Atmospheric Electrification during Dust-storms

Abstract

OBSERVATIONS which have been made at the Patna College since the beginning of the present year indicate that the remarkably high negative potential gradient noticed as a feature of South African duststorms in Prof. Rudge's letter, published in NATURE of March 13, also exists while the ordinary westerly winds of the hot weather are blowing in north India. At Patna they usually blow from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from the middle of March until June, and they raise a great deal of dust, though the real duststorms seldom occur so far to the east of India. This year they are unusually late in starting, and their place has been taken on most days by east winds, during which the potential gradient is of the ordinary positive type and magnitude.