Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Many Internet forums have carried discussion of the Electric Universe hypothesis. Much of that discussion has added more confusion than clarity, due to common misunderstandings of the electrical principles. Here we invite participants to discuss their experiences and to summarize questions that have yet to be answered.

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folaht
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Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by folaht » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:53 am

It's over a hundred years old!

Can't anyone reproduce or something?
What's it made of anyway?

I'm almost wanting to put a myth in the mythbusters hoping they recreate one, but I need a good myth causing a explosion, since I'm just a poor computer-science student with still too little knowledge of physics.

Are there any good myths with Terella's? Perhaps if you throw a rock at it and it will explode just like the Tunguska event?
Since 1 % 1, 1 * 1 and 1 - 1 do not add up, we must conclude that 1 + 1 is 3.

Osmosis
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by Osmosis » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:05 pm

:D Well, there's your problem-computers and no electricity. :lol: The Terella was a hollow sphere, with coils inside, to generate a magnetic field.
The whole thing in a vacuum chamber, so Birkeland could pump it down, to simulate space and introduce gasses, which could be ionized to make plasma.
High voltage could also be introduced. Gee, it sounds like real stuff! :shock:

folaht
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by folaht » Fri Aug 01, 2008 4:38 am

and the sphere was made out of iron I believe?
Since 1 % 1, 1 * 1 and 1 - 1 do not add up, we must conclude that 1 + 1 is 3.

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MGmirkin
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by MGmirkin » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:52 pm

I agree, it would be great if someone could rebuild a new terella with modern equipment / methods. I seem to recall the original terella is in a museum somewhere. Might even be functional if I recall correctly...

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~Michael Gmirkin
"The purpose of science is to investigate the unexplained, not to explain the uninvestigated." ~Dr. Stephen Rorke
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Osmosis
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by Osmosis » Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:48 pm

A spun iron sphere, with two solenoids inside, hung from the top plate in a glass vacuum chamber. What a neat project! Can we get government funding? Birkeland did! ;)

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MGmirkin
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by MGmirkin » Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:53 am

Osmosis wrote:A spun iron sphere, with two solenoids inside, hung from the top plate in a glass vacuum chamber. What a neat project! Can we get government funding? Birkeland did! ;)
I think the original only had 1 solenoid... But, what do I know, I just work here. ;)

Image

Image

Which isn't to say that it couldn't be improved upon slightly with newer technology. :D

Regards,
~Michael Gmirkin
"The purpose of science is to investigate the unexplained, not to explain the uninvestigated." ~Dr. Stephen Rorke
"For every PhD there is an equal and opposite PhD." ~Gibson's law

Osmosis
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by Osmosis » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:15 pm

Oops! My bad, Michael. One coil it is. Two coils would be fun to try! :)

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DustyDevil
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by DustyDevil » Tue Aug 05, 2008 5:45 am

Here are some links to 2 modern terrella experiments: 1) the spinning terrella experiment at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and 2) the collisionless terrella experiment at Columbia University.

UAH Spinning Terrella Experiment:
http://www.rbsp.info/rbs/RbS/UGRANT/index.html

CTX -- Collisionless Terrella Experiment:
http://www.ap.columbia.edu/ctx/ctx.html

You can download several papers from these sites that include photos of their equipment.

The following link is to a powerpoint presentation of the UAH terrella:
http://www.rbsp.info/rbs/RbS/PP/agu01sa.ppt

If you want more info on both experiments just use the above names in your favorite search engine.

I hope this helps.

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"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts."
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Osmosis
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by Osmosis » Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:39 am

:o DustyDevil, thanks for the fascinating links :D

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redeye
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by redeye » Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:30 am

I found this image of a terrella that was part of an exhibition in France. I can't find any other info on it though.

I'll make a more thorough search when I get home.

Cheers!
"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind."
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folaht
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Re: Why do pictures of Terella's show Birkeland's Terella?

Unread post by folaht » Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:49 pm

Yes, thanks DustyDevil!

I especially like the UAH powerpoint presentation as they have pics.
I wonder if any of these pics corresponds to the following quote:
When we look in detail at the pressure changes, we note that the lower pressure regimes have a ``comet-like'' appearance, with a bright ``coma'' near or on the surface of the magnet, and a dim tail.
Source: http://www.rbsp.info/rbs/RbS/PAPER/PP00/node11.html
Since 1 % 1, 1 * 1 and 1 - 1 do not add up, we must conclude that 1 + 1 is 3.

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