Editing Atmospheric physics (section)

== Atmospheric electricity ==
[[Image:Lightning over Oradea Romania 3.jpg|thumb|Cloud-to-ground [[lightning]] in the global atmospheric electrical circuit]]
{{Main|Atmospheric electricity}}
Atmospheric electricity is the term given to the electrostatics and electrodynamics of the atmosphere (or, more broadly, the atmosphere of any [[planet]]). The [[Continent|Earth's surface]], the [[ionosphere]], and the atmosphere is known as the [[global atmospheric electrical circuit]].<ref>Dr. Hugh J. Christian and Melanie A. McCook. [http://thunder.msfc.nasa.gov/primer/primer3.html Lightning Detection From Space: A Lightning Primer.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430142456/http://thunder.msfc.nasa.gov/primer/primer3.html |date=April 30, 2008 }} Retrieved on 2008-04-17.</ref> Lightning discharges 30,000 [[ampere]]s, at up to 100 million [[volt]]s, and emits light, radio waves, [[X-ray]]s and even [[gamma ray]]s.<ref>NASA.  [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/rhessi_tgf.html Flashes in the Sky: Earth's Gamma-Ray Bursts Triggered by Lightning.] Retrieved on 2007-06-01.</ref> Plasma temperatures in lightning can approach 28,000 [[kelvin]]s and [[electron]] densities may exceed 10<sup>24</sup>/m<sup>3</sup>.<ref>Fusion Energy Education.[http://fusedweb.llnl.gov/CPEP/Chart_Pages/5.Plasmas/Lightning.html Lightning! Sound and Fury.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123043211/http://fusedweb.llnl.gov/CPEP/Chart_Pages/5.Plasmas/Lightning.html |date=2016-11-23 }} Retrieved on 2008-04-17.</ref>