The electrical nature of storms /

MacGorman and Rust discuss everything from the fair-weather electrical field to lightning, the earth's magnetic field, red sprites, and blue jets above the cloud tops. The book encompasses everything currently known about atmospheric electricity and is intended for faculty, professionals, and graduate students. Lightning locating techniques and types of ground flashes are included, so less astute readers can find some practical answers to their questions. Lightning's relationships are discussed with regard to rainfall, tornadoes, winter thunderstorms, and hurricane-type storms. Surprisingly, lightning does not make a storm fit the present definition of a severe storm, even though it causes more deaths than tornadoes or hurricanes. Other topics include particle-charging mechanisms, instruments and measurements, numerical models of thunderstorms, electrification, scavenging of aerosols, and coalescence and growth of drops and ice particles. Excellent index and list of references. A good synopsis of atmospheric electricity primarily for learned readers. A. E. Staver; emeritus, Northern Illinois University