A new scientific study has proposed a new hypothesis for a long-standing mystery in atmospheric science. For many years, scientists have wondered why the concentration of electrons in Earth\u2019s atmosphere suddenly drops in a region dozens of miles above the Earth, which some call the \u201cD-Region Ledge.\u201d According to a recent Space.com report, an investigative team is now hypothesizing that tiny meteor dust particles higher in the atmosphere might be responsible for \u201csucking up\u201d the so-called missing electrons. One of the study authors says of the electron deficiency, \u201cIt’s the most dramatic gradient anywhere in the ionosphere. It really is very conspicuous, so it’s begging for an explanation.”<\/p>\n
To place this mystery into a larger context, we reached out to Dr. Michael Clarage, one of the SAFIRE Project scientists. The SAFIRE Project is an independent team of researchers building a unique plasma discharge chamber to study a wide variety of electrical phenomena. We asked Dr. Clarage for his thoughts on the missing electrons, the electrical conditions in Earth\u2019s environment and on his role as part of the SAFIRE Project team.<\/p>\n