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Team Discovers "Throttle" For Solar Wind

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the all-systems-go dept.

ScienceDaily is reporting that a team of scientists have discovered that Helium may act as a "throttle" for the solar wind. The team hopes that this insight will provide them a better look inside the dynamics of space weather. "Because helium nearly vanishes from the solar wind at its minimum speed, the researchers believe helium might somehow set the minimum speed. Helium is not accelerated efficiently by any process thought to be propelling the solar wind. Instead, it has to be dragged along by the hydrogen: Solar wind hydrogen atoms exert a small electric field that drags the helium out along with it, according to the team."

5 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. Curiously... by packetmon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder *how* one measures anything going that slow considering there isn't something *tangible* to watch and measure... I wish the article could have explained this as I am now lost wondering... Which is faster, a slug, three toed sloth, helium or plasma...

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  2. Space weather by Timesprout · · Score: 3, Funny

    Alpha quadrant : Freezio!

    Beta quadrant : Freezio!

    Gamma quadrant : Freezio!

    Delta quadrant : Freezio!

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  3. no one knows? by wizardforce · · Score: 3, Informative

    The team discovered that the abundance of helium increased as the solar wind speed increased, from near zero around the minimum speed to more than four helium atoms for every 100 hydrogen atoms at speeds greater than about 500 kilometers per second (310 miles/second).

    helium is heavier than hydrogen snd it requires a higher voltage potential to leave the sun's gravity well- in the case of solar wind the concentration of helium is actually lower than in the sun its self [4% vs 25%] the hydrogen has a better chance of escaping and at higher energies helium levels increase.
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  4. Re:Anyone else by ScentCone · · Score: 3, Funny

    Anyone else feel like releasing a few million helium balloons right above Redmond, Washington, right about now?

    Only on slashdot would someone stretch that hard to turn an astrophysics summary into an MS bashing troll. I mean, it takes WORK to do it that cravenly. Whew! You must be tired.

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  5. Re:I don't buy it by mbike · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is not neutral hydrogen therefore it is highly affected by the electric field. This plasma has come from the sun which is way to hot for molecules or neutral atoms for that matter. The article does make good sense.