Atmospheric electrical conductivity measurements and modeling for application to air pollution studies

The experimentally measured ground level atmospheric electrical conductivity is validated from a simplified ion–aerosol model for which the inputs are ionization rate from surface radioactivity, aerosol density and meteorological parameters. Also estimated from the model is the reduction in conductivity for assumed aerosol levels. It is seen that for an increase of ambient aerosols by threefold the percent reduction in conductivity is 7% and it is 10% for an increase by sixfold. Thus, the variations in the measured ground level conductivity can be used to examine the atmospheric pollution, if any.