Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) is practically relevant for anyone operating spacecrafts outside of LEO and can be relatively well simulated by a simple equation based on solar distance, angle between sunlight and surface normal and albedo by wavelength.
But what's the real physical mechanism behind it?
According to the standard model explained in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_pressure the electromagnetic radiation (mostly visible sunlight) is creating a force. But if that's true, why isn't the EM drive working then, which is based on emitting electromagnetic radiation to create propulsion, but it failed.
The following paper shows a large table of neutral elements and ions with their respective beta factor which is the factor the SRP force is stronger than the local solar gravity. At 1 both forces are balanced.
For neutral Lithium it is a whopping 223 times gravity! For neutral Sodium like seen in many comet tails and the Mercury tail it's 4.3 allowing neutral sodium to be accelerated to 0.5% lightspeed.
Solar radiation pressure as a mechanism of acceleration of atoms and first ions with low ionization potentials
Lyubov Illarionovna Shestakova, 2015, Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... potentials
What's physically behind the Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP)?
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Holger Isenberg
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X-RAY
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Re: What's physically behind the Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP)?
There is a magnetic sphere of influence which surrounds every planet and every sun, filling all space.
We can liken earth's geomagnetic field to the series of circular ripples created by dropping a pebble into a pond. The circular ripples move outward from the center point where the pebble was dropped; expanding in size but diminishing in force as they move. If we simultaneously drop two pebbles into the pond several feet apart, two sets of expanding circular waves are created, moving outward from each central point. Where the wave fronts meet, an interference pattern is formed which extends between the two center points.
The interference pattern assumes a shape of an extended ellipse, with its smaller ends at the points where the pebbles were dropped. Although both wave fronts have diminished in force as they traveled outward from the central points, the interference pattern has combined a portion of both forces to a third force (standing wave), which remains constant between the two central points so long as they remain active.
The same relationship exists between the expanding spheres of magnetic influence which move into space from the sun, and from each planet or satellite. As these magnetic wave fronts expand from another source, they form a magnetic interference pattern which again assumes the general shape of an extended ellipse. Although the geomagnetic field of each planet or sun diminishes in strength as it moves space ward, the elliptical magnetic fields thus created between celestial bodies by magnetic interference maintain a constant-strength magnetic field between the bodies.
A planets magnetic field is similar to "direct current" which grows weaker as it travels from its source; however, the elliptical magnetic field shared by two planets may be likened to "alternating current," which can be transmitted over long distances.
These alternating elliptical fields, extending from the sun to planet, and from planet to planet, are the invisible bonds which balance the solar system. They extend in similar fashion between systems, and between galaxies. They also exist between micro-magnetic fields of atoms, the "miniature solar system."
The axis of each elliptical field is at right angles to the magnetic polar axis, and the elliptical field axis corresponds to Earth's magnetic equator.
Planetary gravity is the natural balance between the centrifugal force of a planet's axial velocity and the centripetal attraction of its electrostatic field. Centrifugal force tries to spin an object from the planet's surface, but electrostatic attraction keeps the object from flying into space.
If electrostatic attraction did not exist, we would have to hang firmly to a tree or rock to keep from being hurled into space by centrifugal force. By the same token, if centrifugal force did not exist to balance electrostatic attraction and its inward centripetal force, we would be flattened against the earth's surface.
We can liken earth's geomagnetic field to the series of circular ripples created by dropping a pebble into a pond. The circular ripples move outward from the center point where the pebble was dropped; expanding in size but diminishing in force as they move. If we simultaneously drop two pebbles into the pond several feet apart, two sets of expanding circular waves are created, moving outward from each central point. Where the wave fronts meet, an interference pattern is formed which extends between the two center points.
The interference pattern assumes a shape of an extended ellipse, with its smaller ends at the points where the pebbles were dropped. Although both wave fronts have diminished in force as they traveled outward from the central points, the interference pattern has combined a portion of both forces to a third force (standing wave), which remains constant between the two central points so long as they remain active.
The same relationship exists between the expanding spheres of magnetic influence which move into space from the sun, and from each planet or satellite. As these magnetic wave fronts expand from another source, they form a magnetic interference pattern which again assumes the general shape of an extended ellipse. Although the geomagnetic field of each planet or sun diminishes in strength as it moves space ward, the elliptical magnetic fields thus created between celestial bodies by magnetic interference maintain a constant-strength magnetic field between the bodies.
A planets magnetic field is similar to "direct current" which grows weaker as it travels from its source; however, the elliptical magnetic field shared by two planets may be likened to "alternating current," which can be transmitted over long distances.
These alternating elliptical fields, extending from the sun to planet, and from planet to planet, are the invisible bonds which balance the solar system. They extend in similar fashion between systems, and between galaxies. They also exist between micro-magnetic fields of atoms, the "miniature solar system."
The axis of each elliptical field is at right angles to the magnetic polar axis, and the elliptical field axis corresponds to Earth's magnetic equator.
Planetary gravity is the natural balance between the centrifugal force of a planet's axial velocity and the centripetal attraction of its electrostatic field. Centrifugal force tries to spin an object from the planet's surface, but electrostatic attraction keeps the object from flying into space.
If electrostatic attraction did not exist, we would have to hang firmly to a tree or rock to keep from being hurled into space by centrifugal force. By the same token, if centrifugal force did not exist to balance electrostatic attraction and its inward centripetal force, we would be flattened against the earth's surface.
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Holger Isenberg
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