https://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=1269
God's Electrical Heavens
According to atmospheric scientists, the Earth has a functioning
dynamic global electric circuit. “In the conventional picture, the main
components of Earth’s global electric circuit include thunderstorms, the
conducting ionosphere, the downward fair-weather currents and the
conducting Earth” (Su, et al., p. 974). [The ionosphere is a portion of
the upper atmosphere composed of ionized particles formed by the x-ray
and ultraviolet irradiative effects of the Sun.] In a greatly simplified
picture, the global electric circuit can be viewed as a large spherical
capacitor (i.e., a device for the storage of electrical charge). In
this model, the ionosphere serves as the upper boundary, and the ground
serves as the lower boundary. Between these two boundaries, scientists
have measured an existing potential difference of 300,000 volts (Pasko,
2003, 423:927). The electric potential that exists due to this natural
capacitor is vital to the global electric circuit. The balance of this
potential is vital to the proper functioning of the atmospheric system.
Victor Pasko, professor of electrical engineering at Penn State
University, commented: “There are many components contributing to the
balance of potential between the plates, but two are critical:
thunderstorms, of which there are about 2,000 globally at any given time
and which act as batteries charging the capacitor; and fair-weather
regions, in which the capacitor can discharge continuously through the
weakly conducting atmosphere” (p. 927). During fair weather, there is a
continual discharge occurring in the global electric circuit. This
discharge has been estimated to account for a leakage of approximately
one kiloampere, on the global scale.
The traditional view held that the role of thunderstorms was to
counteract the continual fair-weather discharge, by acting as a
generator driving current into the Earth’s capacitor, both recharging
and maintaining the potential difference found between the ionosphere
and ground. However, the discovery by Su and his colleagues has
introduced another aspect to thunderstorm activity. As Pasko remarked,
there is “a new factor in the model of the Earth’s electrical and
chemical environment” (p. 927). These “gigantic optical jets” have acted
against the commonly held view of thunderstorms as recharging
mechanisms; rather, the measurements support the view that they serve to
discharge the global capacitor, removing approximately 30 Coulombs
each, from the ionosphere. The researchers stated that this would
account for only a fraction of one percent of the total charge in the
atmosphere, but does “account for a substantial fraction of charges
residing in the lower ionosphere” (Su, et al., p. 976). With the new
data, Su and his colleagues concluded: “[T]he conventional picture of
the global electric circuit needs to be modified to include the
contributions of gigantic jets and possibly sprites” (p. 974).
In addition to the electrical environment, Pasko also mentioned that
these jets present a new factor in the chemical environment. Oxygen is
one of the primary constituents of Earth’s atmosphere, accounting for
approximately 21%. Oxygen is considered a diatomic element, meaning that
it has an affinity for being paired with itself, as in atmospheric
oxygen (O
2 ). The explosion of thunder
that can be heard is the result of a rapid expansion of air. The
expansion of air is caused by the intense heating of atmospheric
molecules by the electrical discharge. As it extends, lightning scorches
the air, reaching temperatures more than four times hotter than the
surface of the Sun—nearly 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. According to John
Roach, writer for
National Geographic, lightning produces “enough
energy to keep a 100-watt light bulb lit for three months” (2003).
Through its electrical nature, lightning also has the capacity to ionize
particles. It has been documented that lightning has the capacity of
initiating chain reactions, whereby atmospheric oxygen molecules are
dissociated, leading to the formation of ozone. This process has been
duplicated in the production of industrial ozone for the past century
(see van Veldhuizen, 2000). Concerning their chemical effects, Pasko
commented: “The ionization created by a gigantic jet is likely to have a
significant chemical effect on that volume of atmosphere” (p. 928). He
went on to correlate the known surface effects with the high-altitude
conditions that would be present in TLEs. He
commented that in high altitude situations, streamers would “have the
ability to produce highly active chemical species and can effectively
‘treat’ thousands of cubic kilometers of atmosphere” (p. 928). Finally,
Pasko concluded: “So the known chemical impact of streamers may be a
good indication that TLEs noticeably affect the chemistry of the atmosphere” (p. 929).
EVOLUTION VS. DESIGN
The atmosphere is of vital importance to all life on Earth. It
contributes to more aspects of life than we are able to quantify, or
that could be qualified. For the evolutionist, the changing, early
atmosphere of the Earth accounts for the chance emergence of life and
the subsequent organic evolutionary process. However, scientists
constantly are being confounded by their observations. Although men have
been viewing the natural world since the dawn of time, there continues
to be an unending stream of intricacies to discover.
Concerning the atmospheric discoveries mentioned, scientists have
declared: “It has not been clear, however, whether all the important
components of the global circuit have even been identified” (Su, et al.,
p. 974). They also have commented: “This field is in its infancy, and
it remains to be seen how important the electrical and chemical effects
of the gigantic jets and other TLEs are for our
planet” (Pasko, p. 929). The design of the Earth’s atmosphere continues
to impress humanity’s combined intellectual prowess. When discussing the
driving forces behind the formation of lightning, Roach described the
particle collisions that are needed to produce a separation of
electrical charge, which results in the imbalance between cloud and
ground. Senior meteorologist Stephen Hodanish of the National Weather
Service concluded that a correction (i.e., lightning) for this imbalance
results because, “Mother Nature doesn’t like to see that” (as quoted in
Raoch, 2003). By ascribing the ultimate cause to an ethereal Mother
Nature, Hodanish unknowingly proved the presence of design. Whether it
was his intention or not, Hodanish’s comments illustrate the extent of
naturalism that now pervades science, and the extent to which that
naturalism has reached even into the common aspects of everyday life.
Yet, by the scientists’ own admission, it is known that with the
brilliantly obvious effect of lightning, there also is a brilliantly
obvious Cause.
In the book of Job, the inspired writer penned the words of Elihu, as
he declared God’s majesty: “He spreadeth abroad the cloud of his
lightning: and it is turned round about by his guidance” (Job 37:11).
And to Job, the questions were asked: “O Job: stand still, and consider
the wondrous works of God. Dost thou know how God layeth his charge upon
them, and causeth the lightning of his cloud to shine? Dost thou know
the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect
in knowledge?” (Job 37:14-16). Job was chastened for placing honor upon
himself, neglecting to acknowledge The Most Honorable. For that, Job was
reproved—by God Himself.
“Suffer me a little, and I will show thee; for I have yet somewhat to
say on God's behalf ” (Job 36:2). In discussing such wonderful design,
we also must pay tribute to the Designer; in standing in awe of such an
incredible effect, we also must stand in awe of the far greater Cause.
As Elihu boldly proclaimed in the verse above as he rebuked Job for
self-righteously questioning God’s majesty, we, too, ask, “on God’s
behalf,” that time be taken to behold the extraordinary design that is
present in the world around us. We must not ascribe it to some mystic,
ethereal force; rather, we must acknowledge the ever-so-loving and
familiar Father Who can be clearly seen and perceived (Romans 1:20), and
Who is “upholding all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3).
REFERENCES
Pasko, Victor P. (2003), “Atmospheric Physics: Electric Jets,”
Nature, 423:927-929. June 26.
Pickrell, John (2003), “Huge Mystery Flashes Seen In Outer Atmosphere,”
National Geographic News, [On-line], URL: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0625_030625_atmospherethunder.html, June 25.
Roach, John (2003), “Key to Lightning Deaths: Location, Location, Location,”
National Geographic News, [On-line], URL: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0522_030522_lightning.html, May 22.
Su, Han-Tzong, Rue-Ron Hsu, A.B. Chen, Y.C. Wang, W.S. Hsiao, W.C. Lai,
L.C. Lee, M. Sato, and H. Fukunishi (2003), “Gigantic Jets Between a
Thundercloud and the Ionosphere,”
Nature, 423:974-976. June 26.
Van Veldhuizen, E.M. ed. (2000),
Electrical Discharges for Environment Purposes: Fundamentals and Applications (Nova Science: New York).
American
views of Islam going back to the origins of America have been generally
consistent. With a Christian worldview intact at the beginning,
Americans have naturally recognized Islam’s inherent hostility toward
Christianity and its fundamental threat to the American way of life. For
example, Elias Boudinot was a premiere Founding Father with a long and
distinguished career. He served as a member of the Continental Congress,
where he served as its president (1782-1783); he signed the Treaty of
Peace with Great Britain; he was a member of the U.S. House where he
helped frame the Bill of Rights; he served as the Director of Mint under
presidents Washington and Adams; etc. In his masterful refutation of
Thomas Paine’s Age of Reason, Boudinot labeled Muhammad an “impostor,” and insightfully observed that