Science Daily: Hazards Of Severe Space Weather Revealed.
ScienceDaily (Jan. 12, 2009) — A NASA-funded study describes how extreme solar eruptions could have severe consequences for communications, power grids and other technology on Earth.
The National Academy of Sciences in Washington conducted the study. The resulting report provides some of the first clear economic data that effectively quantifies today's risk of extreme conditions in space driven by magnetic activity on the sun and disturbances in the near-Earth environment. Instances of extreme space weather are rare and are categorized with other natural hazards that have a low frequency but high consequences.
"Obviously, the sun is Earth's life blood," said Richard Fisher, director of the Heliophysics division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "To mitigate possible public safety issues, it is vital that we better understand extreme space weather events caused by the sun's activity."
Besides emitting a continuous stream of plasma called the solar wind, the sun periodically releases billions of tons of matter called coronal mass ejections. These immense clouds of material, when directed toward Earth, can cause large magnetic storms in the magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. Such space weather can affect the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems.
Space weather can produce solar storm electromagnetic fields that induce extreme currents in wires, disrupting power lines, causing wide-spread blackouts and affecting communication cables that support the Internet. Severe space weather also produces solar energetic particles and the dislocation of the Earth's radiation belts, which can damage satellites used for commercial communications, global positioning and weather forecasting. Space weather has been recognized as causing problems with new technology since the invention of the telegraph in the 19th century.
A catastrophic failure of commercial and government infrastructure in space and on the ground can be mitigated through raising public awareness, improving vulnerable infrastructure and developing advanced forecasting capabilities. Without preventive actions or plans, the trend of increased dependency on modern space-weather sensitive assets could make society more vulnerable in the future.
-759725.jpg){kind=link}
2 comments:
So, it's both good and bad.
THERE ARE ELECTRIC CURRENTS IN SPACE
I recently ventured over to Bad Astronomy and made a series of comments that boiled down to a discussion with one other commenter (plus a few in the peanut gallery).
The discussion was positive and enlightening both for me and hopefully for my interlocuter.
Here is the discussion thread : ASS #5 Galaxies grow from black hole seeds
My position was clear: The hypothesis that galaxies grow from "black holes" contradict the original "black hole" theory that "black holes" are the result of collasped super-massive stars.
The contradiction lies in the theory postulated by conventional astronomy that stars are the result of galaxy formation, therefore, "black holes" can't proceed galaxy formation because "black holes" are formed from collasped super-massive stars.
I've related part of this discussion, here, on the Oil Is Mastery, website: NGC 7603, January 6, 2009, comment #5, January 9, 2009 12:01 PM. And NGC 4319 and Markarian 205, January 7, 2009 comment #1 and #2.
Anyway, the discussion was wide-ranging and touched on many issues in the debate between Plasma Cosmology (Electric Universe) theory and the Gravitational model based on General Relativity theory.
By and large, as I've stated, the discussion was positive as those things go -- each side was mulish in admitting strong points raised by the other side. Still, engaging at all in a meaningful way in scientific debates on the internet is difficult, so you take what you can get.
But eventually the discussion came down to the basic objection raised against Electric Universe theory by conventional astronomers: "There are no electric currents in space."
Well, there was a healthy back and forth discussion, although, the "peanut gallery" would have preferred I just shut up and keep quiet.
But that's not in my nature. That's where the story linked in this post comes into play.
So, I present my comment that used this SpaceDaily story to make the Electric Universe's case (thank you, OilIsMastery):
"Your bottom line is that there are NO electric currents in space. Your position is clear and absolute.
If there are no electric currents in space — obviously, my position is untenable.
If there are electric currents in space, then the ediface of the gravitation (only) model begins to crumble.
Is this a fair test?
So, it seems that the best place to examine whether there is electric currents in space is where Man’s science can make the the most detailed and sensitive observations and measurements.
This would be near space around the Earth.
Is this a fair test?
If there are “no electric currents in space” it should make no difference whether near or far — the dynamics of space should be the same everywhere.
Is this a fair statement?
Assuming that the above is a fair characterization of your position and, I might add, conventional astronomy, allow me to make a short offer of proof that there are electric currents in space.
The following article sheds light on the subject.
Hazards Of Severe Space Weather Revealed
ScienceDaily (Jan. 12, 2009) — “A NASA-funded study describes how extreme solar eruptions could have severe consequences for communications, power grids and other technology on Earth.”
Hazards Of Severe Space Weather Revealed, January 12, 2009(SpaceDaily).
The article states further:
“Besides emitting a continuous stream of plasma called the solar wind, the sun periodically releases billions of tons of matter called coronal mass ejections. These immense clouds of material, when directed toward Earth, can cause large magnetic storms in the magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. Such space weather can affect the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems.”
“Space weather can produce solar storm electromagnetic fields that induce extreme currents in wires, disrupting power lines, causing wide-spread blackouts and affecting communication cables that support the Internet. Severe space weather also produces solar energetic particles and the dislocation of the Earth’s radiation belts, which can damage satellites used for commercial communications, global positioning and weather forecasting. Space weather has been recognized as causing problems with new technology since the invention of the telegraph in the 19th century.”
This article is clear and unambiguous: The Sun emits “plasma” and “electromagnetic fields”. These are not “frozen,” but are dynamic and changing.
[Commenter], in a previous comment on this post you stated that the magnetosphere should be disturbed by the Birkeland currents emitted from the Sun and received by the Earth and that they should be able to be observed and measured.
This article from SpaceDaily shows that, in deed, the Earth’s magnetosphere is disturbed by Birkeland currents.
More important, you stated that this “solar wind” would be neutral, not electrically charged — NASA and mainstream science disagree with you.
In deed, the flow of particles from the Sun to the Earth are charged particles.
That is why the flow causes electromagnetic disturbances in the Earth’s electromagnetosphere.
That is why it disrupts the electrical functions of Man’s technology that rely on electricity and electrical currents.
A neutral flow of particles would not have this effect.
Yet, apparently the threat is catastrophic.
The above linked article states:
“A catastrophic failure of commercial and government infrastructure in space and on the ground can be mitigated through raising public awareness, improving vulnerable infrastructure and developing advanced forecasting capabilities. Without preventive actions or plans, the trend of increased dependency on modern space-weather sensitive assets could make society more vulnerable in the future.”
But let me offer a couple more observations:
Science acknowledges electrical phenomenon in near space:
“Plasmas in the lab form cellular structures separated by thin layers of opposite charge called double layers. Does the same thing happen in nebulas? That’s a tough question to answer, because the only known way detect a double layer is to send a probe through it, and nebulas are far beyond the reach of our spacecraft. But everywhere we’ve sent probes in our solar system, we’ve found cellular structures separated by double layers, just as we found in the plasma lab. We call these structures magnetospheres, magnetotails, bow shocks, comet heads and tails.”
Hannes Alfvén says, “… it is unpleasant to base far-reaching conclusions on the existence of a structure which we cannot detect directly. But the alternative is to draw far-reaching conclusions from the assumption that in distant regions, the plasmas have properties which are drastically different from what they are in our own neighborhood. This is obviously far more unpleasant … ”
The above quotes come from this article:
NGC 6302: Bug Nebula, July 7, 2004(thunderbolts.info)
But I understand the above is somehow suspect in your eyes.
So I submit a NASA document for your further consideration.
Please study the following linked diagrams and charts provided by NASA:
Diagrams and charts by NASA showing the electrical nature of space dynamics surrounding Earth
There is no doubt that the currents from the Sun to the Earth are electrical in nature as are the “double layers” known as the magnetosphere and magnetotail.
The near space has an abundance of scientific evidence of electrical current phenomenon.
I’ll answer your specific questions later.
But for now, your claim that there are no “electric currrents” in space is tenuous.
Near space has a clear verdict.
Can you face up to the evidence, or are you in denial?"
Only after this proof did the commenter reluctantly agree that electric currents exist in space: "I have admitted recently that my statement that there are “no” currents is probably not accurate."
But, here, I need some assistance, the commenter followed up with his best point of the discussion: "But here comes the important point: WHERE ARE THE OTHER CURRENTS [that come into the Sun from inter-stellar or intra-galactic space]?"
That seems to be the challenge for Electric Universe theory: predicting how electric currents come into the Sun from intra-galactic space; and then predicting how those electric currents could be detected.
Any suggestions?
Post a Comment