<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Look michael, repeat this line as much as you want, but it is extremely transparent that you're hoping people don't go back and read where we've torn this statement apart many many times earlier in the thread. </DIV></p><p>I'm hoping they do read the whole thread actually. It's been an interesting journey IMO. </p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Priest did not say monopoles exist, therefore he did not violate Maxwell's equations. </DIV></p><p>Then he should not have used them in his presentation. If it is "acceptable" to use a monopole "analogy" in MHD theory, then it absoultely, positively, without any doubt be "acceptable" to use the word "circuits' in relationship to plasma behaviors. You can't claim one idea is acceptable and the other is not. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Whereas Preist chopped up his magnetic field into tiny little monopoles, Aflven chopped up the "circuit" into tiny little particles. Alfven's "analogy"" is far more to the point when it comes to describing the particle transactions in plasma.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Nobody said lines disconnect and reconnect. NOBODY. </DIV></p><p>The nobody should be calling this reconnection process "magnetic reconnection", NOBODY!</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>You are not helping yourself by repeating this garbage ad nauseum.</DIV></p><p>It's not "garbage". These are simple facts. If no magnetic lines disconnect or reconnect, then its not "magnetic reconnection". This is not a new FORM of reconnection, this is simple circuit reconnection, just like in Birkeland's empirical experiments with spheres in a vacuum. The "circuit" supplied the energy to power the aurora, to power the jets and to power the coronal loop activity. Once he turned off the circuit, the energy transactions in the chamber ceased. We need no new forms of "reconnection" to epxlain what Birkeland already demonstreated with "current flow" and "circuit reconnection". They may be one and the same idea, but it looks like only Birn can answer that question for us, and he's not talkng.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>It was a valid question at the time to ask about the monopole thing, but it was quickly resolved to everyone but you. </DIV></p><p>But then it should also be quickly resolved that what Priest was really referring to is "current flow" between "circuits" too, but somehow that's not how you folks see things. Care to eleborate?</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> You have a serious problem with science...theres no way to put it nicely.</DIV></p><p>I have a serious love of *EMPRICAL* science and a serious problem with mythos passed off as science. There's no way to put it nicely I guess. Magnetic lines don't reconnect. Circuits do reconnect. Particles do reconnect. This is circuit reconnection, the same circuit reconnection that powered Birkeland's auroras. I have a great respect for Birkeland's brand of emrpical physics. I love it. I will protect that type of science from the likes of folks like DrRocket that go out of their way to smear the good works of great men.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> You see certain buzz words or you see a lot of math and just make assumptions about what it is saying. </DIV></p><p>No, I'm noticing that Alfven used a circuit analogy everywhere that mainstreamers are now applying the concept of "magnetic reconnection". I see that term being applied to CME's, auroras, coronal loops, jets, etc, all the same things that Birkeland emprically demonstrated to be related to "circuit reconnection". I'm noticing distinct similarities to the math used in Birn's presentations and Alfven's presentations when describing events between "circuits" in Alfven's lingo. </p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>You say you understand Alfven's equations, but when you post excerpts it does not appear to be the case.</DIV></p><p>I post links to whole papers that I expect you to read and to respond to just as I read and responded to Birn's presentation and Preist's presentation. I don't have to copy and paste all the math formulas on command. I didn't make you do that with Priest's presentation or Birn's presentations did I? Why am I supposed to do that exactly? </p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I realize you're talking to DrRocket here, but this is out of line. You are crucifying DrRocket for not agreeing with you, and you back up that argument by saying he should agree with you just because you believe it. </DIV></p><p>No, I'm simply amazed that he doesn't realize how pitful this all sounds to me. Alfven's ideas are utterly and completely congruent with my own beliefs on MHD theory and plasma cosmology theory, at least to the point of intergalacitic space. I have no trouble accepting Alfven's views on these topics and I can and will attempt to explain them to the best of my abilities. DrRocket however has played devils advocate against EU theory throughout this entire thread, long before you even joined the conversation. Believe me when I say I have enjoyed talking to you rather than to him.
</p><p>I'm blown away that DrRocket would profess to understand Alfven's work better than I do when he's never read it. That sounds positively irrational from the start. I don't have a clue how he expects to understand Alfven's work when he evidently never reads it because he keeps claiming I never provided him with any math! He disagrees with all of Alfven's cosmology beliefs, whereas I agree with Alfven's views, but he somehow thinks he's more of an expert on Alfven's beliefs (as a skeptic) than I am. Why? What material has he actually *READ AND RESPONDED TO*?</p><p>It's like a twilight zone episode from my perspective. </p><p> Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>It is readily apparent that you are taking this argument way too persoanlly.</DIV></p><p>I don't take your criticisms personally because they are never aimed at me personally. That is true of Derek's criticisms as well. DrRocket however goes out of his way to belittle me as a person and as an individual for not being his mathematical equal. I'm sick of his arrogance. Science is more than just being professient in math. Birkeland was 20 times the scientiest that DrRocket will ever be IMO, just based on the fact that he did real emprical experimentation. His math skills were probably superior to DrRocket's math skills too. Math skills are no measure of a person, and they aren't all that science is about. Understanding is sometimes related to *concepual* issues, not mathematical details.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> In your mind, magnetic reconnection is the same thing as circuit reconnection.</DIV></p><p>I believe that Yevaud was right about that, yes. The fact that you don't agree with me however demonstrates the magnetude of the problem that name has created.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>If you truly believe that and have no problem with the models aside from their name, then you wouldn't care whether DrRocket read Alfven's book or not. </DIV></p><p>And if DrRocket agreed with me, and wasn't trashing EU theory at every opportunity, I would not care. I don't care that you and Derek haven't read the book. Neither of you have been making ridiculously false statements.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This thread has transformed from being a discussion of reconnection to your personal beef with DrRocket. </DIV></p><p>Not entirely. There's a fundamental issue here of human understanding at stake that goes beyond the individuals. The fact we have a "beef" at all, and that we see these as different demonstrates that there is a serious problem caused by naming this process "magnetic reconnection". It *should be* obvious to everyone that these are one and the same ideas. It's not. It's not even obvious to your or Derek. That's a problem that goes beyond personalities. </p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>If you are correct it should be straightforward to prove it.</DIV></p><p>I should be able to point you to Birkeland's experiments with "circuit reconnection", spheres, auroras, coronal loops and that should be "proof" enough. It is the only emprical proof there is of these types of kinetic energy treansfers in plasma. When was that done with "magnetic reconnection"" so we can compare the two experiments?</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> If you present such a proof, we will all read it.</DIV></p><p>The only proof you should require was the line from Birn's paper that I already quoted to you when he said it was "obvious" that currents were flowing through the "magnetic line". Alfven explicity refered to that as a "circuit" in plasma. It's a "Birkeland current", just like you find in any ordinary plasma ball. I should not have to "prove" anything since it's already been done by Alfven and Birkeland.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> If it is valid, we will agree with you.</DIV></p><p>It is valid and yet you do not agree with me, and Birn will not answer my question. Why? </p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> I have absolutely no problem admitting I am wrong by saying circuit reconnection is not what is going on, but in order for me to do that I need to be proven wrong first...this isn't proving a negative, it is proving your assertion that circuit reconnection can explain what we call magnetic reconnection. </DIV></p><p>But Birkeland already did that! In fact he's the only one who has emprically demonstrated a connection between "circuit reconnection", aurora, jets, coronal loops and rings around spheres. That's never been done with "magnetic reconnection". You should be required to empricallly demonstreate that this can be done in the absense of "circuit reconnection".</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Saying Alfven said so is not sufficient. This is something that has not been done before, and as such it is on you, or your colleagues, to prove it. <br /> Posted by UFmbutler</DIV></p><p>I have quoted Alfven because Alfven was evidently familiar with Parker's presentation of magnetic reconnection. He suggested in that magnetosphere paper I just posted that there was a more "fundamental" (that's the word he used) way of looking at this reconnection process, and then he proceeded to explain it in terms of "circuits and particles".</p><p>Birkeland already "proved" (emprically) that circuit reconnection works. I don't need magnetic reconnection to explain these events arounds spheres in a vacuum. Every single observations that Birn and Priest attribute to "magnetic reconnection" is directly related to Birkeland's "circuit reconnection" experiments. There is nothing more I can physicslally or or say that hasn't already been done by either Birkeland or Alfven on these issues. I can point you to the math and the papers that explain his theories, but I can't make you accept them as being equivilant to what Birn called "magnetic reconnection". </p> <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>