Held up by their rapid spin - what does that mean?

[ElecGeekMom]

This statement:

"New research shows that some old stars known as white dwarfs might be held up by their rapid spins, and when they slow down, they explode as Type Ia supernovae"

in this article:

http://www.universetoday.com/92410/unlo ... upernovae/

puzzles me. (The underlining is mine.)

Does that mean that if/when the Birkeland current weakens or stops, then the star experiences a catastrophic failure (explosion)?

Does that also mean that the planets could experience more eruptions (or other disruptions in their stability) when the sun goes quiet?

[Osmosis]

Hello E.G.M.,If stars are electric, like neon lights, wouldn't they just go (pardon the word) dark if disconnected?

[sjw40364]

Depends, are they producing energy and the currents transporting it out or in? If out then they would build up energy if the connection was lost until they exploded.

[Osmosis]

Could the spinning to expolding star be similar to a series motor, with insufficient field current? Speed rises until Blooey!

[sjw40364]

Could the spinning to expolding star be similar to a series motor, with insufficient field current? Speed rises until Blooey!

That too or like a lightbulb if there is a surge in current as well.

[Osmosis]

Power too cheap to meter?

[seasmith]

ElecGeekMom » Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:23 pm

This statement:

"New research shows that some old stars known as white dwarfs might be held up by their rapid spins, and when they slow down, they explode as Type Ia supernovae"

ElecGeek,

Isn't a parallel process said to occur at the sub-atomic scale of 'photons' ?
Where high-spin, small-radius, charged gamma-type entities may slow down and gain radius (like the ol' spinning skater extending or folding arms).
To extend the analogy towards ludicrity, the skater falls, and the 'photon' diffuses, dissipates or evanesces/supernovates; depending upon the scriptwriter.

~

[webolife]

Spin is a dynamic equilibrium state between momentum and gravitation [electrogravitic or otherwise].
The rapid spins inferred for hyperdense objects such as white dwarf stars conserve angular momentum as radius shrinks. Somewhere in this equilibrium state there are relatively balanced electrical and/or magnetic forces at work.
If these are powered by Birkland currents, spin could increase or decrease over time without significant [terminally destructive] effect. If thermonuclear processes [powered by gravitational collapse] are at work, then when the "fuel" is spent, all that is left is momentum --> explosion. So it seems to me that the process of "slowing spin" is putting the cart before the horse?

[sjw40364]

Spin is a dynamic equilibrium state between momentum and gravitation [electrogravitic or otherwise].
The rapid spins inferred for hyperdense objects such as white dwarf stars conserve angular momentum as radius shrinks. Somewhere in this equilibrium state there are relatively balanced electrical and/or magnetic forces at work.
If these are powered by Birkland currents, spin could increase or decrease over time without significant [terminally destructive] effect. If thermonuclear processes [powered by gravitational collapse] are at work, then when the "fuel" is spent, all that is left is momentum --> explosion. So it seems to me that the process of "slowing spin" is putting the cart before the horse?

The larger the size, the more current it can conduct and the stronger the magnetic field and the faster its spin. Look around, larger planets spin faster than smaller planets. This is because planets are not just carrying spin from past events, but being induced to spin in their magnetic fields. So unlike a dancer increased diameter means increased mass, which can channel more current, which again increases the magnetic field and hence its spin rate. As for hyperdense objects that is only theory, and a bad one at that.

[mharratsc]

This statement:

"New research shows that some old stars known as white dwarfs might be held up by their rapid spins, and when they slow down, they explode as Type Ia supernovae"

in this article:

http://www.universetoday.com/92410/unlo ... upernovae/

puzzles me. (The underlining is mine.)

Does that mean that if/when the Birkeland current weakens or stops, then the star experiences a catastrophic failure (explosion)?

Does that also mean that the planets could experience more eruptions (or other disruptions in their stability) when the sun goes quiet?

Don't forget that these guys are still trying to work with a failed hypothesis. A white dwarf is not an 'old star'. It is a star under higher electrical stress (it is arcing bright white.)

So let us imagine for a minute that the power input to the star does decrease by say... 25%. Would it then 'explode' as these guys presume? Or would it simply slide down the HR diagram and become a yellow star like ours is? o.O

[viscount aero]

This statement:

"New research shows that some old stars known as white dwarfs might be held up by their rapid spins, and when they slow down, they explode as Type Ia supernovae"

in this article:

http://www.universetoday.com/92410/unlo ... upernovae/

puzzles me. (The underlining is mine.) Does that mean that if/when the Birkeland current weakens or stops, then the star experiences a catastrophic failure (explosion)? Does that also mean that the planets could experience more eruptions (or other disruptions in their stability) when the sun goes quiet?

They're implying that the spin is preventing stellar collapse.

Their model is seldom explained as well, as the reader is lead to accept that a collapse = explosion. This is contradictory. Furthermore the reason provided, when revealed, is that the matter falls into the core and rebounds and explodes. That seems highly unbelievable to be the mechanism and process.

[sjw40364]

Think transformer. What happens if you surge energy through it? Apparently since they are white hot there is quite a lot of energy pumping through it already. Surge the current or break the ground and the result is explosive.

[webolife]

The electric star theory makes a lot of sense to me; I was just tring to understand what the article might be inferring, and pointing out some inconsistencies. I understand that there may be a strong correlation between higher mass and higher volume, but this is often not the case... considering density rather than mass, for example, the gas giants have about 1/6 or so the density of the terrestrials... and higher spin... think also of the hydrogen atom, which has a larger volume than, say, 36 or so more massive atoms... difference of density may have more functionality in the physical universe than "mass" in some respects.

[seasmith]

New Telescope Captures Supermassive Black Hole
by Govert Schilling on 10 January 2012
The supermassive black hole in the core of a distant galaxy known as Cygnus A spews jets of gas into space over distances of more than 200,000 light-years. The jets (orange) were imaged by the new International Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) Telescope in Europe. The picture shows how the jets slam into the hot gas surrounding the galaxy (blue, imaged by NASA's Chandra x-ray space telescope). LOFAR consist of tens of thousands of small antennas spread out over a few dozen stations in the Netherlands, Germany...

Odd they don't even mention the orange or blue spirals.


http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2 ... 302325dd06

[sjw40364]

I think we are getting close to where they will have no choice but to admit of all the electrical activity in space withing 5-10 years.