CHAPTER 4

FOOT PRINTS OF A PLANETARY SYSTEM

4.1 Definitions.

Let us, for a moment, suppose that we have two spherical celestial objects of same mass and they are in an orbit around a third but much larger central mass, following each other fairly closely. As we would expect, in addition to the gravity pull between the central mass and these two objects respectively, there is also a gravity pull between these two objects. If this wasn’t the case, these two objects will have the same orbital velocity due to their equal mass and distance from the central mass and therefore will follow each other at a constant distance in their shared orbit. However, in reality, there is indeed a gravity pull between these two and as a result the one in front is being slowed down while the one following is gaining speed. The object that is being slowing down falls into a relatively lower orbit closer the central mass while the object gaining speed climbs up to a relatively higher orbit. Soon the object with slower speed is in an orbit below the object with higher orbital velocity. As the faster object in higher orbit passes over the slower object in lower orbit, the gravity pull of the higher object is now pulling lower object higher. As the passing action is completed, the same gravity pull is now causing slower object to speed up and climb up to a higher orbit while the faster object to slow down and fall into a lower orbit. These interactions continue until both objects, once again, have the same orbital velocity and are in the same orbit again, only to repeat the cycle over and over. Figs: 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4 and 4-5.

Therefore it is fair to say that these two objects are in an orbit with same mean distance from the central mass and have a phase difference of 180 degrees between their nearest and farthest points from the central mass to form their individual trajectories that are braided together. Since these two objects are equal in mass, the loops of the braid are equal in length and width and display symmetry. As for the orbital velocity of these two objects, we can say that their orbital velocity changes between a minimum and a maximum, again with a phase difference of 180 degrees. Furthermore, we must now speak of a mean orbital velocity, which is same for both.

If we have a situation, in which, one of the orbiting masses is significantly larger than the other, very much like the Sun and the Earth orbiting central mass of our Milky Way Galaxy, then the orbital trajectory of the larger mass will be almost straight for all practical purposes while the orbital trajectory of the smaller mass will form the loops of a braid. These loops will be asymmetrical in shape and their lengths will differ since a short one will be followed by a long one in a pattern repeated for every other loop. In addition, the mean orbital velocity of the smaller object will be equal to the mean orbital velocity of the larger object. Its instantaneous orbital velocity on the other hand will depend on its position with respect to the larger object and will continuously change between a minimum and a maximum. Hence, the Earth’s orbital velocity continuously changes as its travels around the central core of our galaxy while it forms braided asymmetric loops with the Sun’s orbit. As a result, the Earth’s orbit around the Sun is an ellipsoid if plotted with the position of Sun as being stationary. Similarly, all planets in our Solar System have their own braided orbital trajectory with the Sun, only difference being the length of the loops which increase with the distance from the Sun. Figs: 4-6, 4-7 and 4-8.

4.2 A Star Is Born

Based on the information we have so far presented in this book, our Sun probably started out as a very small lump of mass within the inner fringes of the Orion arm of our Milky Way Galaxy during the early stages of the galaxy formation. At this very early stage, it was mostly made up of atoms with different E/M ratios and as a result, it was mostly a mixture of plasma. As its cooling continued and more of its energy transformed into mass, it continued to capture more atoms and particles floating nearby while undergoing a process of differentiation, allowing heavier atoms to form a spinning central core while its gaseous material gathering around this central core to form the Sun’s body. This body of gaseous material also began to spin as it began to contract under the influence of developing gravity and radiation volume of the core, very much like the arms of a spiral galaxy, spinning faster near the core and slower at the surface.

As the Sun’s central core gathered more mass, it began to exert an ever increasing force of gravity pull on the atoms near its core, pressing them against the surface of the core as well as against each other, allowing their temperature to rise to reach millions of degrees. At these very high temperatures, these atoms are all energy and no mass, therefore moving away from the central core of the Sun leaving a fewer number of atoms within this sphere of critical volume, easing the pressure on the atoms and allowing temperatures to drop considerably. Once the temperatures drop, more atoms are pulled back in the critical volume sphere by the force of gravity, once again increasing pressures and temperatures therefore allowing a new cycle of temperature increase and expansion to begin. It is clear from this line of thinking that our Sun is very much like a self-regulated nuclear reactor, its volume expanding and contracting to radiate energy in discrete amounts. Since nuclear reactions near the core generate extreme amounts of heat, this heat is transferred to the surface by radiation allowing formation of Coronal Loops and Solar Prominences. Coronal Loops are atoms that are all energy at the beginning, therefore rising away  from the Sun’s surface despite its immense gravity pull, cooling while moving away, gaining mass as its cooling continues and falling back to the surface of the Sun under the influence of its gravity once its cooling allows the formation its atomic mass. Figs: 4-9a, 4-9b and 4-9c.

We can deduce several conclusions from what we have presented about our Sun so far. All stars, small or large, have massive central cores. Without it, stars cannot ignite. By this token, Jupiter is probably is a failed star, unable to create enough pressures and temperatures needed to start its nuclear furnace. Second, the cores of stars as well as their gaseous bodies spin. Third, stars generate massive gravity and radiation fields. Fourth, the temperature at the surface of the stars is not uniform. This is probably because the nuclear reactions near the core are random in nature.

As our Sun continues to shine, its core continues to gain mass, increasing in volume and spinning faster and faster. In contrast, its gaseous body around the central core becomes thinner, oscillating with increased frequency as the time goes by. Near the end of its active life, our Sun becomes a Pulsar, emitting large amounts of energy in short bursts of ever increasing frequency. Once all of its fuel depleted, our Sun becomes a source of radio waves. At the very end, our Sun ends up being Dark matter.

Let us for a moment suppose that, we lift off from the Earth in an imaginary space ship. Once in orbit, high above the Earth, we see Our Sun’s light as near white light. If we leave this orbit and travel towards Sun, this light becomes ultraviolet light as a result we can no longer see our Sun. We can detect its presence by measuring its radiation, but we can no longer see it. On the other hand if we travel away from the Sun in this imaginary space ship, the color of our sun will first appear increasingly yellowish, slowly turning orange and eventually appearing red as it becomes smaller and smaller as the distance from the Sun increases. Beyond that we can no longer see our Sun, but we can detect its presence by measuring its infrared, microwave and radio waves depending on our distance from it.

If we are traveling in space in this imaginary space ship and find ourselves approaching a star, we first detect its presence by its radio waves. Closer, these radio waves become microwaves first and infrared waves as we move in closer. Then suddenly we see the star as a source of red light. As we continue to approach, the star becomes yellow in color, and then becomes green, followed by blue and violet. Closer, once again, we can no longer see the star, but we can detect its radiation, first as ultraviolet radiation, then as X-Rays and finally as Gamma Rays. I am guessing that, there might be a planet in the vast expanses of Universe whose inhabitants wake up to the green light of their sun in their morning. Fig: 4-10a, b, c, d and e.

Finally, we asserted that the heat distribution on the surface of our Sun is not uniform. Sun Spots may be areas of electromagnetic radiation above range of visible light consequently appearing as dark spots. Judging by the variations in Sun Spot activity, we can assume that the Sun’s radiation output may not be constant over time. Astronomer Carl Sagan (1934-1996) had brought to the attention of scientific community that the disappearance the Sun Spots for a period of 75 years in 1600s coincided with a mini ice age that was observed in Europe during the same period. In fact, variations in Sun’s long term radiation activity may have been responsible for the mass extinction of dinosaurs and other forms of early fauna and flora, formation of metamorphic rocks and red beds as well as the sea level changes throughout the geologic ages. Only the Sun is capable of exerting such dramatic changes on planet Earth because of its energy potential and close proximity.

4.3 Planetary Systems

Our planet, like all other planets whose orbital planes lie within the equatorial plane of the Sun, may have been a part of the Sun’s composition before it was separated by a catastrophic event. In order to understand this separation, however, we will have to visit the interior of our Sun again. We must remember that the core of our Sun is spinning around its polar axis and the angular velocity of this spin increases as the core gains mass and compacts. It is possible that the core of our Sun might have reached a critical angular velocity in the past leading into a catastrophic event or events that might have resulted in partial fragmentation of its core near its equator.  These fragments might have spun off capturing and carrying away some gaseous materials with them forming the planets either simultaneously or consecutively. (The fact that both our Sun and the Earth are rich in hydrogen might be a clue in this regard) In turn, these planets might have formed their own satellites going through a similar process while their cores are still in a partial plasma state. The important criterion to remember here is the coincidence of the orbital planes of the planets with the equatorial plane of the Sun. As for each planet within the solar system, same criterion applies to the orbital planes of the satellites and the equatorial plane of the host planet. With that criterion in mind, the only Pluto and its satellite Charon may have been captured planetary objects in our solar system since Pluto’s orbital plane is significantly different than the equatorial plane of the Sun, . It is possible that the rings of Saturn might have formed while the planet is still in plasma state and might have remained in its close orbit as their cooling continued.

Once separated from the Sun, planets go through a number of phases depending upon their composition. However, their evolutionary phases by no means may be similar since their physical and chemical compositions vary significantly. Furthermore, their varying distances from the Sun might have played an important role in their cooling rates affecting their current cosmic status. Furthermore, their initial exit velocity from the Sun’s core might have played an important role in determination of their current position within our solar system.

4.4 Blue Planet

After separating from the Sun’s core, our home planet probably continued to its spin while still in a partial plasma state obeying the gravity and radiation field of the Sun. Nothing more than a fire ball ferociously burning through the Universe, it probably settled in an orbit which might be somewhat different than its current orbit since at the time it might have had a somewhat different overall mass and energy levels. If this is the case, despite our current belief system, the orbits of the planets in the solar system may be continuously changing over a cosmic time scale. How assuring.

Depending upon its distance from the Sun and the Sun’s volume at the time, our Earth begins a long and unsteady period of cooling and differentiation. While heavier atoms drift towards its gravity center, lighter atoms make up the surface and gaseous atoms rise above the surface. As the Earth’s core gains more mass, it is spinning faster than the surface of the Earth, very much like the Sun. While it might have been several million degrees hot at the time of separation from the Sun, our Earth’s temperature begins to drop, relatively quickly at first but slower as the cooling goes on. While at the time, our Earth might have been a Gamma Ray source initially, as the cooling takes hold, it is now only a few thousand degrees hot and looks very much like a fire ball with an intense radiation signature, probably in the X-Ray range. It’s further cooling results in formation of islands of crust on the surface, floating freely on the surface as directed by the currents of hot lava boiling just below the surface. This is the beginning of formation of continental plates, although they might have been entirely different than what they are today.

As the solidification of the Earth’s crust takes hold, segments of the crust are now much thicker, each probably being several hundred feet thick, after having joined other segments of the crust floating near-by and covers the entire surface of the Earth. Thickening of the crust adds weight to it making it apply greater pressure on the lava below while trying to sink deeper. This pressure increase pushes lava through the cracks and joints of the crust, allowing the formation of volcanoes, helping accelerate the cooling process of the magma under the crust. As crust becomes thicker, may be several miles thick, surface is now much cooler, however, radiation field created by the core and hot lava below the surface accelerates atoms that make up the gaseous atmosphere above, creating plasma winds of charged gas atoms while creating a light displays of constant lightning and radiation storms. As volcanic activity continues at a high rate, more subsurface material transported to the surface from below, ever increasing the weight of the crust, forcing it to sink further. As the sinking accelerates, segments of the crust are laterally pushed against each other, creating anticlines, faulting and formation of mountains. At this stage, our planet has no longer a fairly flat surface, but has young mountain ranges as well as horsts, grabens, overthrust zones, deep ravines, canyons and vast depressions. Figs 4-11 thru 4-15. While Sun’s radiation continues to modify the atomic composition of its gaseous atmosphere, its core, under immense pressure and heat, forms the magnetosphere to shield it from the Sun’s radiation and solar flares. Once the surface is sufficiently cooled to allow accumulations of water and formation of seas, growth of prehistoric plants and animals takes place and the forces of geologic processes are established. Our blue planet has come a long way since its fiery beginnings and hopefully it has a long way to go. We can help by planting trees, preserving its eco systems, controlling man made pollution and eliminating deforestation.