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valdocs_user t1_izo420b wrote

Reply to comment by MiffedMouse in What is the average voltage between Earth and outer space? by dvorahtheexplorer

But could the solar wind itself carry or deposit a charge imbalance? For example because protons and electrons have different masses.

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PatrickKieliszek t1_izo5c6g wrote

The solar wind is full of both positively charged hydrogen and free electrons.

The Earth's magnetic field captures more electrons than protons because the protons are more massive.

Eventually the net negative charge of the earth is enough to balance out the effect of the magnetic field and the rate of capture becomes even.

This causes the earth as a whole to have a slight negative charge.

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smnms t1_izo4h64 wrote

Not on the long run. If solar wind carried away from the sun more positive then negative charges, the sun would build up a positive charge, and this would pull back all the negatively charged particles.

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