A plasma cosmology view of coronal heating.

[michaelmozina]

One of the major "mysteries" of contemporary solar theory is the fact the the corona, and the coronal loops reach temperatures in excess of 1 million degrees Kelvin, while the surface of the photosphere is only approximately 5800K. In a typical "black body" plasma scenario we would expect the temperature to decrease with distance, not increase exponentially. Something is generating a great deal of excess heat in the corona and upper solar atmosphere.<br /><br />From a plasma cosmology viewpoint, the upper atmosphere is hotter than the lower regions because of the electrical discharges that occur in the upper solar atmosphere, and because the sun is electrically interacting with the universe through the solar sheath.<br /><br />[image]http://www.thesurfaceofthesun.com/images/birkelandyohkohmini.jpg[/image]<br />http://www.catastrophism.com/texts/birkeland/<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristian_Birkeland<br /><br />Dr. Kristian Birkeland was the grandfather of plasma cosmology. As a scientist, Birkeland was fascinated with the aurora. He made several trips around the northern polar regions to take in-situ measurements of magnetic field strengths during auroral activity and ultimately became convinced it was an electrical phenomenon. He then did a great deal of testing of this theories in his lab and was able to reproduce simulations of the aurora using his charged terella experiments. Birkeland put a strong electromagnet inside a metal sphere and put the whole sphere inside a vacuum chamber. He then used cathode rays to bombard the experiment with electrons. When he charged the surface of the sphere negatively, he was also able to create auroral effects over the poles of the sphere. When he changed the polarity of the sphere and charged it positively, he was able to reproduce many of the same atmospheric heating <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[yevaud]

Question: what does this imply for magnetic field explosive reconnection due to severe bow-shock? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

I think Alfven would treat it as a type of induction, or as being related to the current flow through the system. You have to keep in mind here that standard theory treats the solar wind as being "neutral" whereas in plasma cosmology theory, it's carrying current flow through that wind.<br /><br />In a proton storm event, the earth is being bombarded with charged plasma that interacts with the magnetic fields and creates dynamo/electrodynamic currents in the magnetosphere.<br /><br />FYI, here is some early Hinode data that seems to confirm the electrical nature of coronal loop activity:<br /><br /><br />http://space.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn11432&feedId=online-news_rss20<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Crashing loops<br /><br />Another surprise sighting is that of giant magnetic field loops crashing down onto the Sun's surface as if they were collapsing from exhaustion, a finding that Golub describes as "impossible". Previously, scientists thought they should emerge from the Sun and continue blowing out into space.<br /><br />"Almost every day, we look at the data and we say – what the heck was that?" says Golub, a member of the XRT science team.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />This behavior of coronal loops to dissipate and fall back to the surface is cause by the current flow seeking a path of lesser resistance through the plasma and thereby cutting off the current flow through the plasma in the coronal loop. Once that current stops, the hot plasma loop begins to slow down and dissipate and the heavier material in the loop comes crashing back to the surface. It's not only "possible", it's predicted behavior from plasma cosmology perspective. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

I think Alfven predicted that any sort of explosive event would likely occur in the tail section, but I will have to look that up again to be sure. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[yevaud]

That would conform to the form of Explosive Reconnection I know. I was asking was in the manner of the mechanism, since the work of Alfaven would clearly indicate it would have play in how Explosive Reconnection would operate and occur, diverging from current theory. I can't see how it wouldn't. <br /><br />However, you answered that when you stated "induction," which would lead me think along the lines of an electrical circuit (I worked many years in the electronics industry).<br /><br />Would this be a correct assumption? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

Yes. The plasma coming from the sun flows past the earth's fixed magnetic field. That force combined with the current flow through the plasma streams of the solar wind form currents in the outer plasma sheets of the earths magnetosphere. That current can create explosive events, but it is not related to magnetic reconnection, at least not according to Alfven. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

My long term intent of this thread is to eventually use some of the early Hinode magnetic field strength data that becomes available to the public late next month to compute the current flowing through a specific coronal loop. <br /><br />Hinode (aka Solar-B) has some very nifty new capabilities that will allow us to measure the magnetic field strengths of these loops with great precision. My hope is to then plug some of those magnetic field strength numbers into Alfven's formulas and come up with some current flow estimates for the largest coronal loops. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

I believe that this is probably the paper you are looking for Yevaud. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070416152726.htm<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Scientists have now made a major breakthrough in understanding this complexity by studying the ‘skeleton’ of the magnetic field. A team of scientists from St Andrew’s University presented the results on 16 April at the Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy Meeting in Preston. "It is the Sun's magnetic field that dominates the behaviour of the corona and determines its structure", said team member Andrew Haynes, “and our work is a key step forward in understanding its structure”.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />This seemed like a relevant article on the structure of the solar atmosphere. While I agree that the magnetic fields exist and are powerful, it is current flow IMO that is driving those powerful magnetic fields. Hinode is going to give us an accurate picture of the strength of those fields, and I suspect it's going to be quite a revelation for the standard theorists. FYI, the only thing I'm aware of that could hold a powerful magnetic field in light plasma is current flow.<br /><br />In Alfven's view, such current flows formed z-pinch filaments in the upper atmosphere. Interestingly enough, the Rhessi satellite has recorded neutron capture signatures high in the solar atmosphere, much as we would expect if those were z-pinched current carrying filaments. We have seen that behavior in current carrying plasmas here on earth. <br /><br />According to Alfven, these filaments would form "flux ropes' where the current forms tubes or funnels in the plasma and the magnetic fields and the current flows in parallel around the rope. The magnetic fields "pinch" the rope, and the amount of pinch is directly related to the current flow. The other interesting prediction Alfven makes is that the plasmas inside the coronal loops should separate the pla <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

http://www.thesurfaceofthesun.com/Alfven/Energy%20Source%20Of%20The%20Solar%20Wind.pdf<br /><br />You might also be interested in this paper as well Yevaud. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>