Content uploaded by Michael Clarage
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Michael Clarage on Oct 01, 2016
Content may be subject to copyright.
Larger Electric Structures Around Earth and
Sun
Pro p o s al for Study , 14-Oct-2015, Mic h ael Clarage
Abstract
Most of the universe is made of matter in the plasma state, where matter is so energetic that
positive and negative charges are free to move separately. First characterized by Irving
Langmuir (Langmuir 1929), Electric Double Layers (EDL) exist naturally in plasma. The EDL
is like a battery: positive and negative charges are separated and remain apart within the plasma.
EDL are associated with electric currents, and both are commonly observed in the laboratory
and in the Earth’s magnetosphere. Yet contemporary astrophysical models assume that EDL and
electric currents cannot encompass planets, stars, or galaxies. This Proposal for Study differs
greatly from other research by assuming that EDL and electric currents exist at larger scales of
the universe. Satellite data will be used to map out the EDL and electric currents that exist
between the Sun and planets, and also surround the solar system as a whole. A successful
analysis could radically change dominant cosmological models.
Proposal
EDL and electric currents in space plasmas were considered impossible for purely
theoretical reasons: space plasmas were predicted to be perfect conductors, hence any
charge separations would be instantly “shorted out”. Large-scale electric fields and
currents were predicted by Kristian Birkeland at the end of the 19th century, and by
Hannes Alfven in 1939 (Alfven 1939), and were first measured
in-situ
around the Earth
in the 1974 (P. A. Cloutier 1975). Even though EDL and electric currents are now known
to play a major role in planets’ magnetospheres, and even brown dwarf stars (G.
Hallinan 2015), still no published research proposes that EDL and electric currents
could encompass planets, stars, planetary-nebula, or galaxies. This Proposal for Study
has two milestones. 1) Use available NASA, ESA, CFA satellite data to construct the
picture of the larger electric fields and currents encompassing the Sun, Earth, Planets,
and Moons. 2) Test the basic paradigm of EDL and electric currents against a much
wider range of astronomical objects such as: comets, solar flares, sunspots, planetary
nebula, and pulsar emissions.
Figure 1 Laboratory spherical steady state electric discharge, from author’s laboratory research (unpublished). Each
glowing sphere is an electric double layer, with separated positive and negative charges and electric field between.
Hydrogen, 1 Torr, 500V, 5mA. Center electrode ~1cm.
Data Sources
The project will start by studying electrical double layers surrounding the Earth. The data
will be taken primary from NASA CDAWeb, the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center data
portal, which supports interactive plotting of data from multiple instruments on multiple
NASA/ESA investigations simultaneously (http://cdaweb.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp_public/).
Initially the Proposal for Study will look at the following
Van Allen satellites: EFW, L2 and L3 electric field and velocity; RBSPICE Ion
composition and flux
Cluster, EFW, electric fields PEACE, RAPID, electron flux
Figure 2: proposed main electric features surrounding Earth and Sun. See text for description.
Expected large-scale electric structure encompassing Sun and Earth
Figure 2 shows a sketch, not to scale, of the proposed main electric features surrounding
Earth and Sun.
Section A: The electrical potential from the surface of the Earth to the ionosphere is
already measured, and well-known, on the order of 300,000 volts. (Geophysics-Study-
Committee 1986)
Section B: The change of potential through the Van Allen belts. This is now unknown,
and is a major part of this Study. The general structure of the belts indicates a drop of
potential moving away from the Earth. The author’s initial analysis of RBSP data puts it
in the range of 100-1,000volts.
Section C: There is very strong evidence for roughly a 600-1000 volt increase between the
Earth and Sun (C. Salem 2003). Additional methods for remote detection of EDL will
explored from material in (Peratt 2015)
This Proposal starts from the assumption that larger electrical structures already
encompass stars, planets, and moons. It is further assumed that such large-scale fields
and currents are a fundamental, causal factor of much of the electro-magnetic activity on
the surfaces of such bodies. If these assumptions are validated, the explanation for many
phenomena will radically change. One example will be given – the explanation for
lighting.
Earth
Sun
A
B
C
300kV
~1kV
600 volts
Electric Potential
Example of new interpretation – Lighting
Lightning is generally described under the assumption that the surface of the Earth is
electrically isolated from the vast reaches of space. The causes of lightning are looked
for in local, ground conditions such as pressure, humidity, updrafts, etc. (Geophysics-
Study-Committee 1986). It is further usually assumed that lightning causes the
ionosphere to be 300,000 volts difference from the ground. This Proposal for Study
assumes a very different causation, one in which lightning is an
effect
, or
response
of the
Earth being connected to a much larger electric circuit. Lightning is only a single step
within a series of electrical transformations that stretch all the way back to the Sun. Note
that recent statistical studies have shown that the amount of lightning on Earth is
directly correlated to the activity of the solar wind (C J Scott 2014). In the past two
decades our understanding of lightning has changed through study of TLE (Transient
Luminous Events) which are several distinct electrical discharge phenomena, associated
with lightning, connecting the ionosphere and magnetosphere (Williams 2001). The
author maintains that causal connections will remain unclear until larger electric
structures are seen as causal.
Example initial analysis of potential change through Van Allen belts
This section briefly presents one analysis done by the author, using RBSP-A data. The
change in electric potential along a curve C is given by
Equation 1 change in electrical potential along a curve
Where E is the instantaneous Electric field along each point of the curve. As RBSP-A
orbits the earth, the EFW L3 data can be used for the electric field strength in the off-axis
Y-Z plane, as well as the satellite position. The change in electric potential in the Y-Z
plane can be calculated purely from data with minimum assumptions. While not a
measure of the full 3D electric potential, the satellite off-axis Y-Z plane can be used as a
proxy for the overall potential changes. The slow precession of the satellite’s perigee
through day-side and night-side will be used to statistically average the satellite Y-Z plane
into the full 3D torus of the Van Allen belts.
Figure 4 RBSP-A Electric field measured by EFW instrument in Y-Z satellite off-axis plane. Y=black.
Z=blue. Time is one full orbit, from UTC 20140601:00:00 to 20140601:07:43. The major variations occur as
the satellite comes closest to Earth, deep inside the inner Van Allen belt.
Figure 4 shows sample electric field data during one full orbit of RBSP-A.
Figure 5 RBSP-A calculated electrical potential (in the Y-Z plane) as a function of time.
Figure 5 shows the calculated change in electrical potential in the Y-Z plane as a
function of time. Figure 6 shows calculated electrical potential as a function of distance
from the Earth. It is expected that the greater part of this potential rise is caused by
RBSP-A travelling upstream through the dawn-side ring current. Further analysis is
needed to isolate the potential change due to the large-scale EDL structure in the Van
Allen belts.
Figure 6 RBSP-A calculated change of electrical potential as a function of distance from the Earth.
Closing Statement
The author acknowledges the great body of published data concerning the complex
electrical activities of the magnetosphere: Chapman-Ferraro current, Tail current and
substorm current wedge, Region 1& 2 currents, etc. This proposal focuses instead on the
large-scale electrical fields and currents that encompass the Sun and all the planets. This
Proposal does not stipulate what are the origins or causes of such large scale electrical
structures.
This Proposal for Study is suited to an interdisciplinary environment because of the
potential paradigm shifts inherent in the study. The contemporary scientific cosmology
is dominated by paradigms of disconnection and randomness, and has little meaningful
place for humans. This is affecting our literature, visual arts, religious understanding,
norms of social responsibility, the dialog about climate change, and descriptions of our
own history. This Proposal for Study is motivated by the wish to place our Earth and
ourselves into a larger, meaningful context, and to provide the scientific analysis to
support that larger context.
Thank you for your consideration,
Michael Clarage
References
Alfven, H. 1939.
Kungl. Sved. Vet-Akademiens Handl.
III: 18.
C J Scott. 2014. "Evidence for solar wind modulation of lightning."
Environ. Res. Lett.
C. Salem, C. Lacombe, A. Mangeney, P. J. Kellogg and J.-L. Bougeret. 2003. "Weak Double Layers
in the Solar Wind and their Relation to the Interplanetary Electric Field."
Solar Wind Ten.
American Institute of Physics. 513-517.
G. Hallinan, et. al. 2015. "Magnetospherically driven optical and radio aurorae at the end of the
stellar main sequence."
Nature
523: 568–57.
Geophysics-Study-Committee. 1986.
The Earth's Electrical Environment.
Washington, D.C.:
National Academy Press.
Langmuir, I. 1929. "The interaction of electron and positive ion space charges in cathode
sheaths."
Phys. Rev.
33: 954.
P. A. Cloutier, H. R. Anderson. 1975. "Observations of birkeland currents."
Space Science Reviews
17 (2): 563-587.
Peratt, Anthony L. 2015.
Physics of the Plasma Universe, 2nd Ed.
New York: Springer.
Williams, Earle R. 2001. "Sprites, elves, and glow discharge tubes."
Physics Today
41-47.
doi:10.1063/1.1428435.
