere are discussed.Some of the current research activities being carried out by the author’s team are also reported.The lab simulations can achieve realistic plasma parameters;for example:the arc temperature in the lab was found to be 33 000 K which compares favourably with field observations reporting temperatures～30 000K.The lab work with a synthetic Mars atmosphere allow us to predict that the conjunction of electrostatic discharges and the presence of water ice could lead to the production of methane with an efficiency of up to 1021molecules per joule of applied energy.展开更多
基金Project supported by Mexican Science Council(CONACyT)(Grant No.155673)
文摘Beyond Earth,electrical discharges have also been observed,or postulated to exist,on other bodies of the Solar System.In this work the state of the art of research on electrical discharges in the atmosphere of several planets and one moon is reported.The main charging mechanisms as well as the discharge characteristics and its effect on the atmosphere are discussed.Some of the current research activities being carried out by the author’s team are also reported.The lab simulations can achieve realistic plasma parameters;for example:the arc temperature in the lab was found to be 33 000 K which compares favourably with field observations reporting temperatures～30 000K.The lab work with a synthetic Mars atmosphere allow us to predict that the conjunction of electrostatic discharges and the presence of water ice could lead to the production of methane with an efficiency of up to 1021molecules per joule of applied energy.
