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Proposal: Removing Earth's Radiation Belts [space tethers, space elevator]
space.com ^ | 16 Sep 02 | leonard David

Posted on 09/16/2002 1:10:49 PM PDT by RightWhale

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When the space elevator is built, it will sweep the Van Allen Belts anyway, so while this lightning rod tether might be a classical Bad Idea, still sweeping will happen automatically no matter what. It might be well to do this sweeping soon and see what happens before the space elevator construction begins. There might be some surprises.
1 posted on 09/16/2002 1:10:49 PM PDT by RightWhale
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To: RightWhale
For some reason to me, 62 miles doesn't seem long enough to make a difference. But if it is, would these tethers have to be cleaned, or just degaused every now and then?
2 posted on 09/16/2002 1:16:30 PM PDT by GunRunner
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To: RightWhale
Wouldn't removal of the Van Allen belts have a disastrous effect on the ionization layer that keeps out ultraviolet radiation? It could also lead to major changes in weather patterns. That's just off the top of my head, but I shouldn't think we should risk it in a hurry.
3 posted on 09/16/2002 1:17:44 PM PDT by Cicero
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To: RightWhale
While we're at it, I've thought for a long time that we should stand the earth up straight on its axis and eliminate those pesky seasonal fluctuations in day length, temperature, etc.
4 posted on 09/16/2002 1:18:15 PM PDT by Stirner
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To: GunRunner
would these tethers have to be cleaned, or just degaused

They probably won't last long enough to worry about cleaning them.

Zap! For sale, cheap, one used lightning rod.

5 posted on 09/16/2002 1:22:33 PM PDT by RightWhale
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To: Stirner
Why not just arrest Dr. Van Allen ?
6 posted on 09/16/2002 1:22:34 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Cicero
removal of the Van Allen belts

The earth's magnetic field will still be there but the contents --charged particles of high energy-- will be drained, which happens naturally anyway. For military applications this might be useful to restore near earth space to somewhat usable conditions quickly after a space radiation attack.

7 posted on 09/16/2002 1:26:21 PM PDT by RightWhale
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To: Cicero
Yeah, I remember in grade school or Jr High (back in the '60's) that it was supposed to be a good thing that kept bad radiation out.

So, is my info just really dated (like when we used to think the evolution theory made sense until the last few decades of discoveries - baiting sentence, heh, heh).
8 posted on 09/16/2002 1:28:39 PM PDT by RobRoy
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To: RightWhale
>>space radiation attack.<<

I understand that is still the Klingons weapon of choice.
9 posted on 09/16/2002 1:29:27 PM PDT by RobRoy
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To: RightWhale
removal of the Van Allen belts

Kinda risky for the Van Allen pants?

10 posted on 09/16/2002 1:40:37 PM PDT by billorites
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To: RightWhale
Wasn't there a space/science article posted on FR, or maybe in the discussion thereof, that said that the space elevator's construction was impractical because of the vast amount of materials required?

I can't find it at the moment, but I remember the thread changing my perspective of the space elevator from eventual reality to a theory that will never have the materials available to be tested and come to fruition.

Can anyone comment? Thanks!
11 posted on 09/16/2002 1:42:54 PM PDT by Thoro
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To: RightWhale
Hmmm...

This has somewhat of an 'inside joke' feel to it, to my non-technical, somewhat skeptical mind.

12 posted on 09/16/2002 1:45:25 PM PDT by Hoplite
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To: Hoplite
The space tether will probably do something as advertised. At least it will draw charged particles out of their magnetic bottle so they can participate in the auroral display. But it also might act like a piece of steel roofing blown across the high-tension lines during a windstorm. The question might be not how long it will take to drain 99% of the charged particles, but how bright the flash will be when the tether is smoked.
13 posted on 09/16/2002 1:53:25 PM PDT by RightWhale
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To: RadioAstronomer; longshadow; PatrickHenry
Ping!
14 posted on 09/16/2002 2:03:04 PM PDT by Aracelis
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To: RightWhale
Didn't the dinosaurs try to do this same thing?

;^)

15 posted on 09/16/2002 2:09:59 PM PDT by Mark Felton
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To: Piltdown_Woman
I hope that tether doesn't pull loose and come drifting into my neighborhood.
16 posted on 09/16/2002 2:13:32 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
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To: RightWhale
The earth's magnetic field will still be there but the contents --charged particles of high energy-- will be drained, which happens naturally anyway.

OK, you physicists confused this engineer. How are you shutting off the charged particle source? Is someone gonna turn off the sun? That is where all the charged particles originate from.

This idea is science fiction, and poor science fiction in my opinion.

17 posted on 09/16/2002 2:20:26 PM PDT by Magnum44
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To: Magnum44
How are you shutting off the charged particle source?

It's an engineering problem. Sure there is physics involved, plasma fields and Jacobians and all that stuff. But the source will keep pumping charged particles forever for all practical purposes. However, the source is sporadic. Sometimes there is a lot, sometimes there isn't. Once the particles are trapped in the Van Allen Belt as it is today, they stay for a long time. If they were drained quickly, then the level would drop and stay low until the next solar outburst. So, overall, over time, the density of charged particles will be reduced. It's still a sci-fi idea, but a space tether ought to be launched just to see what it does. Who knows, it might work or it might just scare people into learning a little about the universe besides what is on cable tonight.

18 posted on 09/16/2002 2:30:14 PM PDT by RightWhale
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To: RightWhale
I am all for a good experiment, and I won't poo-poo on this one. It just seems very ambitious to speculate on discharging the solar system when we haven't been able to successfully deploy and recover a tether yet. And I know "its NASA fault, not the tethers".
19 posted on 09/16/2002 2:46:35 PM PDT by Magnum44
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To: Magnum44
Discharging the solar system is in Phase Two.
20 posted on 09/16/2002 3:23:42 PM PDT by gcruse
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