# Atmospheric Electricity Measurements in the Pacific Northwest, Russia
## 1 Introduction  
The study of the atmospheric electric field (AEF) is one of the fundamental tasks of modern geophysics. At present, AEF measurements are organized at many geophysical observatories. These measurement systems are organized into entire networks of stations, for example, the intercontinental Atmospheric Electricity Network [1] and the South American network AFINSA [2]. National networks of AEF observation stations have been created in Russia and in China (Chinese Meridian Project) [3]. Scientific communities studying AEF unite in public organizations, for example, Electronet [4] and GloCAEM (Global Coordination of Atmospheric Electricity Measurements) [5]. The requirements for the organization of such measurements are also growing. In this case, it is necessary to take into account both the general theoretical provisions of modern AEF theories and practical experience in organizing full-scale measurements of electrical parameters in the surface atmosphere. Observatories from different regions of the world describe their experience in organizing AEF observations. The authors of [6] present the development of methods and means for recording lightning electricity in the North Caucasus, Russia. The authors of [7] describe the history of the formation and organization of AEF observations at the Nagycenk Geophysical Observatory, Hungary, Central Europe. Furthermore, in [8], the results of long-term observations of AEFs in Western Siberia, Russia are described. The experience of observing atmospheric electricity in Binchuan, China is described in [9]. In this paper, the specialization and main results of the work of the Paratunka Observatory, Russia are given. The Paratunka Observatory (\(\varphi=52.97^{\circ}\) N; \(\lambda=158.25^{\circ}\) E) is located on the Northwest Pacific Ocean on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia (Figure 1). The location of the sensor is 10 km from the ocean coast on a flat area. Thunderstorms in Kamchatka are a very rare meteorological phenomenon. Forecasters attribute this phenomenon to the peculiarities of the local climate, which is highly unstable, determined by the influence of the surrounding seas, the constant movement of air masses due to atmospheric pressure drops, and the influence of cyclones coming from the Pacific Ocean. Despite the high cyclonic activity, the average number of thunderstorm days per year on the peninsula, according to Yan-dex.pogoda, is 10.8. The main specialization of the observatory is fair weather electricity. Continuous observatory observations of the atmospheric electric field began in 1997 and continue to the present. This paper presents the main results for this observation period. The electric field in the atmosphere, like any electric field, can be determined at any of its points by the value of a scalar quantity called the potential \(\varphi\). The considered time scales are such that the electric field can be considered potential, thus:  
\[\overrightarrow{E}=-\overrightarrow{\bigtriangledown}\varphi, \tag{1}\]  
where \(\overrightarrow{\bigtriangledown}\varphi\) - is the electric field potential gradient (PG). It is known that the earth's surface is negatively charged, while the ionosphere is positively charged. Under conditions of an undisturbed field, the potential grows with height, the lines of force are directed downward, and we take the direction from the earth's surface as the positive direction of the normal. Figure 2 conventionally shows the positive charge of the ionosphere, the negative charge of the Earth, the design of the sensor installation, and the level surfaces of the electric field strength in the vicinity of the sensor installation. A discharge current flows from the ionosphere to the ground.