What Happens to Homogeneity in a Magnetic Universe of Pulsars?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the implications of a hypothetical universe where all matter has coalesced into pulsars, each possessing a strong magnetic field. Participants examine whether the expansion of the universe could outpace the magnetic attraction between pulsars, potentially leading to a loss of homogeneity or the formation of magnetic galactic cores.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes a scenario where the universe has coalesced into pulsars with strong magnetic fields and questions the radius at which expansion would surpass magnetic attraction.
  • Another participant challenges the initial assumption, asking why the universe would evolve into such a state.
  • Some participants discuss the nature of pulsars as a probable end state for stars and the implications of iron stars on magnetic fields.
  • Concerns are raised about the distances between pulsars and their potential interactions, suggesting that they may be too great to significantly affect one another.
  • One participant notes that the cosmological constant or quintessence might negate the effects of magnetism on a cosmic scale.
  • There is speculation about whether magnetic fields could influence the structure of spacetime or lead to the formation of temporary magnetic galaxies under certain conditions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the evolution of the universe and the role of magnetic fields, with no consensus reached on the implications of these factors. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the interplay between magnetic attraction and cosmic expansion.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the limitations of current cosmological estimates and the uncertainties surrounding the time scales involved in the universe's evolution.

Loren Booda
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Assume the universe, after an eventful life doubling our current age, has coalesced all matter into pulsars each with magnetic field of 1014 Gauss. Given the number of pulsars in this observable universe to be 1022, initially distributed homogeneously, at what radius would the expanding (H0=65 km s-1 Mpc-1) universe outstrip the average magnetic attraction between pulsars? In this scenario, might the universe lose its homogeneity over time, or form "magnetic galactic" cores within the forementioned radius?
 
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Greetings !
Originally posted by Loren Booda
Assume the universe, after an eventful life doubling our current age, has coalesced all matter into pulsars...

Why would it do that ?!

"Does dice play God ?"

Live long and prosper.
 
drag-

Pulsars are one quite probable end state for stars in our universe, and have an extremely dense quantum magnetic field.

Even more probable is the nuclear equilibrium that stars evolve eventually into pure iron. (Many pulsars have a 1/2 mile crust of iron!) Remember that purely iron stars would have not nearly as strong ferromagnetic field as pulsars, but would themselves make an interesting substitution into the originally proposed problem.
 
Greetings !

Hmm...
Iron it is, of course.
However, as I heard (unless the Big Rip or something
happens before that), by the time that much of the
Universe becomes iron the CMBR is going to be
extremely low up the spectrum (with hardly much
other radiation) and except some huge BH's that
survive we'll just have iron spread all over.
Then again, maybe it does follow from it...
Anyway, aren't the distances going to be too great
to really effect each other ?

"Does dice play God ?"

Live long and prosper.
 
drag-

Remember that ferromagnetic dipoles have in general a much stronger mutual attraction than do their corresponding gravitational masses.
 
Greetings !

Hmm... Well, I guess your possibility
is certainly possible. But, of course that it
depends upon the way the Universe will evolve.
If the expansion is indeed accelerated all the
time then this probably won't be the case.
I think your enitial question is also complicated
by the fact that you need a reliable estimate
about when such pulsars may form.
(Even if you consider no real changes in the
Universe across such a large time scale as tens
of billions of years. And, of course, even now we
know that H0 is growing.)

"Does dice play God ?"

Live long and prosper.
 
drag-

My concern that you raise is whether the cosmological constant/quintessence is great enough always to negate any significant effect by magnetism. Remember that smaller-scale "magnetic galaxies" may still, if temporarily, form under outward acceleration as "gravitational galaxies" formed in Hubble-expansion environment.
 
Greetings !
Originally posted by Loren Booda
drag-

My concern that you raise is whether the cosmological constant/quintessence is great enough always to negate any significant effect by magnetism. Remember that smaller-scale "magnetic galaxies" may still, if temporarily, form under outward acceleration as "gravitational galaxies" formed in Hubble-expansion environment.
Well, since we have no exact answers from
cosmology estimates for such time scales
are a great problem.
BTW, are you suggesting that magnetic fields can
"pull" space itself back together ?

Live long and prosper.
 
drag
BTW, are you suggesting that magnetic fields can
"pull" space itself back together
Good point. Indirectly, the magnetic interaction affects spacetime by accelerating relatively the masses involved.
 

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