Banquet-Address

Abstract

The field of atmospheric electricity has developed in recent decades somewhat aside from the mainstream of atmospheric sciences. It is argued that current knowledge and future research in this field can contribute notably to predictions of sub-grid size weather systems as well as to precipitation physics. It is urged that research to prevent lightning damage be vigorously pursued and that exploratory work be done to establish if useful energy can be extracted from atmospheric electricity. Full exploitation of atmospheric electric measurements for pollution monitoring is suggested and further critical evaluation of possible atmospheric electric effects on biological phenomena is still needed. Above all, close cooperation between physicists working on electrical manifestations in the atmosphere and meteorologists is in the best interest of future vigorous development in the atmospheric sciences.