Recent advances in global electric circuit coupling between the space environment and the troposphere

An overall schematic cartoon explaining how the Earth's atmosphere is electrified. How is this related to solar flares, one may ask... the answer is that the solar chromosphere and photosphere have a distinctly analogous role in processes such as flares. See the Obayashi cartoon for a good introduction here. One basic physical problem is that we have little grasp, theoretically, on the actual electrodynamics of the lower solar atmosphere. Here (in the Earth's atmosphere) we can use satellites, rockets, balloons, aircraft, and even tall trees (see the cartoon) to make in situ observations.

      Technical note: the "OV" at the bottom right does not mean "Fifth ionization level of oxygen". Here it means zero volts, or "Earth".