The Bochum plasma physicists Prof. Padma Kant Shukla and Dr. Dastgeer Shaikh from the University of Alabama are thereby the first to verify by means of computer simulation that the non-linear characteristics of turbulences in the plasma carried by the solar wind differs from the familiar model for dynamic fluids. The scientists have published their results in ‘Physical Review Letters.’

Recognized for over 60 years: The 5/3 law

According to Kolmogorov’s theory there is a relationship between the size of eddies and the amount of energy released or dissipated by hot solar particles. The smaller an eddy gets the more it interacts with its surroundings, so the greater the energy loss.  For example this can be observed in the turbulent wake caused by a bridge piling in a flowing river. The energy of the tumbling wake dissipates only at the edges, where the smallest eddies interact with the smooth flowing water. The Kolmogorov law set the exponents for the relationship between eddy size and energy at 5/3: In a dynamic fluid, the amount of energy released should increase by a factor of  x5/3 when the size of the eddy is reduced by a factor of x.

7/3 law: Efficiency increases by 40 percent

Observations made by the Voyager, other spacecraft and satellites show that the energy flow in plasma tends to follow a 7/3 law rather than the so-called 5/3 law proposed by Kolmogorov. The dynamic spectrum of the wave lengths in plasma is therefore significantly greater than in other hydrodynamic systems. The efficiency of energy transfer between hot particles carried in the solar wind and cooler particles increases by 40 percent. The computer model developed by Shukla and Shaikh explains the sudden increase by the interaction between magnetic fields and the outward flowing currents of hot atoms, ions and electrons. The magnetic field is responsible for energy cascades. Influenced and ‘constrained’ by magnetic fields, the small eddies serve to “damp” the energy in them.

Explanation for gigantic quantities of cosmic energy

“This is the same kind of thing that happens in a microwave oven,” Shaikh said. “If there is nothing there, the microwaves go out without releasing their energy. But the microwaves are absorbed by the food, causing them to release the energy and heat the food.” “This development of the two scientists helps us to understand how the particles in the solar wind contain enormous quantities of energy. Prof. Shukla continued “It might also explain where the fastest and most powerful cosmic rays get their boost.” Scientists have struggled for decades to find plausible natural processes that could explain how some cosmic rays (atoms stripped of their electrons) are accelerated to almost the speed of light.

“The Tunguska event just 100 years ago reminds us that the threat of an asteroid strike is real,” said Ray Williamson, Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation (SWF). “If that object had struck in New York City or London, it would have killed hundreds of thousands and created untold fear in human hearts. Yet, as near Earth object strikes go, it was relatively small,” he pointed out.

“We need to be much better prepared than we are today to deal with this important, if uncommon, threat by creating the international institutions and governance methods to find objects likely to strike Earth and devise the means to divert them from Earth’s path,” Williamson explained.

Action agenda

Thwarting the threat of Earth-colliding asteroids – is on the action agenda list for former Apollo astronaut, Russell L. (Rusty) Schweickart.

While a civilization-smashing impact from a space object is a low probability, it is not zero…and there are other trouble-makers out there too. They are the smaller asteroids, in far greater number and could wreak havoc on our world, but in a more localized way.

Speaking recently at a Secure World Foundation luncheon at the University of Colorado – Boulder, Schweickart emphasized that what is needed is an international protocol – “mission rules” — that deal with asteroids that are menacing to Earth. Such a plan could calls upon nations around the globe to consider and embrace steps that can help mitigate the destructive nature stemming from an asteroid striking our planet.

Tree of life

Schweickart’s talk drew from his chairman position of the Association of Space Explorers’ Committee on Near Earth Objects and as Chairman of the B612 Foundation, dedicated to detecting, tracking and deflecting near Earth objects (NEOs).

Coming to grips with the NEO challenge, Schweickart emphasized, is more a matter of humanity’s readiness not to be dinosaurs – thought by many scientists to have been the victims of a huge asteroid impact some 65 million years ago. And that’s why we on Earth, he added, are faced with a key question: “To be…or not to be?”

Indeed, over billions of years, the Tree of Life here on Earth has been whacked time and time again by what Schweickart labeled as “the crazy cosmic gardener.”

“The good news is that we can do something about this,” the former astronaut explained. “The marriage of we human beings and the machines that we’ve created are now at a level of capability which enables us to fire the crazy cosmic gardener. We can stop this process from occurring again.”