Spectroscopy, Comets and Dirty Snowballs

[galaxy12]

Studying the spectroscopic emission lines is a very difficult task. They are looking for dips or lows in the electromagnetic spectrum due to absorption by certain elements. Each atomic and molecular bond has many different resonance frequencies that cause absorption lines from radio frequencies to microwave to terahertz to infrared to visible to ultraviolet to xray to gamma ray.

Many of the infrared emission lines from the Oxygen-Hydrogen bond of water have overlapping regions with the Nitrogen-Hydrogen bonds found in ammonia and nitrogen-containing hydrocarbons.





The carbon-hydrogen bonds can also have some overlaps with the Oxygen-Hydrogen bonds.



While we frequently hear about water compositions in comets, planets and galaxies, many of these observations are based on spectroscopic readings.

When the Rosetta spacecraft was sent to comet 67p with a mass spectrometer, they found fairly large numbers of hydrocarbons in addition to water:



The following table shows abundances in this table:



This article highlights the difficulty determining composition of planets based on spectroscopic readings:

https://www.space.com/uranus-neptune-le ... on-mystery

When astronomers announce spectroscopic findings of water in distant galaxies, I tend to consider the results with more caution than local celestial bodies:

https://www.space.com/12400-universe-bi ... water.html

This article was based on a spectroscopic study of sub-millimeter (microwave/infrared) emissions from a quasar 12 billion light-years from earth.

This is the study:



This image shows some millimeter wave spectroscopic emission lines from water compared to a methane/water mixture from a different study:



Personally, I trust readings from a mass spectrometer more than the infrared, sub-millimeter wave and millimeter wave spectroscopy. We also have to consider than both electromagnetic wave spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy are often looking at volatile materials that have been ejected from comets or outer layers of celestial bodies. Interior compositions can be more difficult to determine. My own opinion, of course, is that spectroscopy findings from one region of the spectrum such as infrared be confirmed with findings from another region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

[crawler]

For answers re water we need to go to Pollack (EZ water), & to Robitaille.

[galaxy12]

This article is promising since it seems to be showing that researchers are considering nitrogen-containing compounds such as methane in their spectroscopic findings instead of simply assuming they are water:

https://scitechdaily.com/web-space-tele ... own-dwarf/




The article does raise some important points about a temperature inversion. The researchers are looking for answers as to why the higher altitude around the poles has a higher temperature than the lower altitude. They are not sure where the energy is coming from.

"Computer modeling yielded another surprise: the brown dwarf likely has a temperature inversion, a phenomenon in which the atmosphere gets warmer with increasing altitude. Temperature inversions can easily happen to planets orbiting stars, but W1935 is isolated, with no obvious external heat source."

They are ruling out charged particles from a solar wind since the brown dwarf does not have a sun:

"Planetary scientists know that one of the major drivers of aurorae on Jupiter and Saturn are high-energy particles from the Sun that interact with the planets’ magnetic fields and atmospheres, heating the upper layers. This is also the reason for the aurorae that we see on Earth, commonly referred to as the Northern or Southern Lights since they are most extraordinary near the poles. But with no host star for W1935, a solar wind cannot contribute to the explanation."

They are speculating the energy may be coming from volcanic water vapor entering the atmosphere from a volcanically active moon. Here is their statement:

"There is an enticing additional reason for the aurora in our solar system. Both Jupiter and Saturn have active moons that occasionally eject material into space, interact with the planets, and enhance the auroral footprint on those worlds. Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active world in the solar system, spewing lava fountains dozens of miles high, and Saturn’s moon Enceladus ejects water vapor from its geysers that simultaneously freezes and boils when it hits space. More observations are needed, but the researchers speculate that one explanation for the aurora on W1935 might be an active, yet-to-be-discovered moon."

If the researchers had been familiar with electric universe theory, they would know about Alfven's "unipolar inductor" concept for energy generation.



Applying the unipolar inductor concept to a planet/star's energy generation we can conclude:
After the electrons from the periphery of the unipolar inductor's generator are ejected into space , many loop around from the equator back to the poles, the electrons then gain velocity/energy and the energy is released in the upper atmosphere, causing heating and light emission.
This image shows an application of Alfven's "unipolar inductor" concept to a proposed electricity flow in a planet, causing aurora:

[galaxy12]

I wish there was a way to correct a post. I misspoke on this comment "This article is promising since it seems to be showing that researchers are considering nitrogen-containing compounds such as methane in their spectroscopic findings instead of simply assuming they are water:"

That should say "hydrocarbons such as methane..." Oops