atmospherics en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English atmosphere Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic Old English -as Middle English -es English -s English -ics English atmospherics From atmosphere + -ics.
Meanings
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(plural, plural-only) Radio interference caused by pulses of electromagnetic radiation in the atmosphere as the result of lightning and other events (both natural and man-made)
Other projects in progress at CRPL involve the study of audiofrequency tellurics (current induced in the earth) and earth conductivity measurements using atmospherics.
1964, United States. National Bureau of Standards, Technical News Bulletin, volumes 48-49, page 131:
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(plural, plural-only) Elements of the overall background atmosphere.
The indefinite object was drawing away from us at a high speed and eventually disappeared into a veil of atmospherics, very much as a headlight disappearing into a fog.
1965, James Holledge, Flying Saucers Over Australia, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 29:
- (plural, plural-only) The ambiance of a physical location (e.g., retail shop) or a sensory performance (e.g., music).