ASSAM
BooKs
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR VEDIC ASTROLOGY - By Dr. Pranav Jyoti Deka
The
solar-terrestrial electromagnetic energy variation cycle of 27-day
duration :.......
Astrophysics is one branch of physical science, which even many physicists shun because of its complexity and inherent uncertainties, as many of its postulations cannot be established by direct experimentation.
By end of the last century many physicist understood that apart from the two easily appreciable forms of solar energy-light and heat, the sun emits a number of other forms of energy and only an infinitesimal part of such inter-planetary energy reaches the Earth's atmosphere, and again only a fraction of such energy can penetrate the Earth's magnetic and other shields (as ozone layer) and reach the Earth's surface. Different forms of interplanetary energy are collectively known as 'cosmic rays' or 'cosmic energy'.
In the Thirties of the Twentieth century serious studies on cosmic energy were taken up primarily to understand the phenomenon of auroral or polar illumination as it was noticed that the increase of auroral activities is directly related to period of enhancement of sunspots and stronger electromagnetic disturbances in the Earth's atmosphere. The second available tool was to study the deviation of comet tails by the pressure exerted by the solar wind.
Study of 'cosmic energy' received tremendous boost by the invention of radio-telescope and even more so when man made satellites started revolving around the Earth and could collect data from the upper level of atmosphere of the Earth and beyond.
The present author who is not an astrophysicist, has undertaken this ormidable job of explaining the behaviour of solar-terrestrial energy variation cycles uninitiated in non-technical language, hence a lot of omission and commission should be expected in this endeavour.
S. Chapman and V.C.A. Ferraro (Nature 126, 129. 1930) were the first (?) to establish that materials identical with the solar corpuscular radiation is emitted in the form of continuous stream with variable intensity and speed from the solar coronal part and collectively termed these energy streams as the 'solar wind'.
After sixty years of intensive study by many eminent scientists in various institutes of Physics and 'Space research laboratories', our knowledge about the solar wind is still meagre, and whatever is expounded, there are controversies galore. Universally accepted characters of the solar wind, which is also known as 'solar flux' and 'solar energy stream', are following:
1. Solar wind is a complex combination of energetic particles and rays, constituted by probably more than forty different forms of energy, some of which have been identified, some are yet to be identified, and quite probably existence of some forms may not yet be known to the science.
2. Eighty percent of the solar-flux is considered to be in the form of low, intermediate and high-energy protons. The rest, twenty percent is formed of alpha particles, electrons, X-rays; gamma radiation, ions, undetermined nuclei of atoms and interchanging forms of energy (one of the major problem in study of solar and cosmic energy flux is that they rapidly interchange forms).
3. As the solar wind leaves the Sun, within the interplanetary medium, numerous separate bundles of magnetic flux exists that are adjacent to and are in equilibrium with each other. A filament magnetic field structure is embedded in the solar wind. Due to the rotation of the Sun on its axis the solar field lines form an Archimedean spiral.
4. The density and speed of the solar flux as it leaves the Sun, and the part of it which reaches the Earth will depend upon the intensity of the solar radiation (flare) activities on the solar surface, therefore energy arrival on the Earth's surface is also not uniform and vary both chronologically and spatially. It is known, that there is one roughly 11 years long cycle of varying solar flares and sunspots on the solar surface, which results in increase or decrease of level of solar electromagnetic energy on the Earth's surface. The reasons behind these periodic changes are not yet properly understood.Astrophysicists agree that the change of energy regime on the Sun's surface is of two types, one continuous and non- eversible and the second is cyclic. They are:
1. Like any other star the Sun has also got a life history from its birth to death where the radiation level is continuously changing its age and it is non-repetitive. Because of extreme time length of each phase of change this has got little importance in your short-term study of the effects of solar radiation on biosphere of the Earth.
2. (a) Yet unproven but theoretically possible; a controversial but popular explanation for long time, the cyclic change of the intensity of solar radiation take place probably because the Sun has got its own binary partner star, provisionally named as 'Nemesis'. Both the stars are revolving around each other. While the two stars approach to a near orbit, because of mutual gravitational pull, huge tidal waves of energy are pulled out to interplanetary space, which gets 'supersaturated' with energy. Catastrophes in the planetary geology of the solar planets and in the biospheres of the Earth is envisaged during such close encounter.
There are few takes of the proposition forwarded by P. Seymour (1988) that the planetary alignments within the solar system cause increase of solar flares because of their 'combined gravity'.
(b) The Sun shows a cycle of enhanced energy dissipation which repeats roughly after each eleven and half terrestrial years, commonly known as 'eleven year sunspot cycle'. Actually these increase of intensity may take place within such a short period as seven and half years or the time gap may be as long as sixteen and half years. Generally accepted explanation is that, due to intense activities on the Sun's surface, huge energy flares are thrown to the coronal part of the Sun and there from to interplanetary space. Areas in photosphere wherefrom the energy is depleted will appear to terrestrial observers as comparatively less illuminated, dark spots, popularly known as sunspots.
(c) The 'centers of enhanced activity' on the Sun's surface are not uniformly distributed. The latitude of the solar energy flares (source of solar wind) are located only within 10 to 15 degrees from the center of the visible disk of the Sun (It is quite interesting to note that the 'deeptangsha' or the effective part of the Sun, in the Indian astrology is accepted to be only upto 10º from the equator of the visible orb of the Sun).
The emission of 'low energy' solar wind takes place from the so called 'M' regions of the Sun's surface and the 'high energy' from the 'S' regions. M and S regions continuously expand, contract or even interchange with discernible variation of solar activities. The distribution, quantum and speed of emission of low energetic particles from the M regions and high energetic particles from the S regions of the Sun even within the equatorial belt is not uniform.
The Sun itself revolves on its own axis at an uneven speed. The poles take about 30 and the sub-equatorial region roughly the time length of 27 mean terrestrial days to complete one revolution. If the equatorial and subequatorial zone of the Sun is divided into 27 equal segments, the Earth faces a different segment of the Sun each day. As each solar segment has its own specific quantity and intensity of solar wind emission, the Earth will be facing an energy field of different intensity each new day changing everyday till the 27th day, and then the cycle will begin anew.
The statement made above is oversimplified as a number of rectifications, which have been mentioned earlier, will have to be brought in. One cannot deny the fact that when the Earth will face a 'high energy' solar segment, subsequently it will receive more energy and after the days when the Earth faces a 'low energy' segment of the Sun, subsequently it will receive low solar energy. The results of energy variations will be manifested in the earth's atmosphere 28 to 48 hours afterwards, and can be measured as higher solar particle concentration (density) and greater intensity of solar magnetic variations.
The movement and activities of the solar wind is by far more complex than the activities of the light, where the effect is instantaneous. The flight of the solar wind and the 'energy relationship between the Earth and the 'solar segment' will be modified by the following factors:
(i) All other things being equal due to the rotation of the Sun, the solar wind emanated from the western side of the solar orb will reach the Earth a few hours earlier than the solar wind released from the eastern side.
(ii) The speed of the solar wind in the interplanetary space will depend upon the velocity at which it was initially expelled from the Sun. It may be as low as 306 km per second if emitted during a very tranquil, non flaring period and may be as high as 842 km per second (R.Lust -1967) if spewed out during violent solar storms accompanied by formation coronal flares and resulting sunspots. Therefore depending upon the segment of the Sun (western or eastern), and the prevailing conditions (stormy or tranquil) the solar wind may take 28 to 48 hours to reach the Earth.
It will appear that if a 'disturbed segment' follows a 'quite segment' the faster particles of the disturbed segments will overtake the end fraction of slower particles originated in the quieter segment and the energy field effects with Earth's atmosphere will get smudged.
(iii) End of one cycle and beginning a new cycle is accompanied by reversal of polarity, but that does not mean reversal of polarity does not take place within one 27-day cycle.
Even after so many modifying factors effecting the nature and flow of the solar emanation, the correlation between the sequence or periodicity of high and low energy segments of the Sun facing the Earth and the sequence of terrestrial days showing energy levels reflecting the solar energy levels will be maintained. That is, if on the solar disk, one high energy emitting segment is followed by two consecutive low energy segments, succeeded by again one high energy segment, then on the Earth's atmosphere, where the solar- terrestrial magnetic intensity is measured, it will be found that one high energy day will be followed by two days of comparatively low energy level and the fourth day again will show rise of surfacial electromagnetic energy level. This similarity of sequential pattern is not synchronous, the earthly series will be delayed by about two days and on the fourth day there will be smudging effect to a large extent as faster energetic particles will partially overtake the older and slower rays and particles emitted on the third day. It can be easily established that enhanced beam of solar particles are the primary causes of geomagnetic disturbances (T. Obayashi -Solar wind geomagnetic field interaction disturbed. Solar -Terrestrial Physics. edit. J. W. King and W.S. Newman -1967. Academic Press. London). It has been established that a visible intense solar flare, is followed by increase of geomagnetic disturbances on the Earth's atmosphere which are measurable with the instruments placed on orbiting satellites, and to a lesser extent by the ground stations. Sometimes geomagnetic disturbances may increase even without visible solar flares, but other factors will indicate enhanced solar activities. The time gap between the visible flare and increased disturbances is 30-40 hrs.
The protons form the major constituent material of the solar wind, and the enhancement in the beam of solar particles will be reflected in increase of density (number of protons). It may rise from 0.01 protons to 80 protons per cubic centimeter as the energy field changes from the quiet to a disturbed condition. In the 27-day solar- terrestrial energy cycle, which is our object of study, distinct relationship between the solar activities and speed, and density of protons can be established.
About the 27-day cycle P. Seymour has written (Cosmic Magnetism-1986. P. 40). "There is also a broad line near 27-day, which may be due to some effect connected with the rotation of the Sun on its axis."
The present author will strive to demonstrate that the periodicity of high and low of solar radiation, high and low of magnetic disturbances on the Earth's atmosphere, and high and low of concentration of low energy protons in the Earth's atmosphere all the three will follow exactly the same sequential pattern, thereby ruling out any "connection with the lunar month" and should confirm "effects connected with the rotation of the Sun on its axis."
That the solar -terrestrial magnetic disturbances are linked to solar energy emission level, and that their sequential of T. Obayashi (1967 opp. Cit.). "A major peak of geomagnetic activity SKp extends from 5 to 10th day followed by a decrease in cosmic-ray intensity. Minor peaks appear during 15th to 25th day (P. 115. Opp.cit). This statement was made in reference to 27-day recurrence patterns of geomagnetic activities and cosmic ray intensity. The 27-day periodic variation is best reflected by variations of concentration of low -energy solar proton (MeV range) is confirmed by a number of other authors (R. Lust -The properties of interplanetary Space. P.37). Most convenient unit to monitor the variations of solar flux intensity is density, as fluctuation in density will be observed even without any visible solar flare.
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