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Scientists conducted research on our planet’s responses during the phenomenon of totality

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The snapping turtles all simultaneously entered the waters of Lake Tawakoni as soon as the moon covered the sun. The earth was adorned with twilight. The clouds swiftly traversed the sky. Jupiter was present next to the sun and was brightly radiating during the day. The majority of birds and insects had become quiet or completely silent.

Describing the experience of a total solar eclipse is challenging due to its profound effects on the surrounding light and abrupt drop in temperature, causing surprise shivering. However, on April 8th, I, along with many individuals throughout North America, had the opportunity to observe a remarkable astronomical phenomenon.

I traveled to Wills Point, located around one hour east of Dallas, to rendezvous with Darci Snowden, a space physicist from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, along with her undergraduate students. Local families gathered to watch as weather balloons were launched from a wooden pier to collect data, bringing joy to the onlookers.

Prior to the eclipse, the weather forecast in Texas indicated unfavorable conditions, including the possibility of thunderstorms and cloud cover obstructing the view of the heavens. After the situation settled, we experienced an extended period of clear skies while the moon passed in front of the sun, causing it to appear like a thin crescent. At the precise moment of totality, a substantial cloud passed past, resulting in audible expressions of disappointment from all present. Fortunately, the sun’s typically imperceptible atmosphere, known as the corona, became visible through gaps in the clouds. Fiery flares bursting from the sun’s surface were seen as tiny red spots at its edges.

Regardless of whether the weather was cloudy or clear, there were still scientific tasks to be completed. Occasions of total solar eclipses offer exceptional chances to examine the sun and its influence on Earth in unparalleled manners.

In Wills Point, the day before the April 8 eclipse, Snowden’s team initiated the launch of a sequence of 30 weather balloons, commencing at 2 p.m. CDT. The intention was to launch one object into the air every hour, consistently during the whole night, and to continue this pattern for six hours following the occurrence of the eclipse. These balloons, filled with helium, may ascend to a height of 33 kilometers (20 miles) in the stratosphere, which is the second-lowest layer of the atmosphere. They transported battery-operated instrument bundles known as radiosondes to gather data on temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind direction and speed.

Snowden and her students aim to obtain comprehensive data regarding the impact of an extraordinary occurrence, like a total solar eclipse, on Earth’s atmosphere. The researchers are investigating the phenomena occurring in the lowest part of the atmosphere, called the planetary boundary layer, which extends up to around two kilometers and covers the Earth’s surface. The topography of the terrain, which includes features like mountains, buildings, and woods, and solar radiation descending from the atmosphere, both have an impact on the dynamics of this layer.

Specifically, the team is seeking evidence of gravitational waves. It is important to distinguish gravitational waves from gravitational waves, which are disruptions in the spacetime continuum brought about by the collision of sizable celestial objects like black holes. Gravity waves, on the other hand, are a phenomenon that occurs closer to the Earth’s surface. These phenomena can occur when a mountain range or other external force lifts pockets of air, which then fall as a result of gravity. This process generates a regular oscillation that can transfer energy across the atmosphere. Additionally, sudden fluctuations in temperature might trigger their activation. When cool air gets more compact and descends, it occasionally descends to such a low point that it surpasses its balance and then rises again, creating a wave.

“It is akin to exerting pressure on an ice cube submerged in a glass of water,” Snowden remarks.

In the 2017 U.S. total solar eclipse, scientists conducted an experiment by flying balloons in Wyoming and New York, outside the path of totality. They discovered indications that the shadow of the moon, as it swiftly moved across the atmosphere, produced gravity waves near the surface that propagated outward, resembling the bow waves created by a moving ship. This phenomenon had been forecasted over half a century before but had never been conclusively observed. During the same event in 2017, scientists definitively saw eclipse-induced gravity waves at higher altitudes in the atmosphere for the first time (SN: 4/30/18).

In this instance, Snowden aims to verify the prior indications of their presence in the lower layers of the atmosphere. The objective of launching the balloons 24 hours before totality, which occurs when the moon totally obscures the sun, was to gather the first measurements prior to the eclipse. Subsequently, these measures might be juxtaposed with the ones obtained during and subsequent to the occurrence.

This data has the potential to contribute to more accurate forecasts for both short-term weather patterns and long-term climate trends. Although gravity waves are one of the smallest types of atmospheric waves that scientists investigate, they can have a substantial impact. They exert a significant impact on the dynamics of turbulence, facilitate the passage of heat, and facilitate the dispersion of airborne chemicals across the entire world. Numerous individuals traverse extensive distances, occasionally shattering akin to ocean waves at altitudes of 500 kilometers or more above the Earth’s surface.

Eli Pugsley, a senior physics major involved in leading the launches, describes the process of getting the team’s weather balloons up shortly before and during totality as “undoubtedly stressful.” “However, once we establish a consistent pattern, each individual fulfills their responsibilities, and the process proceeds effortlessly.”

The data collected from the students will be combined with data from approximately 40 other teams participating in NASA’s Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project. These teams will also be deploying weather balloons along the line of totality. Collectively, the data may ascertain whether the eclipse generated gravity waves in the lower atmosphere. However, it will take around one year to collect and analyze the information, according to Snowden.

Researchers and citizen scientists across the country were conducting various studies connected to the eclipse. Meanwhile, large numbers of eclipse watchers flocked to towns along the path of totality, hoping for an unobstructed glimpse of the celestial event.

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Physicist Fabiano Rodrigues and his team at the University of Texas, Dallas campus, focused their attention on the ionosphere, which begins at an altitude of around 80 to 90 kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

Solar radiation bombards the thin atmospheric gases in this layer, causing ionization, where the atoms split into electrons and nuclei. During the night, while not exposed to the intense sun radiation, these charged particles have an opportunity to come together again. Analogous transformations occur when there is an abrupt transition into darkness during a complete solar eclipse.

Rodrigues and his students strategically positioned inexpensive, readily available devices with the ability to receive satellite signals, such as GPS, in a large triangular formation. One device was placed at the university, another approximately 100 kilometers to the north, and the third approximately 50 kilometers east in the town of Terrell. These detectors monitor the instantaneous increase and decrease of electron concentration in the ionosphere, which serves as an indicator of its level of ionization.

The data obtained by Rodrigues and his team during the eclipse could potentially validate the forecasts on the extent to which the ionosphere will deionize due to the reduction of sunlight caused by the eclipse. It could also identify any shortcomings in these predictions. The collected data will be utilized to study the influence and deterioration of satellite transmissions caused by changes in the ionosphere. This research aims to enable engineers to mitigate these effects in future communication and navigation systems.

According to Rodrigues, the number of electrons in the ionosphere decreased, as anticipated during the event. However, it would probably take a few days for him to determine which models provided the most precise forecasts. Although there was some cloud cover in Dallas, he is very satisfied with the outcome.

Meanwhile, when the sun regained its usual intensity above Lake Tawakoni, Snowden and her colleagues paused to contemplate the extraordinary event they had just observed before resuming their balloon releases.

“It is an awe-inspiring encounter,” she states. “I consider myself very lucky to have witnessed it.”

 

As Editor here at GeekReply, I'm a big fan of all things Geeky. Most of my contributions to the site are technology related, but I'm also a big fan of video games. My genres of choice include RPGs, MMOs, Grand Strategy, and Simulation. If I'm not chasing after the latest gear on my MMO of choice, I'm here at GeekReply reporting on the latest in Geek culture.

Astronomy

The PS5 next-gen update for Fallout 4 is now available to be accessed by PS Plus subscribers

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Recently, we reported on the confusion that ardent Fallout fans were having playing the original PS5 version of Fallout 4, which was a result of Amazon’s outstanding adaptation. Individuals who have access to either PS Plus Extra or Premium are now able to upgrade at no cost, as a minor update was released during the weekend.

PSLS has observed that the problem has been resolved, as players are now able to access the next-generation version of the game. Both physical and digital purchasers are eligible for the upgrade, although physical owners will require their discs for the process.

Regrettably, only individuals who obtained Fallout 4 through the now-discontinued PS Plus Collection will be eligible for the upgrade. This decision is consistent with Sony’s current policies, which makes it less unexpected. It is likely that much of the confusion arose because players may have forgotten the precise origin of their digital copy of Fallout 4.

Can you confirm that you can get the PS5 version of Fallout 4 through PS Plus? Talk about how to handle the tricky world of digital rights ownership in the comments section below.

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What was the initial food consumed in space?

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It’s true that space is the final frontier, but life in microgravity still has a long way to go when it comes to food. It seems like this has always been the case. While on the first trip around the sun, Yuri Gagarin ate the first meal ever eaten in space. How did he eat? Yes, it was a choice.

Cosmonaut Gagarin was the first person to go into space. He did one orbit of the Earth in 108 minutes in 1961. Gagarin’s Vostok 1 spaceship had enough food for 13 days in case the retrorocket didn’t work. He would have to wait for Earth to come back to him through natural orbital decay, but it was a good chance to try eating in space. Scientists weren’t sure if basic tasks like chewing and swallowing could be done in microgravity, even though tests had been done on the “Vomit Comet” back on Earth. “No crumbs” was a very important factor, so food that could be turned into a paste and put in a metal tube like toothpaste was used.

Gagarin had two courses, even though he was in orbit for less than two hours. Beef and liver puree was the main dish. Gagarin ate two tubes of it, so maybe it tasted better than it sounds. For dessert, he had a tube of chocolate sauce.

Scientists didn’t know what microgravity would do to people at the time, so they didn’t want Gagarin to lose consciousness, so the capsule was controlled from the ground with a code that could be used to switch to manual control in case of an emergency. This meant they could eat even if something went wrong with their digestion, but Gagarin’s first meal in space showed it was safe to do so.

More and more astronauts went into space and stayed there longer. This made it clear that our taste buds can change when we’re in microgravity. Body fluids move to the top of your head, and research has shown that this may make the smell and taste of food less strong, similar to eating while you have a cold.

As time has gone on, the food and drinks that astronauts and cosmonauts eat and drink in space have changed and gotten better. “Freeze-dried astronaut ice cream” is a thing of the past. Aside from being able to order pizza at the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts can also bake cookies there. Thanks to a specially made cup, you can even get an espresso and drink it in deep space.

Scientists have even been brave enough to see if they can fry food in space. Carefully planned tests were done with a special fryer on a parabolic plane that simulated weightlessness. The results showed that it is possible to deep fry things in microgravity, but please don’t try this at home.

The “no crumbs” rule, on the other hand, is still hard to break, and bread is still a problem. Wraps, pittas, rotis, and bread that doesn’t have crumbs are fine in space, but if you want a space sandwich, we still have work to do.

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The Large Hadron Collider may be on the verge of discovering magnetic monopoles

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Two preprint papers from a large team of experimenters reveal their unsuccessful search for magnetic monopoles, the elusive north or south magnetic poles without partners. However, they express optimism as they make progress in narrowing down the potential locations for these elusive particles.

The preprints, which have not yet undergone peer review, also explored the possibility that we may have inadvertently created magnetic monopoles in the past and overlooked the equipment where they could have been detected.

We learn early on in physics that magnets consistently possess two opposing poles, commonly referred to as north and south. When a bar magnet is sliced in two, new poles will emerge near the break, ensuring that each smaller magnet retains one of each pole. With a magnet that is sufficiently brittle, this is something you can easily test on your own. While you’re at it, it might be worth considering the validity of more recent claims regarding magnets and questioning the reliability of the source.

However, the possibility of a single magnetic pole, also known as a monopole, existing apart from its counterpart has long intrigued scientists. Indeed, positive and negative electric charges can exist independently without requiring their opposites to be present.

James Clerk Maxwell, a pioneer in magnetic theory, believed he had successfully debunked the concept. However, many years later, Paul Dirac revived the idea by demonstrating that the existence of monopoles could provide an explanation for the quantization of electric charge. It is worth noting that if magnetic charge is quantized, it would consist of fundamental units known as the Dirac charge. The symbol for these units is 2/e, which is equal to 68.5 times the charge on an electron. Scientists in the field have become more and more convinced of this concept over time, yet researchers conducting experiments have yet to discover the evidence needed to support it.

Truly, the theory of monopoles has been extensively studied and has gained widespread acceptance among physicists, indicating their likely existence. In numerous circumstances that are significantly different from the ones that CERN is investigating, we have seen signs of these phenomena. However, the verification of subatomic magnetic monopoles continues to be an ongoing challenge.

Many theories regarding magnetic monopoles necessitate their adherence to laws of symmetry. As a result, it is necessary for there to be an equal number of north and south poles in the universe without the need for them to be attached like traditional magnetic poles.

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Since 2012, the MoEDAL collaboration has been utilizing the particle annihilations at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to search for magnetic monopoles.

There are various ways in which scientists speculate that monopolies could potentially be created. In a recent study, scientists from MoEDAL investigated the detection of monopole production from virtual photons. It may seem far-fetched to those unfamiliar with the field, but in the realm of science, there is a concept that is crucial to our understanding of physics. This concept involves virtual photons, which serve as carriers of the electromagnetic force between two charged particles. However, it’s important to note that these virtual photons do not exist as independent particles.

Virtual photons can be generated through the collision of particles at high velocities, along with various other techniques. The creation of magnetic monopoles has two potential methods, according to theoretical physicists. One method involves the fusion of two virtual photons, while the other process, called the Drell-Yan process, can generate a monopole from a single virtual photon.

Contrary to expectations, the search for a magnetic monopole does not solely rely on its magnetic field. The charge that theoretical monopoles carry is quite significant. Discovering a High Electric Charge Object (HECO) would suggest the presence of physics beyond the standard model. Specifically, it could indicate the presence of hidden monopoles, along with other intriguing possibilities like remnants of microscopic black holes.

“The search reach of MoEDAL for both monopoles and HECOs enables the collaboration to extensively explore the theoretical ‘discovery space’ for these hypothetical particles,” stated MoEDAL spokesperson James Pinfold.

In the first preprint, the MoEDAL team presents their findings on the lower limits of the mass of a monopole, claiming that these limits are the most robust ones published so far. They assert that they have outperformed the larger ATLAS experiment, which utilized the LHC for the identical objective.

The second preprint discusses an alternative approach to searching for monopoles. It focuses on the monopoles generated through the Schwinger mechanism, which occurs when heavy ions are collided during the initial run of the LHC. According to the Schwinger mechanism, it is postulated that the presence of intense electric or magnetic fields has the potential to generate particles from a vacuum. “If monopoles are composite particles, this and our previous Schwinger-monopole search may have been the first-ever opportunities to observe them,” Pinfold said.

It was hypothesized that monopoles could have been generated during the experiment and subsequently become trapped and unnoticed in a section of the collider that had been taken out of service. No magnetic monopoles were discovered; however, the authors were able to deduce that the creation of a magnetic monopole requires a significant amount of energy. They confidently stated, with a 95 percent confidence level, that these magnetic monopoles must have masses exceeding 80 billion electron volts.

This comes as no surprise to most theoretical physicists. Understanding the role of magnetic monopoles is crucial in various endeavors to combine quantum mechanics and gravity in grand unified theories. These predictions often involve extremely high masses, on the scale of trillions of electron volts, and necessitate charges that are at least two or three times greater than the Dirac charge.

You can find both preprints on arXiv.org, here and here.

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