Energy Does Not Come from Air | Atmospheric Electrodynamics

Energy Does Not Come from Air: How Atmospheric Electrodynamics Is Interpreted

Authors: V.Peretyachenko, O.Krishevich

Abstract

Large-scale studies of atmospheric electrodynamics are conducted not because the observed effects are unknown to physics, but because qualitative knowledge of a phenomenon is insufficient for engineering, modeling, and institutional applicability. Nonlinear open systems operating in variable environmental conditions require quantitative validation, statistical robustness, and reproducible correlations before their behavior can be correctly described and integrated into computational models and applied architectures. For this reason, even long-established electrodynamic processes become the subject of complex, multi-level measurements — not to confirm their existence, but to define regime boundaries, stability conditions, and degrees of predictability. The purpose of this article is to show how contemporary research on atmospheric electrification interprets the role of the surrounding environment: as a working and coupling medium for interaction, but not as an energy source, and why this distinction is fundamentally important for sound engineering thinking.

Editorial & Scope Disclaimer

This article is prepared as a scientific and educational overview of established phenomena in atmospheric electrodynamics, plasma physics, and nonlinear open systems. It is intended solely to support correct physical framing and engineering interpretation of environmental interaction, charge dynamics, and energy transformation mechanisms.

The content does not describe, disclose, or claim performance characteristics of any specific device or product, including VENDOR.Energy technology. No quantitative performance claims, efficiency metrics, or device architectures are presented.

References to VENDOR.Energy are limited to methodological context and reflect a general engineering approach to validation, reproducibility, and regime-based analysis. All technology-specific data, measurements, and validation results related to VENDOR.Energy are disclosed exclusively through independent testing, certification, and formal verification milestones.

This article should be interpreted as background scientific context, not as evidence of device performance or as a substitute for independent experimental validation.

Section 0. Why This Framework Matters for Engineering Systems (VENDOR.Energy)

VENDOR.Energy treats the atmosphere and the surrounding environment not as an energy source, but as a working interaction medium and a coupling contour that influences electrodynamic regimes: charge distribution, breakdown conditions, leakage pathways, and feedback mechanisms. This framing is fully consistent with modern atmospheric electrodynamics, where the environment defines operating conditions and regime boundaries without substituting for the system’s energy balance. It is therefore essential to fix a baseline logic: complex electrodynamic systems become “engineering systems” not when they can be convincingly described, but when they are translated into measurable regimes defined by protocols, reproducibility criteria, statistical stability, and validation gates. This approach is standard in domains where effects have long been known, yet their behavior under real-world conditions requires precise parameterization and modeling. All quantitative data, measurement methodologies, and stages of external verification related to VENDOR.Energy are disclosed progressively as validation milestones are passed. Public texts serve a single purpose: to preserve a correct physical framing of the discussion and to avoid replacing verification with interpretation. Within this approach, public communication does not substitute verification: measurement protocols, reproducibility, independent validation, and certification gates take precedence over any descriptive narratives of results.

Section 1. Where the “Energy from Air” Myth Comes From

In public discussions of atmospheric and electrodynamic effects, a recurring logical substitution appears: if electrical or electromagnetic phenomena are observed in an air environment, the air itself is mistakenly treated as the source of the energy driving these processes. Physics, however, consistently distinguishes between three distinct descriptive levels:

The energy source of the system — where the work originates that drives changes in the system
The medium in which interaction occurs — the material environment with specific electrophysical properties
The mechanism of energy transformation and redistribution — the process through which energy changes form

Conflation of these levels gives rise to the persistent myth of “energy from air.” Air as a medium is not an autonomous, controllable energy source capable of performing useful work in a system without the presence of external gradients and mechanisms for their conversion. In atmospheric processes, what is observed is energy transformation (for example, mechanical to electrical), not the emergence of energy from the medium itself.

Section 2. Contemporary Atmospheric Electrodynamics: Research Focus

Modern studies of atmospheric electrification are not focused on identifying new energy sources, but on describing the dynamics of open electrodynamic systems under real environmental conditions. A typical set of investigated processes includes:

Mechanical motion of aerosol and dust particles — kinetic energy supplied by wind or turbulence
Contact and triboelectric charging — redistribution of surface charges during collisions
Formation of local electric fields — as a consequence of spatial charge separation
Non-stationary discharge regimes — impulse processes leading to partial charge neutralization
Transient electromagnetic responses — short-lived fluctuations in atmospheric electromagnetic structure

These processes are well described in Abdelaal et al. (2025), which systematizes mechanisms of dust aerosol electrification in arid environments and demonstrates that all observed phenomena conform to established laws of contact electrification and gas discharges. The value of such studies lies in synchronized, multi-point measurements of meteorological parameters (temperature, humidity, wind) and electromagnetic signals, enabling separation of physical responses from instrumental noise and the construction of statistically robust correlations for model parameterization.

Section 3. Contact Electrification Mechanism: Triboelectrification

The central mechanism of charge formation in dust aerosols under arid conditions, and in several environments with similar electrophysical properties, is contact electrification (triboelectrification; in some studies described as a balloelectric regime in aerosol flows). This electrification arises from:

Particle collisions — mechanical interaction in airflow
Mechanical deformation — elastic or plastic deformation during impact
Friction and contact rupture — frictional surface interaction

Temporal decomposition of a contact event shows that the process has a structured microsecond-scale dynamics, directly observed in experimental setups with sub-microsecond resolution. During contact rupture, charge transfer occurs according to the contact potential; however, in high-energy collision regimes, deviations from simple contact models appear due to increased effective contact area during deformation. Within the contact electrification framework:

Energy enters the system from mechanical motion — particle kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy via contact processes
The electric field is a result of charge redistribution — charges already present on material surfaces are transferred between them
The air environment serves as a dielectric and gas-discharge medium — defining breakdown and leakage conditions

Thus, air participates in the electrification process but does not supply energy to the system.

Section 4. Influence of Humidity on Electrical Characteristics

Experimental data obtained under controlled conditions demonstrate a clear dependence of the electrical properties of dust systems on ambient air humidity. When relative humidity decreases (typically below ~30%):

Surface conductivity of particles decreases — the adsorbed water layer on particle surfaces becomes thinner and less ionized
Charge leakage slows — ionic conductivity of air decreases, delaying charge neutralization
Local electric field strength increases — accumulated charges generate stronger electric fields
Discharge activity intensifies — higher field strengths increase the likelihood of air breakdown

Air breakdown voltage is described by Paschen’s law, which defines the dependence of breakdown voltage on the product of pressure and electrode separation. At atmospheric pressure and an inter-electrode distance of approximately 7.5 micrometers, the minimum breakdown voltage in air is 327 V. This value, established by Friedrich Paschen in 1889, has been confirmed in modern microscale gas discharge studies. Humidity influences charge accumulation and discharge conditions, but not the origin of system energy. The thin adsorbed water layer modifies charge transport mechanisms: at low humidity, electron transport dominates; with increasing humidity, ionic species play a greater role.

Section 5. Charge Distribution and Electrical Structures in Dust Storms

Electric field inversion studies in dust storms show that simple models (monopolar or dipolar structures) fail to describe reality. Instead, a three-dimensional mosaic of alternating positively and negatively charged regions is observed. This complex structure is explained by the differential response of particles of different sizes to turbulent fluctuations. Particles with different Stokes numbers respond differently to vortex structures, leading to spatial separation of oppositely charged particles. A key finding is the presence of significant linear relationships between reconstructed spatial charge densities and measured PM10 concentrations, suggesting the existence of a dynamic charge equilibrium — a state in which the charge-to-mass ratio of particles remains relatively constant at a given altitude. This phenomenon has been verified through multi-point measurements and indicates a stabilized mechanism rather than a spontaneous process.

Section 6. Energy Transfer Mechanism: Mechanical → Electrical

A critical distinction that must be explicitly recognized in engineering analysis is the following. The energy pathway in the system is strictly defined: Kinetic energy of wind / mechanical motion ↓ Particle collisions and mechanical deformation ↓ Charge transfer during contact / contact rupture ↓ Charge separation between surfaces ↓ Electrical potential energy ↓ Charge accumulation on particles At each stage, energy is conserved while changing form. No “new energy” emerges from air — mechanical energy is transformed into electrical energy. In this chain, air:

Serves as the medium in which collisions occur
Provides the dielectric environment for charge accumulation
Defines breakdown conditions via gas discharge laws

In engineering systems, it is essential to distinguish between two levels: the environment defines regime conditions, while the energy balance is determined by sources and process control. It is therefore more accurate to speak of electrodynamic interaction with the environment under energy conservation, rather than “energy from air.” This logic applies equally to natural dust systems and engineered architectures that operate with charge, fields, discharges, and feedbacks as controllable regimes governed by external energy inputs and environmental parameters.

Section 7. Nonlinear Systems with Memory and Feedback

Observed time lags between changes in temperature, mechanical parameters, and electromagnetic activity indicate that such systems:

Exhibit inertia — they do not respond instantaneously to external changes
Accumulate state — current behavior depends on system history
Respond with delay — memory effects influence dynamic response

These are characteristic properties of nonlinear open systems, well known in plasma physics, gas discharge physics, and atmospheric science. In particular:

Charge accumulation on particles occurs over characteristic time scales
Charge leakage through ionic air conductivity has its own relaxation time
Electromagnetic fields influence particle trajectories, altering collision rates

These feedbacks create complex dynamics while remaining fully within established physical models.

Section 8. The Role of Air as an Interaction Medium

A key distinction consistently emphasized in scientific literature is the following:

Air forms gradients — local variations in conductivity and dielectric properties influence charged particle behavior
Air defines discharge pathways — current paths depend on local conductivity and charge distribution
Air affects regime stability — charge retention depends on leakage rates through ionic conductivity

But air is not an energy source. Analogies from other areas of physics:

A dielectric is not a source of electrical energy, despite influencing electric fields
A heat-transfer fluid is not a source of heat, despite affecting thermal exchange efficiency
A viscous fluid is not a source of momentum, despite influencing motion trajectories

The air environment acts as an interaction mediator, not as fuel.

Section 9. Why Such Studies Continue: From Qualitative to Quantitative

Even well-established effects require continued investigation when the goal is:

Quantitative parameterization — establishing numerical laws linking variables within defined condition ranges
Statistical robustness — verifying reproducibility across repeated measurements
Modeling under real-world conditions — accounting for all relevant physical factors in field environments
Integration into climate and planetary models — linking microphysical processes with large-scale dynamics

Without this, an effect remains qualitatively known but engineering-inapplicable. For example, while electrostatic forces are known to influence dust transport, without quantitative dependencies on particle size, charge, and environmental parameters, integration into climate models or system design is impossible. This is why atmospheric electrodynamics research remains relevant — not as a search for new energy sources, but as systematic work on normalizing complex physical regimes for engineering use.

Section 10. Global Electric Circuit and Energy Balance

Within the context of the Global Electric Circuit (GEC), correct interpretation of energy sources is critical. The GEC is sustained by thunderstorm systems that act as electrical generators, separating charge between clouds and Earth’s surface. Thunderstorms operate as current or voltage sources depending on charge separation mechanisms. In all cases, however, the energy source is the same: mechanical energy of convective updrafts transporting water droplets and ice crystals, which collide and separate under electrostatic forces. Air in this process:

Transports mechanical energy
Defines collision conditions
Provides dielectric support for charge separation

But air does not create the system’s energy.

Section 11. Scales and Time Horizons: From Micro to Macro

A frequently overlooked aspect in popular discussions concerns temporal and spatial scales:

Microscopic time scales: contact charging (microseconds), gas breakdown (nanoseconds to microseconds)
Mesoscopic time scales: dust storm development (minutes to hours), charge leakage (hours to days)
Global time scales: diurnal GEC cycle (24 hours), seasonal variations (months)

Each scale requires a distinct analytical approach. Integrating microphysical charge processes into meso-scale dust storm models and further into global atmospheric models is complex, yet fully achievable within classical, experimentally validated physics.

Conclusion

Atmospheric electrodynamic phenomena:

Do not violate energy conservation laws
Do not require hypotheses of “energy from air”
Are fully described by classical and experimentally confirmed physics
Exhibit complex nonlinear behavior with memory and feedback

Their study is aimed at understanding, measurement, and modeling — not sensational interpretation. The absence of explanation is a state of knowledge, not a property of reality. In engineering practice, significance lies not in the mere existence of an effect, but in its reproducibility, measurability, and correct interpretation within verifiable models. This transformation of qualitative knowledge into quantitative, model-integrated understanding defines modern atmospheric electrodynamics and engineering systems built upon its principles.