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Threadlike streams of "Electric wind"

Page 2: Hardware Details













IMPROVED HARDWARE


I found a better way to create "air threads": electrify the dry-ice
water pan, then use grounded objects as air-thread emitters (use your hand
for example as in the Fig. 1 photo.)  I placed my
aluminum 
cookie sheet upon insulators (plastic
cups), filled it with about 1cm deep of hot water, placed a piece of black
paper in the water for contrast, then dropped a couple of pellets of dry
ice into the water in order to create the mist layer.  I expect that an 
ultrasonic humidifier could also provide the mist layer instead of 
dry ice.  [NOPE.  THE FOG FLOATS TOO HIGH, RATHER THAN INVADING THE
BOUNDARY LAYER AS THE DRY-ICE FOG DOES.]








[GIF: click to download]







Fig. 3  A setup for creating and viewing electrostatic "Air Streams"

( The air streams are invsible, but they make dots in the fog )










I'm using an old negative ion generator as the power supply. It puts out
10uA maximum, and maybe 10KV to 15KV.  Very safe.  If you want to
duplicate these phenomena, an electrostatic generator is best.  Don't
electrocute yourself with a DC high voltage power supply!  For example,
place a tabletop VandeGraaff machine on the table near the cookie tray,
and connect the tray to the generator's sphere by using wire and tape.




If your hands are extremely dry, they won't make any air-threads.  If they
are clean and lint-free, then no threads appear.  I find that if I wet my
fingertips and then stroke them briefly across my shirt, then plenty of
fibers adhere, and my fingertips will then create loads of furrows when I
sweep them across the fog.  [HEY!!! If I get my fingers *really* wet,
then no lint is necessary.  Strong threads appear for awhile, but then
they go away and I must re-wet my fingers.  Also, Dale T. reports seeing
threads coming from oil-wetted metal.]




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