ELECTRIC FIELD MILL

SCIENCE OBJECTIVE:

INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTION: The electric field mill measures the electric field between
the ground and overhead clouds.  Storm clouds are especially charged and this instrument
can help determine the probability of lightning occurring.  It consists of a charge plate and a
grounded chopper plate which alternately allows charge to build on the plate or discharges
the accumulated charge.  This project involves designing the mechanics of the chopper and
the sensitive electronics to measure the charge.

For more information check these web links:

http://www.ee.nmt.edu/~langmuir/E100/E100.html

http://www.boltek.com/efm100.htm

http://www.colutron.com/download_files/chap6.pdf

BOLTEK Electric Field Mill model EFM-100, typical of

what they look like.

SPECIFICATIONS:

PROJECT STATUS:

INSTRUMENT COSTS:

APPLICABLE WEB SITES:

http://www.ee.nmt.edu/~langmuir/E100/E100.html

http://www.boltek.com/efm100.htm

http://www.colutron.com/download_files/chap6.pdf

DATE: