I have, nevertheless, found the smallest
quantities of dust contained in the atmosphere or the lightest veil of
cirrus disturbed the measurement very materially, and generally made the
potential lower. In negative experiments of this nature I have made at
Breslau, at the Sohneekoppe, and at the "Reisengebirge," especially at
the last station, an increase of potential was observed, not only by
reason of the perpendicular height, but also by reaching such regions of
the atmosphere as were situated horizontally to about 200 meters from
the utmost steep of the same mountain, Sohneekoppe. Therefore it must,
according to Mr. Exner, be assumed that the surface of the air presents
a surface of equal potential, and that the falling surfaces of high
potential were stretched parallel over the plane contours of the air,
and more thinly or narrow lying over all the elevated points, as, for
example, mountains, church towers, etc. On the basis of these facts I
think it easy to explain the electricity of thunder storm clouds, in
fact every cloud, or every part of a cloud, may be considered as a
leading conductor, such clouds as have for the most part perpendicular
height. After being induced the change results by supposing the
conduction of electricity either from the upper or from the lower side,
according to greater or smaller speed of the air in the height.
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