Magnetospheres

[rory88]

What does the EU say about magnetosphere's and how they are formed, how they are shaped and how intense they are

[nick c]

hi rory88,

What does the EU say about magnetosphere's and how they are formed, how they are shaped and how intense they are

Plasmasphere or plasma sheath would be a better or preferred term (to magnetosphere). I would recommend a reading of The Electric Sky by Scott.
For a condensed version here is his website:
http://www.electric-cosmos.org/indexOLD.htm

Planetary Magnetotails
Each planet has a 'plasma sheath' - a well known electrical phenomenon - the size and shape of which is determined by the difference between the electrical potential (voltage) of the planet and that of the nearby solar plasma. The shape of this plasma sheath is usually a tear-drop or wind-sock shape, the pointed end facing away from the sun. The boundary of this sheath is a double layer that separates the planet's surrounding plasma from the solar plasma.

http://www.electric-cosmos.org/planets.htm

also: Real Properties of Electromagnetic Fields and
Plasma in the Cosmos

And from the holoscience site:

A planet's magnetosphere is the region in space surrounding the planet where its magnetic field dominates. Under the influence of the solar wind it is compressed on the sunward side of the planet and stretches away behind the planet like a comet's tail....
[snip]
Any cosmic body which is charged relative to the surrounding plasma has a plasma sheath or magnetosphere. It is a region in which electric current flows and energy is released. The sheath is generally invisible unless the current is strong enough to generate light, such as on the Sun, in auroras, and in the coma and tails of comets.

http://www.holoscience.com/news.php?article=jej1t3c2

Nick

[StandingWave]

Nick, more questions pop to mind based on your offering...

Are you (edit: by referencing these quotes) saying that the term 'plasma sheath'/'plasmasphere' and 'magnetosphere' are synonymous terms? Does this imply that a planet's magnetic field is caused by its charge differential compared with its local space environment (solar 'wind')? I gather that the existence of a planetary magnetic field is due to some form of current flow through or in the core of the planet.

Does each planet in fact represent some form of plasma pinch? Are all planets proto-suns?

If the magnetic field around a planet decreases in strength, as has been happening to the Earth's field, does that then mean that the charge difference between the planet and the space in which it situated is equalising? Not all the planets have a magnetic field and some have partial fields. How are we to understand these in terms of charge differences?

Lastly, Earth's magnetic north pole seems to have drifted into Siberia over some years. What implications does this have for the spin axis? From my reading I have been lead to understand that rotation of planetary bodies is induced by the homopolar motor effect.

Thanks in advance.

[Shelgeyr]

If I could just jump in here with a couple of thoughts...

StandingWave wrote:
Does each planet in fact represent some form of plasma pinch?

I think it would be more accurate (though still unproven) to say that each planet was formed by a plasma pinch. As far as I understand, a plasma pinch is a fairly linear thing, with the inflow and outflow being in the same direction, just on opposite sides of the pinch. There's probably lots of room for me to be wrong about that, but that's the indication of the things I've read. The "stable" directional flows to/from the planets (and the sun for that matter) apparently aren't linear, and instead seem to be along the lines of "in at both poles, and out along an equatorial helical current sheet. But don't take that as gospel, again I'm speaking very broadly and only to the extent that I've understood what I've read (a variable and debatable standard).

StandingWave wrote:
Are all planets proto-suns?

Conceptually, maybe. Especially for the larger planets. In practice, no. Certainly not in single-primary systems.
The reason I say this is that it seems that "size matters" when Birkeland currents power a solar system. The main current streams powering the sun seem (sorry for the obvious statement here, but bear with me) to have an affinity for the sun over all else. The current streams impinging on the planets come from the sun, not from directly outside the solar system. This seems to imply to me that if Jupiter or Saturn were somehow shoved outside the heliosphere - beyond the heliopause - they'd probably light up on their own, directly drawing off a split in the main galactic current stream that otherwise would be powering the solar system.

On the other hand, it probably also depends on your definition of "proto-sun" and your accepted timeframe. By which I mean it looks to me, geographically and geologically, that our planet bears not only crater-like EDM scars, but gigantic formations that could easily pass for "sculptures of sunspots", or sunspots frozen in stone, although obviously on a much smaller scale than actual sunspots. If these structures were actually formed the way I think they were, then at some point in the planet's past (and possibly on more than one occasion), the planet probably COULD have passed for a proto-sun as it was undergoing massive global discharge events.

StandingWave's question made me think of one for the board: What are the qualifications of a "proto-sun"? Would a total-globe glow-mode aurora do the trick? Or would the auroras have to have flashed over into arc mode before the planet would qualify?

[nick c]

hi StandingWave,
Good questions, when in doubt about EU questions I like to consult the writing of Thornhill or Scott. Also, the tpod's supply a wealth of information and can lead to other avenues of investigation. Like most of us here, I am learning on the fly.
In addition to Shelgeyr's comments, I would like to add that magnetospheres and plasmaspheres are not exactly the same. I think part of the problem here is the terminology used by mainstream, where the trailing plasma tail, that accompanies each of the planets to varying degrees, is conventionally called a "magnetotail." Although the Thornhill quote seems to somewhat equate them, Scott distinguishes between a 'magnetic field' and a 'plasma sheath or plasmasphere'.
From The Electric Sky , p 129:

Each planet is an intruder in the solar plasma. As far as we can tell from our space probes, each planet is surrounded by its own cell of plasma, called its plasmasphere. A double layer (DL) separates the plasmasphere from the solar plasma. It should be noted that Venus has little if any magnetic field, but it does have a large plasmasphere. This is an example of why the words magnetosphere and plasmasphere are not interchangeable. The same is true of Saturn's moon Titan - it, like Venus , has a large plasma tail but no discernable magnetic field.
The size and shape of each planet's plasmasphere is determined by the difference between the electrical potential (voltage) of the planet and that of the nearby, surrounding solar plasma. The resulting form of this planetary plasma sheath is teardrop or windsock shape, the pointed end trailing away from the Sun. Venus's plasma tail extends almost as far as Earth's orbit.

Keep in mind that plasmas can be in one of three modes - dark, glow, and arc. Dark mode seems to be most common for the majority of objects (planets, moons, asteroids, etc) in the solar system. If electrically excited enough, the plasmasphere could glow...this is illustrated by the tails of comets, where the above mentioned windsock shape is visible as a florescent glow, or the solar corona, or in auroras in the ionospheres of the Earth and other planets. If the current is further increased the plasma will move to arc mode, radiating light in a wide spectrum of em frequencies. The currents will tend to form twisting filaments, such as lightning bolts, solar prominences, the photosphere, and the electrical etching that sometimes takes place on the head of a comet as it approaches the Sun. Similar phenomena, plasma in arc mode, at different scales.
So if a large gaseous planet, such as Jupiter, were independently traveling in space it could shine dimly, it's plasmasphere in glow mode, as a brown dwarf star. Here is where the amount of matter makes a difference - an object like the Sun contains much more material than any of it's planets. The Sun's heliosphere (plasmasphere) may possibly extend out 100 AU or more, it's interface with the interstellar plasma has a mind boggling large surface area from which it can act as a "virtual cathode", at least in EU theory, and draw electrons. I would assume that a planet sized object free floating in interstellar space would have a much smaller plasmasphere and consequently a much dimmer glow, if at all.


Nick

[StandingWave]

Thanks for the responses Shelgeyr and NickC. I need to spend some more time doing further reading and research before fully digesting this.

From what has been offered I understand that a magnetosphere and a plasmasphere are in fact two distinct phenomena.

The magnetic field is not caused by the charge difference but a plasmasphere definitely is. Charge equalisation between a planet and the surrounding plasma would entail the disappearance of the double layer that defines the plasmasphere but would not necessarily reduce the magnetic field.

The form of the plasmasphere seems to be determined by the conductivity and charge of the solar atmosphere in which all the planets orbit. I believe that the entry into the solar system of highly charged, magnetised, dusty plasma from the 'local fluff' plasma cloud continues to alter the constitution of the solar atmosphere, making it considerably more conductive and densely charged. Does this imply that the plasmasphere around Venus that normaly nearly reaches the Earth when Venus transits the sun may well reach the plasmasphere of Earth when Venus next transits in 2012? would this also raise the possibilty of orbit jostling? And possible interplanetary discharges?

It seems that there is not much well substantiated theory to account for the existence and behaviour of a planetary magnetosphere. Mainstream propose a dynamo effect in a liquid iron core which is pure conjecture. This conjecture has fuelled the creation of a computer simulation by Gary Glatzmaier and Paul Roberts. They have created the ‘geodynamo’ that creates a self-sustaining magnetic field. http://es.ucsc.edu/~glatz/geodynamo.html That a current exists cannot be contested as all magnetic fields require attendant current flows to sustain them. Mars, among others, has a rather amorphous magnetic field which is explained in terms of residual magnetic fields in certain strata in the planet's crust. The EU provides a much more sensible platform to explain these phenomena, imho.

I think along much the same lines as Shelgeyr regarding the proto-sun query and it seems Nick tends to favour that understanding too. We are seeing more active auroral activity on many planets recently which speaks of a generally more energetic state in the solar atmosphere. All this seems to indicate a transition to a much more turbulent interplanetary future in the next few years.

[moses]

That a current exists cannot be contested as all magnetic fields require attendant current flows to sustain them.
StandingWave

A remanent magnetic field can be produced as the outcome of an electric current in the past. So no present day currents are required, and indeed EU proposes that the Earth underwent large electric currents in the past and so a remanent magnetic field is a real possibility. This is not to deny the possibility of there being strong electric currents in the Earth.

Also with regards to the Solar System entering a different electrical environment, i think that the double layer around the Solar System would be expected to enter glow mode at least in some areas. And although there was reports of such, lately not much seems to be happening. Time will tell, and it might be slow or a quick change.
Mo

[StandingWave]

It seems that there is not much well substantiated theory to account for the existence and behaviour of a planetary magnetosphere. Mainstream propose a dynamo effect in a liquid iron core which is pure conjecture.

Well it seems there has been some progress of late... herewith two web sites explaining some recent observations of the interactions that create and maintain the earth's magnetosphere:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunea ... twins.html

http://www.epraerospacenews.com/2009/10 ... al-dynamo/

[redeye]

The press release regarding the Earth's magnetosphere resulting from a toroidal electric current is very interesting. I haven't seen anything like that in the mainstream media before. It makes sense, as far as I'm concerned. If magnetic fields form around an electric current, the shape of the Earth's magnetosphere points to a toroidal electric current.

The internal dynamo paradigm relies on a solid metal core revolving in an outer core of liquid metal. I don't understand how such a set up could be stable. The liquid outer core would absorb the angular momentum of both the core and the rest of the Earth around it, which would slow the Earth's rotation gradually. Such a system would be chaotic, not stable.

Thanks for posting this.

Cheers

[Oracle_911]

To Shelgeyr:

We should be more precise, every electro-magnetically active planet (Earth and gas giants) were born from z-pinch or ejected from the star itself. In other hand "terrestrial" planets are just electrically active and has only more or less visible comet tail (plasma sheet) and they were born as moons from gas giants.

[Goldminer]

The press release regarding the Earth's magnetosphere resulting from a toroidal electric current is very interesting. I haven't seen anything like that in the mainstream media before. It makes sense, as far as I'm concerned. If magnetic fields form around an electric current, the shape of the Earth's magnetosphere points to a toroidal electric current.

The internal dynamo paradigm relies on a solid metal core revolving in an outer core of liquid metal. I don't understand how such a set up could be stable. The liquid outer core would absorb the angular momentum of both the core and the rest of the Earth around it, which would slow the Earth's rotation gradually. Such a system would be chaotic, not stable.

Thanks for posting this.

Cheers

"As below, so above" Read about Ampere's magnetic molecule here The extra nuclear shapes of electrons in atoms and molecules are suggestive of the shapes of electrical plasmas in the cosmos. Ampere's experiments led him to propose that what we now call "electrons" are according to him, magnetic molecules. (In my mind, the shapes of the atomic "orbits" of electrons are not orbits at all; but simply the shape of the electron itself when in the vicinity of the atomic nucleus.)

For example this one of the The 3dz2 electron orbital:



Found here Notice the toroid. Some "orbitals" are simply toroids without the spheroids. Not shown is the nucleus at the center of the "orbital."

[Oracle_911]

Thank you Goldminer, this is the reason why i couldn't take MJV' atomic model.