Charge loss mechanism of highly charged water droplets in the atmosphere

Laboratory studies at reduced pressure of the loss of charge of evaporating charged drops are applied to the atmosphere. It is concluded that, at moderate cloud altitude (about 4.5 km), highly charged drops of radius of less than about 60 μ will undergo Rayleigh instability; drops greater than this size will instead lose charge by ion collection. At somewhat higher altitudes, charge loss for all drops will be by ion collection; conversely, at sea level, instability will be the dominant loss process for all sizes of interest.