Understanding Birkeland Currents in Space

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In summary, the electric sun theory is that there are currents of electricity flying through space. Sunspots and other phenomena are explained by the flow of these currents. However, mainstream solar scientists have not found a workable theory to explain these energies.
  • #1
wolram
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i have been following the posts about the electric sun
my interest is the birkeland currents, this link gives some insight http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wcurrent.html
my problem is understanding how these currents flow through space
"how is the initial contact made"?
why is it that radio astronomy has not maped these current flows?
yours daft as ever wolram
 
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  • #2
In the succeeding decade Birkeland generalized his theory of the
aurora to other astronomical phenomena, asserting that sunspots,
Saturn's rings, and even the formation of galaxies can be
explained by electrical currents and magnetic fields moving
through the tenuous conducting gasses of space. In 1904 he wrote
that 'space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of
all kinds.' For the first time, he had glimpsed the plasma
universe."
http://www.pacificsites.com/~cmorford/Her_Sci/E_U/Defining_Plasma.htm [Broken]
is there any new research about this theory??
 
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  • #3
Answers for some of your questions

The reason that radio astronomers haven't detected such currents is that they are basically quiescent and don't emit radio waves. They would have to oscillate, or emit syncrotron radiation, or some such to be detectable.

Mainstream solar scientists have been working for fourty years with a plasma/magnetic-field model of solar activity, called magnetic reconnection, and the theory hasn't panned out. It doesn't supply nearly enough energy for the events involved, nor do they display the time duration, the structure or other observed properties. A goodly percentage of solar scientist will tell you flat out "we don't have a workable theory", so it's doubtful that extending the idea into deep space will make the theory work.

Something seems to be involved beyond plasma and magnetic fields.

Probably the most intriguing aspect of the Aurora is that fact that it is confined to such a small band. What is the mechanism that confines it?
 
  • #4
i have seen the phrase magnetic reconnection used before can you
explain the meaning? your saying these energy circuits exist but do not carry high levels of energy, can you say how much energy they carry? i get the feeling I've run into the twilight zone reguarding
the electric sun theory.
all the best.
 
  • #5
If you plug these phrases

into MSN or Google, you'll get plenty of material to study.

solar activity

solar physics

magnetic reconnection

A sunspot typicaly has a magnetic field of about 4 KiloGauss, about the same as a ceramic speaker magnet, but spread over a volume of the order of a trillion cubic kilometers, so it represents a tremendous amount of energy. The theory is that the strong fields prevent energy from entering the spot region and that is why the spot is cooler than its surroundings. But when computer sims are run of this hypothesis the sunspot heats to surrounding temps in about 15 to 45 minutes, depending on its size. But sunspots may last for days, weeks, even months. So it's pretty obvious that a tremendous amount of energy is being poured into something beside the magnetic field.

Likewise when the total magnetic field energy for a solar prominence is calculated, and that prominence becomes a CME (coronal mass ejection) the field energy isn't nearly enough, by several orders of magnitude, to supply the CME energy. Now CMEs and sunspots are related, i.e. a sunspot region may produce a prominence, and it just so happens that the CME total energy compares to the sunspot total energy.

So I and a lot of other people want to know, where is this energy hiding? It isn't in the magnetic field.

That in a nutshell is the problem in solar physics.
 
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  • #6
thankyou TYGER, one can appreciate the problems scientists face
when given a clear overview of the problem.
 
  • #7
The biggest problem is comsologists somehow think you can have magnetic currents without the "electric" part. As soon as one realizes that currents are electro-magnetic, as electrical engineers do, the explanations get quite simple for the sun, sunspots, aurora, etc.

Here are two sites that have quite a bit of information if you are really interested in the electric universe or plasma universe.

http://public.lanl.gov/alp/plasma/TheUniverse.html
http://www.electric-cosmos.org/

BTW-both are by electrical engineers.

:wink:
 
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What are Birkeland Currents?

Birkeland Currents are electric currents that flow through the plasma in space. They were first proposed by Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland in the late 19th and early 20th century.

How are Birkeland Currents formed?

Birkeland Currents are formed by the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field. The solar wind is a stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun, and when it reaches the Earth's magnetic field, it can create disturbances in the plasma that lead to the formation of Birkeland Currents.

What is the role of Birkeland Currents in space?

Birkeland Currents play a crucial role in transferring energy and momentum between different regions of space. They are also responsible for the beautiful aurora displays seen in the Earth's polar regions.

How do Birkeland Currents affect our daily lives?

Birkeland Currents can have an impact on our daily lives through their influence on the Earth's magnetic field. They can cause disruptions in communication and navigation systems, as well as power grids, during periods of increased solar activity.

What are some current research topics related to Birkeland Currents?

Some current research topics related to Birkeland Currents include understanding their role in space weather and their effects on Earth's atmosphere. Scientists are also studying the potential for harnessing Birkeland Currents as a source of renewable energy.

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