tagged w/ Magnetic Fields
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A video reading of the associated article which gives compelling evidence against the theory of magnetic reconnection based on the work of a Nobel prize winning physicist.A video reading of the associated article which gives compelling evidence against the... more
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Our nearest planetary neighbors, Mars and Venus, have no oceans or lakes or rivers. Some researchers have speculated that they were blown dry by the solar wind, and that our Earth escaped this fate because its strong magnetic field deflects the wind. However, a debate has arisen over whether a magnetic field is any kind of shield at all.
The controversy stems from recent observations that show Mars and Venus are losing oxygen ions from their atmospheres into space at about the same rate as Earth. This came as something of a surprise, since only Earth has a strong dipolar magnetic field that can prevent solar wind particles from slamming into the upper atmosphere and directly stripping away ions.
"My opinion is that the magnetic shield hypothesis is unproven," said Robert Strangeway from UCLA. "There's nothing in the contemporary data to warrant invoking magnetic fields."
Each of the three planets is losing roughly a ton of atmosphere to space every hour. Some of this lost material was originally in the form of water, so this begs the question: How did the planets end up with vastly different quantities of water if they are all "leaking" to space at similar rates?
"The problem is in taking today's rates and trying to guess what was happening billions of years ago," explained Janet Luhmann of the University of California, Berkeley. She believes Earth's magnetic field could have made the difference in the past when the solar wind was presumably stronger.
"People aren't putting all the cards on the table," Luhmann said. "We can't say that magnetic fields are unimportant from the current data."
Both Luhmann and Strangeway agree that sorting out what makes one planet wet while another is dry will require more data on how the atmospheric loss depends on the sun's output.
Buffeting in the solar breeze
The main driver of ion escape from planetary atmospheres is the solar wind, which is a high-speed outflow from the sun consisting mostly of protons and electrons. Because these particles carry a charge, their paths bend when they encounter a magnetic field.
For non-magnetized Mars and Venus, the solar wind basically barrels straight into the upper atmosphere and scoops up ions and carries them into space. Warth's magnetic field provides a barrier to the solar wind, called the magnetosphere, but ions still get stripped away through a circuitous route.
Essentially, the solar wind interacting with the Earth's magnetic field transfers some of its energy into the upper atmosphere in the polar regions. The auroras that are visible at high latitudes are one manifestation of this transfer. But it also heats up atmospheric ions enough that they escape up out of the poles, forming Earth's "polar ion outflows."
"The magnetic field is an obstacle to the solar wind, but it is also a funnel," Strangeway says. The effect of the solar wind on Earth is less uniform than on Mars and Venus, but apparently the net loss rate is about the same.
Strangeway explains this in terms of momentum. The solar wind loses some of its momentum when it runs into any planet. [Photos: Auroras Dazzle Northern Observers]
Basic physics suggests that this momentum has to go somewhere, and according to Strangeway, it goes into the polar region atmosphere to energize ions there to velocities sufficient to escape Earth’s gravity. The presence of a magnetic field changes the mechanism for this momentum transfer, but the end result is similar.
At least, that seems to be the case now........
Continue Reading at:
http://www.space.com/11187-earth-magnetic-field-solar-wind.htmlOur nearest planetary neighbors, Mars and Venus, have no oceans or lakes or rivers.... more
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A detailed explanation of how mainstream science is engaging in academic fraud.
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In attempting to fathom the woeful worldview of songwriter Stephin Merritt, it helps to know that he’s the product of a one-night stand involving an itinerant folksinger (whom he’s never met) and the freewheeling single mom who subsequently schlepped him around through 33 different towns until he arrived in his twenties. Merritt grew up gay and lonely, and you can hear all about it in one of his best songs, "Papa Was a Rodeo":
Papa was rodeo, Mama was a rock’n’roll band
I could play guitar and rope a steer before I learned to stand
Home was anywhere with diesel gas, love was a trucker’s hand
Never stuck around long enough for a one-night stand
"Papa Was a Rodeo" is a track on 69 Love Songs, Merritt’s 1999 breakthrough album with his odd little band, the Magnetic Fields. The three-disc set turned him into an alt-rock celebrity, of sorts – an unusual development for a guy who makes music with ukuleles and kitchen whisks, and who says his all-time favorite group is ABBA, and that “art aspires to the condition of Top 40 pop.”
For his part, Merritt has yet to really embrace his modest ration of fame. (“I’m a pretty dark person,” he says.) And so it’s remarkable that he’s spent the last 10 years putting up with directors Kerthy Fix and Gail O’Hara as they painstakingly assembled an 82-minute documentary about the man and his band (or bands: also name-checked are such other Merritt ensembles as the 6ths, the Gothic Archies, and Future Bible Heroes). The film is called Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields, and one can see why it took so long to make. Merritt is deeply undemonstrative, and he remains a maddeningly oblique interview subject. (Lobbed an unremarkable question by one interviewer here, he glances downward and says, “I love your shoes.”)
Still, we learn a lot. We see Merritt sitting in one of the gay bars where he writes most of his songs, undeterred by the thumping disco beats. We see him in his low-rent home studio happily bickering about meter with his longtime collaborator, Claudia Gonson, and coaxing music out of such unpromising materials as a carillon of paper cups. We see him smoking a lot (he’s since quit), and naturally we see him onstage with his group, and hear a bunch of his songs, including "The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be" and "Smile! No One Cares How You Feel." We also hear from some of his famous fans, among them Sarah Silverman, comics god Neil Gaiman (Merritt scored an off-Broadway version of Gaiman’s fantasy novel Coraline last year), and Daniel Handler (who occasionally sheds his “Lemony Snicket” literary pseudonym to play accordion with the Magnetic Fields).
The film is a piecemeal mosaic through which Merritt drifts like a small dark cloud. After 19 years of making records (he’s now 44), the man is still an elusive character. This documentary may not pierce to the heart of his art, but it comes as close as anyone’s likely to get. It allows us to savor his grumbly charm (“As an only child, of course, I resent the existence of other people”), and it offers a window into the strange power of the music he makes. Now that the cameras have wrapped, he’ll probably be happiest if we just let him get on with it.
In attempting to fathom the woeful worldview of songwriter Stephin Merritt, it helps... more
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“Strange Powers” is about the music of Stephin Merritt, a composer, musician, writer and, with his band, The Magnetic Fields, performer. It was filmed over 11 years. Thankfully, the 300 hours of footage was successfully boiled down to 82 minutes.
Still, over the course of those11 years, the Magnetic Fields emerged from underground band to popular success. The group continues to tour and release records successfully -- though the press materials goes a tad over board when it compares Merritt to Cole Porter.
http://web.me.com/writa1/tvsoundoff/Film_Reviews/Entries/2010/10/28_Strange_Powers__Merritt_and_Magnetic_Fields.html“Strange Powers” is about the music of Stephin Merritt, a composer,... more
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writa
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added this
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1 year ago
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Nice.
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asherp
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added this
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1 year ago
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Solar cycles of magnetic fields and sunspots have become a popular foothold for climate change skeptics. A new study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, however, shows that even if predictions of an extended minimum of solar activity are accurate, it will have only a tiny effect on the Earth’s climate in comparison to the current track of human-caused warming.
“There is a lot of hysterical stuff out there,” said Gavin Schmidt, a climatologist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “For some reason, solar effects seem to attract more than their fair share of cranks. There are always people with these statistical models claiming that it would have a big effect, but mostly that’s just nonsense.”
The new study, conducted by Georg Feulner and Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, modeled what might happen to global temperatures if the sun enters a period of low magnetic and sunspot activity resembling that of the Maunder Minimum.
The Maunder Minimum was the last extended period of decreased solar activity, from about 1650 to 1710. (Normally, solar magnetic cycles last 11 years.) At the time, it was associated with markedly cooler temperatures, but that was before the Industrial Revolution and the beginning of modern emissions of greenhouse gases from widespread fossil fuel use. ...
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100219/sunspots-and-climate-change-study-shows-humans-still-play-key-roleSolar cycles of magnetic fields and sunspots have become a popular foothold for... more
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Obagam
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added this
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2 years ago
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"Electricity without wires.
Marin Soljačić couldn't sleep. The problem was his wife's Nokia cell phone. The tyrannical device beeped on the bedside table when it needed to be plugged in. It could not be disabled.
Instead of taking a hammer to the phone, Soljačić marveled at the fact that this device, and billions of others like it, was sitting a few feet away from all the electricity it could ever need. Why couldn't it receive power wirelessly, just as laptops get Wi-Fi?
A physics professor, Soljačić dug into the problem and learned that if you could get two magnetic fields to resonate -- to sing the same note, in effect -- they could transfer an electric current. With two large magnetic coils, he found a way to throw 60 watts across a room, powering a lightbulb. MIT, his employer, quickly patented the technology and encouraged Soljačićto start a company."
Invisible speakers, guarding man's best friend, psychic video games, an unbreakable e-reader and much more at the link.
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/smallbusiness/0911/gallery.next_little_thing_2010.smb/index.html
This is incredible but as mentioned in the article is it safe?
The Sci-Fi future gets closer but will there be any dark side effects?"Electricity without wires.
Marin Soljačić couldn't sleep. The problem... more
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The Magnetic Fields are set to embark on a North American tour later next year. The band will kick off the jaunt on February 4 in Washington, DC. Among the dates announced are shows in Toronto, Boston, Brooklyn, and Portland.The Magnetic Fields are set to embark on a North American tour later next year. The... more
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#10,9 & 5-1 as well as embedded streaming playlist at the link
8. Happiness is a Warm Gun / The Beatles
Speaking of Lennon/McCartney and seriously speaking of subtle lyrics, try reading the title of this song another way. Like:
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Ha/Pee nes/ Is a warm gun.
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Or, A Penis is a Warm Gun, if one still doesn’t get it. That makes these lyrics all the better:
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(When I hold you in my arms) Oooooooooh, oh yeah!/ And when I feel my finger on your trigger/ Oooooooooh, oh yeah!/ I know nobody can do me no harm/ Oooooooooh, oh yeah!/ Happiness (is a warm gun, momma)/ Bang Bang Shoot Shoot Happiness (is a warm gun)/ Bang Bang Shoot Shoot/ Yes it is, gun! Happiness (is a warm gun)
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Frankly, the song would have made the list just for its opening lyrics:
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She’s not a girl who misses much Do do do do do do, oh yeah/ She’s well acquainted with the touch of the velvet hand Like a lizard on a window pane/ The man in the crowd with the multicolored mirrors On his hobnail boots/ Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy Working overtime/ A soap impression of his wife which he ate And donated to the National Trust
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7. Behind Blue Eyes / The Who
This is another song that kinda sounds pretty, so it must be, like, romantic or something, right? Nah, Townsend was was/is fucked up.
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No one knows what its like/ To be hated/ To be fated/ To telling only lies/ But my dreams They arent as empty/ As my conscience seems to be/ I have hours, only lonely/ My love is vengeance/ Thats never free
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There might be an official explanation regarding this song that a bigger fan of The Who would know. But I won’t believe it.
6. Suddenly There is a Tidal Wave / Magnetic Fields
Stephin Merritt is probably one of the best and most ironic song-writers ever. His music is full of juxtaposition and twists between music and lyric and the gender roles, etc. ‘Tidal Wave’ is another pretty sounding song. But it’s more like it was ripped from ‘Donnie Darko.’
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You held me upside-down/ Till I couldn’t breathe anymore/ Then you held me like a baby/ Television, like wine; and cigarettes, like grains of sand;/ And raspberry schnapps, like a thousand sunsets./ The boys talk like they own the world/ The women keep their stupid diaries/ But suddenly there’s a tidal wave/ And everything is sucked out to sea./ There were probably birds/ Outside our little room I don’t remember anything but you/ We must have been the butt Of all the jokes in the world/ For trying to live like Pippi Longstocking.
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Embedded streaming playlist and #10,9 & 5-1 at the link#10,9 & 5-1 as well as embedded streaming playlist at the link
8. Happiness is... more
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Researchers have discovered a magnetic equivalent to electricity: single magnetic charges that can behave and interact like electrical ones.Researchers have discovered a magnetic equivalent to electricity: single magnetic... more
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People have long marveled at the majestic and mysterious northern lights that light up the skies over the polar regions of countries like Canada and in Scandinavia. Scientists have known for years that these undulating auroras are caused by a storm of charged particles high above Earth. And although a sight to behold, the forces triggering these lights can endanger satellites and air travelers near the poles. But researchers were in the dark about just what forces acted on these so-called magnetic substorms to produce the shimmering lightshows that dazzle us—until now.
Scientists have debated for decades whether local electrical disruptions in Earth's magnetic field or far-flung happenings in the so-called magnetotail (the tapering region of the magnetic field that points away from the sun) lead to the flare-ups of these substorms and their associated auroras.
Researchers say they were able to pinpoint the source by using measurements of magnetic fields recorded by five satellites that were sent into space as part of NASA's THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) project, which is designed to track "space weather" events called substorms as they unfold. The answer: these substorms form when Earth's magnetic field lines collapse on each other, showering the upper atmosphere with captured radiation from the sun where it sparks the auroras primarily over Earth's polar regions known as the northern and southern lights (aka the aurora borealis and aurora australis, respectively).
"Charged particles from the sun blow up Earth's magnetic tail like a balloon, and then for some reason the balloon leaks," says study co-author Stephen Mende, a physicist at the University of California, Berkeley.
You can read more by clicking the link- it's a multi page story or by visiting the links below
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=:ePkh8BM9E2IRYipIFeJ2YjW0NDQ39tjTbiBEhLWsQGsNWITEtISKS4tLEjPzEpNyUhVS81KL0isNOIW4tdgzMgsKMlOLgRx2Leac4hQgA2hVag7MsUYCqTpibG09q_ZciFZuMy_RlfvFBpT-xcaak5-cCKSZi1KTAfVYJmY/0-0&fp=48892215db63f29e&ei=jEGJSJrAMILUyQSD0pzBCw&url=http%3A//www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/science/space/25aurora.html%3Fhp&cid=1229631588&sig2=_eF-koQgRbyFV0q8YCweBg&usg=AFQjCNFMlEZ54xbcYZ7LqCqAf6vyB0RXpg
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=:ePkh8BM9E2IRYipIFeJ2YjW0NDQ39tjTbiBEhLWsQGsNWITEtISKS4tLEjPzEpNyUhVS81KL0isNOIW4tdgzMgsKMlOLgRx2Leac4hQgA2hVag7MsUYCqTpibG09q_ZciFZuMy_RlfvFBpT-xcaak5-cCKSZi1KTAfVYJmY/1-0&fp=48892215db63f29e&ei=jEGJSJrAMILUyQSD0pzBCw&url=http%3A//www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi%3Ff%3D/c/a/2008/07/24/MND111UVSM.DTL&cid=1229631588&sig2=yIcxdLG-wGGFT1fcANg2wQ&usg=AFQjCNF2n0-YIjKSfkZgKMjd4YvImHQSfg
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=:ePkh8BM9E2IRYipIFeJ2YjW0NDQ39tjTbiBEhLWsQGsNWITEtISKS4tLEjPzEpNyUhVS81KL0isNOIW4tdgzMgsKMlOLgRx2Leac4hQgA2hVag7MsUYCqTpibG09q_ZciFZuMy_RlfvFBpT-xcaak5-cCKSZi1KTAfVYJmY/6-0&fp=48892215db63f29e&ei=jEGJSJrAMILUyQSD0pzBCw&url=http%3A//www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2008/07/24_reconn.shtml&cid=1229631588&sig2=z0HvcJ0XLozk_QIQ_wCfSw&usg=AFQjCNE4VFBJ3czktCrDabJf_TCm0MF3-A
Please join the conversation by commenting below.People have long marveled at the majestic and mysterious northern lights that light up... more
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Totally amazing visuals of magnetic fields caught on tape.
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From the report: Rapid changes in the churning movement of Earth's liquid outer core are weakening the magnetic field in some regions of the planet's surface, a new study says.From the report: Rapid changes in the churning movement of Earth's liquid outer... more
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Magnetic fields are invisible, at least usually. But Scientists from NASA's Space Sciences Laboratory have made them visible as "animated photographs," using sound-controlled CGI and 3D compositing. It makes the fields, as explained by the scientists, dance in an absolutely gorgeous movie called Magnetic Movie. You don't want to miss this one, which is the coolest video that you'll see all week, guaranteed. You can't argue with a combo of beautiful effects and amazing science.Magnetic fields are invisible, at least usually. But Scientists from NASA's Space... more
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US Patent 7291944 - Electromagnetic engine
US Patent Issued on November 6, 2007
The electromagnetic engine operates by having the solenoids receive input power from an external electrical power source and providing output power to the output shaft. The magnets include four outer magnets and four inner magnets. The inner magnets have magnetic forces that oppose the magnetic forces of the outer magnets. Electrical power provided to the solenoids causes the solenoids to oscillate the outer magnets. Springs provide stability and assist the solenoids.
Once the electromagnetic motor has reached operating speed, it generates sufficient electrical energy to continue driving the electromagnetic motor for a period of time. Input energy can be supplied to the solenoids by an auxiliary electrical generator. However, the efficiency of the electromagnetic motor enables the output shaft to perform useful work. Useful work may be in the form of a mechanical attachment to the output shaft for the purpose of driving an auxiliary mechanical device. Alternatively, an electrical generator may be attached directly to the output shaft to provide electrical output energy to other electrical devices.
Source: http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7291944/fulltext.html
The device shown in the video is different from the listed patent. Though they both share the same approach to harnessing power from magnetic energy.
US Patent 7291944 - Electromagnetic engine
US Patent Issued on November 6, 2007... more
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Probably an ideal candidate for this project, Stephin Merritt's opus contains 69 songs.. so what's one song, really.
The project, NPR's All Songs Considered gives the inspiration, the studio and 2 days to make a song. Watch prolific composer/writer/musician Stephin Merritt (the man ((genius?)) behind Magnetic Fields, Gothic Archies, Future Bible Heroes, and the music for the Limony Snickett stuff get to work. Probably an ideal candidate for this project, Stephin Merritt's opus contains 69... more
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