Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Building a Miniature Magnetic Earth

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-bring-your-laptop-near-there dept.

Doofus writes "There was an interesting story on NPR this morning about a geophysicist who has constructed a miniature earth to model the earth's dynamo effects. Dan Lathrop, a geophysicist at the University of Maryland, has constructed a 10-foot diameter stainless steel sphere. He intends to fill the sphere with molten sodium and spin the sphere to examine the propensity for the system to generate its own magnetic field. The article includes both video, in which Lathrop spins up the sphere, and audio, including the conversion of magnetic wave functions in prior experiments into audible sound: literally the music of the spheres."

6 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. thats a lot of sodium... by X0563511 · · Score: 5, Funny

    A 10-foot sphere filled with sodium? Damn... talk about playing with fire.

    --
    For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    1. Re:thats a lot of sodium... by mapsjanhere · · Score: 5, Informative

      googling "density liquid sodium" would have given you 927 kg/m^3 as the correct number
      doing your unit conversions correctly would have given you 13.77 tons
      and I get scared with a kilo in my reactions - I'm a wimp

      --
      I'm aging rapidly, I bought a new game and had no idea if my machine was good for it.
    2. Re:thats a lot of sodium... by Firehed · · Score: 5, Funny

      if you're messing with large quanties of liquid sodium you'd think they'd have done their homework and know what to use

      A new pair of running shoes?
      --
      How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
  2. Re:nooo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    shouldn't you be commenting on youtube videos or something?

  3. What could possibly go wrong? by mangu · · Score: 5, Informative
    Here are some interesting (true) stories on what happens when sodium hits water. But those are about small blocks, one kilo or so, and solid at ambient temperature.


    This guy now seems to bring this "sodium party" thing to a new, unprecedented level...

  4. Class D fires by camperdave · · Score: 5, Funny

    Class D fires are not fun.

    You're not doing them right, then.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!