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Old 09-March-2008, 12:18 AM
VanderL VanderL is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereid View Post
In which peer-reviewed journal may one read the details of this "electric comet model" (a reference please)?
Not yet.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereid View Post
When we all have the same (purported) model in front of us, we may be in a position to challenge and question this assertion.

If we do not all have a copy of it - to read, study, etc - in other words, if it's not public, then how could it be verified, falsified, or even understood?
It can be verified/falsified by the Rosetta mission, it can be understood qualitatively as described in the electric comet pdf.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereid View Post
Perhaps I have misunderstood that document, or do not know enough about comets, but the linked PDF refers to an estimate of the "total potential drop between the Sun and the Earth".
Yes, but why would that field magically stop at 1 AU, more likely it extends all the way to the heliospheric boundary.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereid View Post
While the Thornhill and Talbott PDF (T&T) is, indeed, almost entirely devoid of anything falsifiable, I think we can assume that by 'comets' they refer to objects some of which have been observed at distances well beyond 1 au from the Sun.
What's the point you are trying to make?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereid View Post
Further, Lacombe et al. state, in the abstract "The total potential drop between the Sun and the Earth, which results from a succession of small potential drops during the Sun-Earth travel time [...]" (emphasis added). At first glance this seems to be inconsistent with T&T ("The Sun's radial electric field is weak but constant with distance in interplanetary space" emphasis added).

Could you clarify please?
Maybe at first glance, but in an current-carrying plasma there will be boundaries (density variations, double layers, or as Lacombe et al. say "small potential drops"), so there is no problem there. The main thing is that a weak field exists.

Cheers.