Is the Birkeland Current Theory the Key to Understanding Electricity in Space?

[ZeuZ]

Birkeland currents in space

i was hoping some people here could debunk some of the claims made in this documentary of cosmology. Its a really popular online video, it has has had over 100,000 views and has built a sort of cult following around it as it proposes a completely unique way of interpreting the cosmos. Its basically a look at electricity and plasma in space, and they make some good points about birkeland currents and filamentary structures in nebulae and also have some unorthodox ideas about nuclear fusion in the sun which explain why the chromosphere is millions of degrees hotter than the surface of the sun. Its a very believable documentary and i can see why its popular.

you can see a cut down version with just the science parts in at:
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=1575759714254712017
or the full popular version:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4773590301316220374


could there really be an abundance of electricity in space? from what I've heard so far people say that charge can't separate in space for electricity to form, but why? there's a huge charge difference between the upper and lower atmosphere, that's what causes lightning.

there does seem to be science to back up electrical phenomenon in space from other peer reviewed papers;

http://public.lanl.gov/alp/plasma/Perattpdf/PerattEvidenceCosmic.pdf
http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1978Ap&SS..55..487A
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkeland_current (with references included)
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...ype=HTML&format=&high=42ca922c9c28646
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...ype=HTML&format=&high=42ca922c9c30343

 

[Ivan Seeking]

This is not appropriate for this forum.

The key test for something like this [scientific theories] is published material. If the theories presented can be found in reputable scientific journals, then it is appropriate material for a regular forum, such as Cosmology. If it cannot be found in reliable journals, then it is not for discussion here or in any forum, and it can't be trusted. And with the understanding that I'm not a Cosmologist, what I did watch of this video seemed dubious at best. I would bet that a credential check would not help their case.

In any case, if the authors of a theory can't get published in a reputable journal, for now at least, consider the theory debunked. That's why we have peer-reviewed journals.

The purpose of the Skepticism and Debunking Forum is to explore claims of and evidence for unexplained phenomena...

With the exception of links in the Credible Anomalies Napster which direct the reader to a mainstream forum, we do not explore mainstream subject matter; and in particular, we do not explore new ideas about physics...

Questions about mainstream subjects should be submitted to a regular forum.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=5929

 

[Architeuthis Dux]

I cannot debunk or confirm the claims made in this documentary without further research and analysis. However, I can provide some insight into the Birkeland Current Theory and its role in understanding electricity in space.

The Birkeland Current Theory was proposed by Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland in the early 1900s. He observed that charged particles from the sun, known as the solar wind, interact with Earth's magnetic field to create electric currents that flow along the magnetic field lines. These currents, also known as auroral currents, create the spectacular aurora borealis and aurora australis.

The Birkeland Current Theory has been widely accepted in the scientific community and has been supported by numerous observations and experiments. It has also been applied to other celestial bodies, such as Jupiter and Saturn, where similar auroral currents have been observed.

However, the theory has been met with some criticism and has been refined over the years. Some scientists argue that the Birkeland currents may not be the only source of electricity in space and that other processes, such as magnetic reconnection, may also play a role.

As for the claims made in the documentary about nuclear fusion in the sun and the temperature of the chromosphere, these are still areas of active research and debate in the scientific community. While the documentary may present some interesting ideas, it is important to approach them with a critical and skeptical mindset and to consider all available evidence and perspectives.

In conclusion, the Birkeland Current Theory is an important concept in understanding electricity in space, but it is not the only explanation and may continue to be refined and expanded upon with further research. As a scientist, it is important to approach all claims and theories with an open mind and to critically evaluate the evidence before drawing conclusions.