“Sound fields act like gravity, at least when it comes to driving convection in gas,” said John Koulakis, a UCLA project scientist and the study’s first author. The sound waves inside the ball acted like gravity, constraining movement of the hot, weakly ionized gas, known as plasma, into patterns that resemble the currents of plasma in stars. UCLA researchers used microwaves to heat sulfur gas to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit inside the glass sphere. We don’t need to go into space to do these experiments anymore.” “What we showed is that our system of microwave-generated sound produced gravity so strong that Earth’s gravity wasn’t a factor. “People were so interested in trying to model spherical convection with laboratory experiments that they actually put an experiment in the space shuttle because they couldn’t get a strong enough central force field on the ground,” said Seth Putterman, a UCLA physics professor and the study’s senior author. The achievement could help scientists overcome the limiting role of gravity in experiments that are intended to model convection that occurs in stars and other planets. To do so, they used sound waves to create a spherical gravitational field and generate plasma convection - a process in which gas cools as it nears the surface of a body and then reheats and rises again as it nears the core - creating a fluid current that in turn generates a magnetic current. The UCLA researchers effectively reproduced the type of gravity that exists on or near stars and other planets inside of a glass sphere measuring 3 centimeters in diameter (about 1.2 inches). The paper is published in Physical Review Letters. That’s because experiments they conduct in laboratories here on Earth are affected by gravity in ways that are so different from conditions in space.īut a new study by UCLA physicists could, at last, help conquer that issue - which could be a big step toward safeguarding humans (and equipment) during space expeditions, and to ensuring the proper functioning of satellites. But, to date, scientists’ ability to research ways to overcome that challenge has been severely limited. Solar flares and other types of space weather can wreak havoc with spaceflight and with telecommunications and other types of satellites orbiting the Earth. The achievement could help scientists overcome the limiting role of gravity in experiments that are intended to model conditions in stars and other planets.UCLA researchers effectively reproduced the type of gravity that exists on or near stars and other planets inside of a glass sphere measuring 3 centimeters in diameter, or about 1.2 inches.Space weather can interfere with spaceflight and the operation of satellites, but the phenomenon is very difficult to study on Earth because of the difference in gravity.With an early warning from satellites like the GOES-R series, power companies, satellite operators, and even astronauts will have enough time to adapt to any troubling space weather headed our way. These satellites will improve our ability to look for the first sign of a solar flare or coronal mass ejection, and they will monitor the space around Earth for an increase in high-energy particles from the sun. Not to worry! While a new group of satellites-called the GOES-R series-will be busy watching Earth weather, they will also be watching their back, keeping a close eye on the space weather. And if there were any astronauts floating around the International Space Station, they would be in trouble, too. These particles can damage satellites, power lines, and radio communications. It has been known to let off large bursts of energy called solar flares.Īnd sometimes it lets off something even bigger-a coronal mass ejection.īoth can hurl particles toward Earth at nearly the speed of light. It’s a burning ball of immensely hot gas with a temper! The Sun isn’t only a burning ball of immensely hot gas. Our sun is constantly sending particles and energy across the planets of our solar system. That’s exactly what most weather satellites do.īut some satellites also keep an eye on a very different kind of weather-space weather! When you think of a weather satellite, you probably think of something parked high up in space keeping watch over clouds on the ground.
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