Electrical Conductivity Measurements in the Lower Stratosphere over Poona

Abstract

Systematic investigations of the electrical conductivity and potential gradient in the lower stratosphere over Poona have been made since 1969 using balloon-borne conductivity sondes designed and constructed at the authors' laboratory. An analysis of the soundings which crossed 20 kill-level shows that conductivity, while generally increasing monotonically with height up to the highest level recorded, shows, during the months December to April a marked decrease between 18 and 20 km with the rate of decrease slowing down thereafter. The main cause for the changes in the observed variations in conductivity appears to be associated with changes in the aerosol content in the stratosphere and these turn would appear to be caused by changes in the stratospheric circulation patterns.