Return-Path: Received: from mtain-dk05.r1000.mx.aol.com (mtain-dk05.r1000.mx.aol.com [172.29.180.9]) by air-ma06.mail.aol.com (v129.4) with ESMTP id MAILINMA063-b52a4d8f65753cf; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:27:33 -0400 Received: from post.thorcom.com (post.thorcom.com [195.171.43.25]) by mtain-dk05.r1000.mx.aol.com (Internet Inbound) with ESMTP id 4CEF3380007AE; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:27:25 -0400 (EDT) Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1Q3snM-0004KV-Lb for rs_out_1@blacksheep.org; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:26:28 +0100 Received: from [195.171.43.32] (helo=relay1.thorcom.net) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1Q3snM-0004KM-9I for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:26:28 +0100 Received: from mail-iy0-f171.google.com ([209.85.210.171]) by relay1.thorcom.net with esmtp (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1Q3snK-0008Ii-11 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:26:28 +0100 Received: by iyi20 with SMTP id 20so3109883iyi.16 for ; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:26:19 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type; bh=Nj85HjcGk8bncEdOqvQrDiS2+o56w+bvDYg4YHYpey8=; b=cBy6h7GZ3mJCDAECUNgTUkOF++8g7KPHoCfgdji+qUhuVePMh4AibiGuo4+6fe4G1t XSWj8qPofdDTmwKNgBvOEhPNsD/FcSlLSQg9vjOajyOoRRPXIRh+3gJpphOyxmFPtmfS T56ud6RId43X9namMV4knP2tgt0myPH9Un43U= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; b=ch2cIf/meNLiUSKM25L10t5xWBCzBmqvwNXBE9dB8cQqHq/3BhtaJABx9DVurS6hgJ eYfoa67a1QrdkOB3Qle4klhdtMC+8TbJgb5BX0mMxr+CLUQTsE3uRioMb9+kMDmSfEnE yhwOJMq+BduOBvNwISxdVxWaabXKsUHmCdgA4= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.231.117.162 with SMTP id r34mr3082083ibq.38.1301243179688; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:26:19 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.231.199.132 with HTTP; Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:26:19 -0700 (PDT) Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:26:19 +0100 Message-ID: From: Andy Talbot To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org DomainKey-Status: good (testing) X-Spam-Score: 0.0 (/) X-Spam-Report: autolearn=disabled,none Subject: LF: Earth capacitance Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.63 (2004-01-11) on post.thorcom.com X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=5.0 tests=none autolearn=no version=2.63 X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: owner-rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rs_out_1@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false x-aol-global-disposition: G X-AOL-SCOLL-AUTHENTICATION: mail_rly_antispam_dkim-m288.2 ; domain : gmail.com DKIM : fail x-aol-sid: 3039ac1db4094d8f656d2390 X-AOL-IP: 195.171.43.25 X-AOL-SPF: domain : blacksheep.org SPF : none X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version) Here's an interesting little thought excercise Consider the Earth as one plate of a capacitor, and the lower surface of the ionosphere as the other. Without actually doing the calculation, what do you 'feel' the capacitiance might be? Then do the calculation; the result is rather surprising The ionsphere is charged to about 0.25MV, and leaking at a rate of 1pA/m^2. Topped up by lightning strikes Andy www.g4jnt.com