A new scientific study has proposed a new hypothesis for a long-standing mystery in atmospheric science. For many years, scientists have wondered why the concentration of electrons in Earth’s atmosphere suddenly drops in a region dozens of miles above the Earth, which some call the “D-Region Ledge.”
According to a recent Space.com report, an investigative team is now hypothesizing that tiny meteor dust particles higher in the atmosphere might be responsible for “sucking up” the so-called missing electrons.
One of the study authors says of the electron deficiency, “It's the most dramatic gradient anywhere in the ionosphere. It really is very conspicuous, so it's begging for an explanation."
In the video below, Dr. Michael Clarage, one of the SAFIRE Project scientists, places this mystery into a larger context.
The SAFIRE Project is an independent team of researchers building a unique plasma discharge chamber to study a wide variety of electrical phenomena. Dr. Clarage presents his thoughts on the missing electrons, the electrical conditions in Earth’s environment and on his role as part of the SAFIRE Project team.
The occasional audio glitch in this video results from the Skype transmission.
Video courtesy The Thunderbolts Project
