Investigation of the value and mechanism of atmospheric plasmoid charge formation

The study of a long-lived atmospheric plasmoid has been continued. (Gatchina plasmoid). The electric charge of the plasmoid was detected earlier by us using a plasma probe. Here the measuring equipment was improved, which allowed to take into account the influence of bias current. The measured charge of the negative plasmoid was about -35 nC. The cause of the electric charge is investigated. It consists in the inhomogeneity of the plasma and, as a consequence, a special configuration of the electric field during discharge. In the column of emission plasma above the central electrode, the field is directed into the plasmoid (for positive central electrode). In streamers coming out of the plasmoid and in space above the plasmoid, the field is directed outward. To find out the reason for the appearance of the charge, the Gauss theorem is applied. The column of emission plasma gives a small contribution to the integral. The integral will be determined by the second section having a different sign. Thus, the plasmoid has a charge during discharge. After the current is turned off, the charge is retained due to the rapid cooling of the plasma. It is noted that when obtaining other long-lived plasmoids, there is a similar configuration of the field during discharge. A similar discharge structure occurs when a linear lightning strikes the electric network and a ball lightning appears from an electrical outlet, a speaker, etc. This work introduces a new object of plasma physics a charged atmospheric plasmoid.