Atmospheric Physics R&D (Physics of Rain Production)  Project Overview
 
Physics of water in E fields

Physics of water drops
in high electric fields
 • Today, the mechanisms of rain production are still only partially understood.

• Bill designed, built and ran experiments in which water droplets were electrostatically levitated between charged plates, while he measured Rayleigh explosions (charge and water ejection due to E-field accelerated evaporation).  Results were published in The Journal of Geophysical Research.  

• Keywords:  Experiment Design, Electrostatic Servo, Pressure regulation, Backlighting, Microscopic Observation, high electric fields, physics, levitate charged drops, Rayleigh explosions, Rain.


Significance of this Accomplishment
   Significance • Today, global climate change demands the we understand fundamental weather mechanisms,in order to
avoid severe "dust bowl" drought and "Katrina-like" flooding.

• Bill's research, with excellent guidance from Dr. George A. Dawson, contributed to the understanding of water droplet disintegration (as opposed to rain production) in clouds.


Skills Transferable to Your Projects:
 
  Juggler
Leadership / Management
• Bill successfully took on all aspects of the research: (electrostatic servos, air pressure regulation,
water-purity measurements, water droplet precision dispensing, backlit microscope optics, high voltage control, electrical measurements, optical measurements, experiment procedures and documentation.  

Theory / R&D
• Bill demonstrated his mastery the relevant physics, electronics, and scientific-method (theory and practice). 

Hardware
• As mentioned above, Bill designed and fabricated 100% of the experimental equipment.  
He even designed and fabricated (using a lathe) a precision air pressure regulator (when commercially available units proved to be insufficiently responsive).


Future Opportunities
 
  Futue Clock		 By pushing beyond the current state-of-the-art,
there are these opportunities:

• Today, more than ever, we need to understand our environment.  Bill's experience and
creative skills can make a significant contribution.

• Today, miniaturized Rayleigh explosions enable Mass Spectrum detection of large, non-volatile
molecules with little or no fragmentation (Nobel Prize 2002).


Links to related material
  Links of Chain • Ionization Techniques describes state-of-the-art methods for producing Rayleigh explosions, ionization and effective mass spectrometry.   

Back Arrow