FACTORS AFFECTING THE ELECTRIC CHARGE ACQUIRED BY AN ICE SPHERE MOVING THROUGH NATURAL SNOWFALL1

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Abstract
The factors affecting the electric charge acquired by an ice sphere moving through natural snowfall have been investigated experimentally. When graupel particles were in the air the sphere always received a positive charge. If graupel was not present the sign of the charge appeared to be related to the direction of the atmospheric electric field. When the field was directed downwards the ice sphere received negative charge, and when the field was directed upwards the sphere received positive charge. The results are explained in terms of the direct transfer to the ice sphere of some of the net charge on the ice particles in the air making a glancing contact with the ice sphere. The charges that an ice sphere received by this mechanism appeared to be much larger than any charges that might have been generated by asymmetrical rubbing between the ice particles in the air and the surface of the ice sphere.

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