POSSIBLE SOLAR RECHARGING OF THE EARTHS ELECTRIC-FIELD

Some of the materials comprising the earth's surface such as Fe2O3, Ti O2 and ZnO can be semiconducting, and with a shallow layer of water la ying above to serve as the electrolyte, may constitute a rudimentary p hoto-electrochemical cell. We investigated the possibility that holes created inside the semiconductor by sunlight could pull electrons from the atmosphere by inducing a lower redox potential in the water. The result, solar recharging of the earth's electric field, may be a non-n egligible contributor to the entire recharging process.