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Effect of relative humidity on the electrical conductivity of marine air
Author(s) -
Kamra A. K.,
Deshpande C. G.,
Gopalakrishnan V.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49712354108
Subject(s) - relative humidity , conductivity , humidity , electrical resistivity and conductivity , aerosol , current (fluid) , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geology , oceanography , chemistry , geography , physics , quantum mechanics
Measurements of the atmospheric electric conductivity made in the equatorial Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea in August and September 1991 show that the value of conductivity decreases from 2.3 × 10 −14 mho m −1 in the equatorial Indian Ocean, where relative humidity of the surface air is 70‐80%, to 1.1 × 10 −14 mho m −1 in the region of the Somali current, where relative humidity of the surface air increases to 80‐90%. the inverse relationship observed between conductivity and relative humidity, in spite of showing a large scatter, is stronger in the case of negative than positive conductivity. the sharp increase in the sizes of ions and marine aerosol particles when the relative humidity exceeds 75‐80% is proposed as the cause of the observed decrease in conductivity in the region of the Somali current.