How does the earth behave? The earth is an air condenser,
but is it a perfect or a very imperfect one--a mere sink of energy?
There can be little doubt that to such small disturbance as might be
caused in an experiment the earth behaves as an almost perfect
condenser. But it might be different when its charge is set in
vibration by some sudden disturbance occurring in the heavens. In such
case, as before stated, probably only little of the energy of the
vibrations set up would be lost into space in the form of long ether
radiations, but most of the energy, I think, would spend itself in
molecular impacts and collisions, and pass off into space in the form
of short heat, and possibly light, waves. As both the frequency of the
vibrations of the charge and the potential are in all probability
excessive, the energy converted into heat may be considerable. Since
the density must be unevenly distributed, either in consequence of the
irregularity of the earth's surface, or on account of the condition of
the atmosphere in various places, the effect produced would
accordingly vary from place to place. Considerable variations in the
temperature and pressure of the atmosphere may in this manner be
caused at any point of the surface of the earth. The variations may be
gradual or very sudden, according to the nature of the general
disturbance, and may produce rain and storms, or locally modify the
weather in any way.

From the remarks before made one may see what an important factor of
loss the air in the neighborhood of a charged surface becomes when the
electric density is great and the frequency of the impulses excessive.
But the action as explained implies that the air is insulating--that
is, that it is composed of independent carriers immersed in an
insulating medium. This is the case only when the air is at something
like ordinary or greater, or at extremely small, pressure. When the
air is slightly rarefied and conducting, then true conduction losses
occur also. In such case, of course, considerable energy may be
dissipated into space even with a steady potential, or with impulses
of low frequency, if the density is very great.

When the gas is at very low pressure, an electrode is heated more
because higher speeds can be reached. If the gas around the electrode
is strongly compressed, the displacements, and consequently the
speeds, are very small, and the heating is insignificant. But if in
such case the frequency could be