Space Elevator Options

[Caveman]

Wow. Had to bookmark it so I could keep reading it... very interesting!

[EMac]

Couldn't they use a remote controlled quick connect as opposed to detonation charges?

Thanks, I have moments of brilliance. Like a neurological solar storm. :)

Probably unless it has to be a continuous strand...makes me wonder about fatigue and maintenance. I suspect it would have to be sections for maintenance and lifting purposes.

Another question sparky, i know very little about solar storms, aside from the fact they can potentially cause a lot of harm. So bear with me.

Is it possible for a solar storm to positively or negatively charge a object? Or even swapthe polarity of a proton or neutron?

Excuse my stupid questions, i rarely have anyone around that is smart enough to stretch my brain muscles out with.

Solar storms are generally created from a few things: solar wind through a coronal hole, powerful flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). To keep it brief, all of these affect the magnetosphere and ionosphere, and can have effects ranging from brilliant auroras to radio blackouts up to huge geomagnetic induced currents (GICs). Large CMEs, which are essentially billions of tons of matter moving extremely fast (from 20-3200km/s according to Wikipedia, and you can monitor it here at space weather), are blocked primarily by the magnetosphere, but that field rings like a bell in response. Big storms with the proper magnetic orientation break field lines inducing incredible currents in the ionosphere. The power lines on the ground act just like a transformer and generate induced currents in the power lines. We haven't experienced what is theorized as the true potential damage from a major solar storm like the the one measured in 2003, but have an inkling from events like the Carrington event and other events. Essentially they can melt transformers:


Frequently CME's are associated with flares that produce a high energy electromagnetic pulse that can also ionize the upper atmosphere and cause radio blackouts.

Auroras are generally caused by the "key holes" at the magnetic poles where solar protons spiral down like a drain. The auroral ovals are generally around northern Canada and New Zealand/Antarctica, but can grow during a storm even down here in CO. Cool pic from the ISS:


Solar storms definitely ionize the atmosphere which means stripping stable atoms of some of their electrons, and this can promote charging as well. The full system is not totally understood, and it wasn't until relatively recently that phenomena like sprites were proven. As for the particle physics, that goes beyond my amateur knowledge. I know some neutrons can decay to an electron, proton and antineutrino (or something like that since I'm sure it's not exact), but I'm not positive what induces this or if it's accelerated by solar storms.

I love this topic, and soak up what I can :)

Suffice it to say, given the infrastructure problems, space debris, solar events, not even mentioning near pass asteroids, tropical storms, and gravitational anomalies from the orbiting moon - this thing will not happen in our lifetime. Ain't chaos theory great?

Totally, but I still want to pan some moon rocks. Space is fascinating, and I love learning about supernovae too....they make gold! Other things like magnetars, quasars, pulsars, black holes, dark matter, etc....all very cool to read about.