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

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the Birkeland Current Theory and its implications for understanding electricity in space. Participants express skepticism about claims made in a popular documentary that suggests significant electrical phenomena occur in space, including the role of Birkeland currents and their connection to solar nuclear fusion. The consensus emphasizes the importance of peer-reviewed research, asserting that without credible publication in scientific journals, such theories lack validity. Key references include peer-reviewed papers that support or challenge these claims.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Birkeland currents and their role in plasma physics.
  • Familiarity with the principles of electrical phenomena in astrophysics.
  • Knowledge of peer-reviewed scientific publication standards.
  • Basic comprehension of solar physics, particularly nuclear fusion processes.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the latest findings on Birkeland currents in astrophysical contexts.
  • Examine peer-reviewed papers on electrical phenomena in space, such as those by Peratt.
  • Study the mechanisms of nuclear fusion in the sun and its implications for solar temperature variations.
  • Explore the criteria for scientific validity in peer-reviewed journals.
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, astrophysicists, and science communicators interested in the intersection of electricity and plasma in space, as well as those evaluating the credibility of scientific claims in popular media.

ZeuZ
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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
 
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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
 
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