It is well established that Earth has a "Global atmospheric Electric Circuit" (GEC), through which charge separation in thunderstorms sustains large scale current flow around the planet. The GEC generates an atmospheric electric field which is present globally, and is typically 100V/m near the surface in fair weather conditions. Measurements of electric field have been shown to include information about global thunderstorm activity, local aerosol concentrations and cloud cover, as well as changes in the space weather environment. Recent work has also suggested that atmospheric electrical changes may be effective as earthquake precursors, as well as being sensitive to release of radioactivity, as evidenced by the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

The global nature of the GEC means that in order that truly global signals are considered in understanding the processes within the circuit, many validating measurements must be made at different locations around the world. To date, no genuinely global network of FW atmospheric electricity measurements has ever existed, therefore, given the growing number of groups now involved in atmospheric electricity monitoring, such a proposal is timely.

This project brought these experts together to make the first steps towards an effective global network for FW atmospheric electricity monitoring by holding workshops to discuss measurement practises and instrumentation, as well as establish recording and archiving procedures to archive electric field data in a standardised, easily accessible format, then by creating a central data repository. This project was funded in the UK under NERC grant NE/N013689/1.