Alexander Hollins wrote:
unfortunately, space elevator research has stalled due to a lot of issues with voltage differentials in the upper atmosphere.
I have a book on this topic, B. E. Edwards, E. A Westling, "The Space Elevator," (no publisher listed). This is well written and authoritative. The authors discount this problem on p. 130 - 131, with a technical discussion which I cannot easily copy, ending with this comment:
"Even without the math we should be able to appraise the situation on an intuitive level. We do not drain the whole State of Texas of its thunderstorms by putting up one lightening rod. When we erect a TV antenna we don't drain away all the radio waves so that our neighbors don't get any. (Don't laugh, an obnoxious neighbor once blamed his poor reception on just such a claim.)"
- Jed
