Related papers: The solar sail and the mirror
In this paper, we detail the scientific objectives and outline a strawman payload of the SOLAR sail Investigation of the Sun (SOLARIS). The science objectives are to study the 3D structure of the solar magnetic and velocity field, the…
The POLAR Investigation of the Sun (POLARIS) mission uses a combination of a gravity assist and solar sail propulsion to place a spacecraft in a 0.48 AU circular orbit around the Sun with an inclination of 75 degrees with respect to solar…
Electromagnetic waves carry energy, linear momentum, and angular momentum. When light (or other electromagnetic radiation) interacts with material media, both energy and momentum are usually exchanged. The force and torque experienced by…
Originally, the Carnot cycle is a theoretical thermodynamic cycle that provides an upper limit on the efficiency that any classical thermodynamic engine can achieve during the conversion of heat into work, or conversely, the efficiency of a…
In 1680 Cassini proposed oval curves as alternative trajectories for the visible planets around the sun. The Cassini ovals were of course overshadow by the Kepler's first law (1609), namely the planets move around the sun describing conic…
The dynamics of radiation pressure acceleration in the relativistic light sail regime are analysed by means of large scale, three-dimensional (3D) particle-in-cell simulations. Differently to other mechanisms, the 3D dynamics leads to…
The physical processes that heat the solar corona and accelerate the solar wind remain unknown after many years of study. Some have suggested that the wind is driven by waves and turbulence in open magnetic flux tubes, and others have…
The variation of total solar irradiance (TSI) has been measured since 1978 and that of the spectral irradiance for an even shorter amount of time. Semi-empirical models are now available that reproduce over 80% of the measured irradiance…
In 1755, Kant published his General Natural History and Theory of the Heavens, in which he presented his hypothesis on the formation of the solar system, known as the primitive nebula hypothesis. This original theory of the heavens was…
A theory of cosmic ray production within the solar system (not extra-galactic) is presented. The sun's time variable magnetic flux linkage makes the sun (as well, perhaps, as Jupiter) a natural, all-purpose, betatron storage ring, with…
Much of the twentieth century physics has considered rigid laws-- even Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics were based on such laws. These laws operated in a smooth spacetime manifold. However more recent approaches as in Quantum…
The connection between nuclear fusion in the Sun's core and solar irradiance is obscured among other things by uncertainty over the mechanism of coronal heating. Data for solar wind density and velocity, sunspot number, and EUV flux suggest…
A "space drive" is a hypothetical device that generates a propulsive force in free space using an input of power without the need for a reaction mass. Any device that generates photons (e.g., a laser) would qualify as a propellantless…
All existing measurements of the solar neutrino flux are compared with the predictions of the most recent solar model by Bahcall and Pinsonneault, modified by introducing the hypothesis of neutrino oscillations with mass differences large…
Space exploration is of paramount importance to advancing fundamental science and providing global services, such as navigation and communications. However, today's space missions are hindered by limitations of existing propulsion…
The polar magnetic field of the Sun is a manifestation of certain aspects of the dynamo process and is a good precursor for predicting a sunspot cycle before its onset. Although actual synoptic measurements of this field exist only from the…
Solar still is an eco-friendly and convenient desalination system that can provide fresh water for remote areas and emergencies. The energy efficiency and productivity of conventional solar still are unsatisfying and need improvement, which…
The luminosity constraint is a very precise relationship linking the power released by the Sun as photons and the solar neutrino fluxes. Such a relation, which is a direct consequence of the physical processes controlling the production and…
Despite its simplicity, it seems to my best of knowledge that the possibly simplest approach towards deriving equations governing irreversible thermodynamics from gas-kinetic considerations within the framework of classical mechanics has…
Since the discovery of solar cycle related with magnetic field in 1908, deep seated oscillatory dynamo has been studied extensively. However, there are still open questions on the solar dynamo, e.g., asymmetric conversion between…