do planets explode?

[dina1943]

do planets explode like stars do?

 

[derekmcd]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>do planets explode like stars do? <br /> Posted by dina1943</DIV></p><p>No.&nbsp; Stars explode through core collapse or runaway nuclear fusion.&nbsp; Planets, quite simply, are not massive enough for either of these mechanism to take place.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#0000ff" class="Apple-style-span">"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</span></div> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<font color="#666699"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>do planets explode like stars do? <br /> Posted by dina1943</DIV></font><br />No, but they can have some wicked collisions. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[drwayne]

<p>I do seem to recall reading an article some years ago that was proposing that there was a natural nuclear reactor somewhere in the core of the Earth, as a means of accounting for some heating of the core. (I am working from memory here).&nbsp; If one posits this, once can posit something happening in the form of some sort of a run-away reaction.</p><p>This is very notional, and probably incorrect to be sure.</p><p>Wayne</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[crazyeddie]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I do seem to recall reading an article some years ago that was proposing that there was a natural nuclear reactor somewhere in the core of the Earth, as a means of accounting for some heating of the core. (I am working from memory here).&nbsp; If one posits this, once can posit something happening in the form of some sort of a run-away reaction.This is very notional, and probably incorrect to be sure.Wayne <br /> Posted by drwayne</DIV></p><p>I believe there is evidence of "natural" nuclear reactors, especially in South Africa, but no evidence that they ever generated a runaway chain reaction.</p><p>I have never heard of any physical mechanism that could cause a planet to explode.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[baulten]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I do seem to recall reading an article some years ago that was proposing that there was a natural nuclear reactor somewhere in the core of the Earth, as a means of accounting for some heating of the core. (I am working from memory here).&nbsp; If one posits this, once can posit something happening in the form of some sort of a run-away reaction.This is very notional, and probably incorrect to be sure.Wayne <br /> Posted by drwayne</DIV></p><p>Well, radioactive elements are heavy so they sink.&nbsp; In the core, they decay.&nbsp; This generates heat.</p><p>I suppose if enough sunk into a single place it could go critical and undergo runaway explosion; however, I don't think this would blow up the planet. </p>

 

[DrRocket]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I do seem to recall reading an article some years ago that was proposing that there was a natural nuclear reactor somewhere in the core of the Earth, as a means of accounting for some heating of the core. (I am working from memory here).&nbsp; If one posits this, once can posit something happening in the form of some sort of a run-away reaction.This is very notional, and probably incorrect to be sure.Wayne <br />Posted by drwayne</DIV></p><p>So what happened to Krypton ?&nbsp; Was Jor-El wrong ?&nbsp; Could Kal-El have lived at home with his parents and grown up to be normal ?</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[majornature]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I do seem to recall reading an article some years ago that was proposing that there was a natural nuclear reactor somewhere in the core of the Earth, as a means of accounting for some heating of the core. (I am working from memory here).&nbsp; If one posits this, once can posit something happening in the form of some sort of a run-away reaction.This is very notional, and probably incorrect to be sure.Wayne <br />Posted by drwayne</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Okay what if the core was unstable?&nbsp; Couldn't that cause a planet to explode???</p><p>And How can Earth have a Nuclear reactor.. the inner core is solid iron mainly and the outer core is molten ultramafic rock?&nbsp; I really just don't see that.<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="2" color="#14ea50"><strong><font size="1">We are born.  We live.  We experiment.  We rot.  We die.  and the whole process starts all over again!  Imagine That!</font><br /><br /><br /><img id="6e5c6b4c-0657-47dd-9476-1fbb47938264" style="width:176px;height:247px" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/14/4/6e5c6b4c-0657-47dd-9476-1fbb47938264.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" width="276" height="440" /><br /></strong></font> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;Okay what if the core was unstable?&nbsp; Couldn't that cause a planet to explode???And How can Earth have a Nuclear reactor.. the inner core is solid iron mainly and the outer core is molten ultramafic rock?&nbsp; I really just don't see that. <br />Posted by majornature</DIV><br /><br />IIRC (It's been quite a few years) the natural reactors occurred in areas where Uranium had been very concentrated.</p><p>I can't recall the details, it's been far too long and my memory too sieve-like.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;Okay what if the core was unstable?&nbsp; Couldn't that cause a planet to explode???Posted by majornature</DIV></p><p>Unstable in what way ?&nbsp;</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>And How can Earth have a Nuclear reactor.. the inner core is solid iron mainly and the outer core is molten ultramafic rock?&nbsp; I really just don't see that. <br />Posted by majornature</DIV></p><p>Uranium is a naturally occuring element in the Earth's crust.&nbsp; We mine it to make our bombs.&nbsp; If enough uranium was concentrated through some natural process,&nbsp;say deposited by water, and moderated by the same water, you can get a reaction&nbsp;and a temperature rise.&nbsp; Google the Oklo natural reactor.<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------</p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask not what your Forum Software can do do on you,</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask it to, please for the love of all that's Holy, <strong>STOP</strong> !</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Unstable in what way ?&nbsp;Uranium is a naturally occuring element in the Earth's crust.&nbsp; We mine it to make our bombs.&nbsp; If enough uranium was concentrated through some natural process,&nbsp;say deposited by water, and moderated by the same water, you can get a reaction&nbsp;and a temperature rise.&nbsp; Google the Oklo natural reactor. <br />Posted by mee_n_mac</DIV><br /><br />Thanks for the link, mee-n-mac. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

<p><font color="#666699"><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>IIRC (It's been quite a few years) the natural reactors occurred in areas where Uranium had been very concentrated.I can't recall the details, it's been far too long and my memory too sieve-like. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></font><br />There are two different issues here.&nbsp; One is a natural reactor that operated in the Earth's crust two billion years ago for which there seems to be pretty <strong>substantial evidence</strong>: <span class="BHL">Researchers Describe How Natural Nuclear Reactor Worked In Gabon</span></p><p>This article explains why natural nuclear reactors could no longer operate on Earth -- not enough uranium left in the crust due to radioactive decay over billions of years.<br /> </p><p>The other issue is <strong>hypothetical speculation</strong> on a natural reactor currently working in the Earth's core:Nuclear Planet <br />&nbsp; </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>