Maybe this is the attitude that applys to programming, but I am a consultant in the aircraft industry, and part of my job is to ensure the safety of crew/passengers, and adherence to aviation regulations, so it is a completely different game. I often have to speak up. Most customers are NOT familiar with the regulations that apply to thier aircraft, hell, most of them don't even know what part of the regulations apply. So I guess the point here is that it really depends on what kind of consultant you are, and what kind of impact it may have. I hope that if it affects safety, you will go with your conscience. If it's only money, well, I would probably at least tell my contractee the alternatives, but leave the decision up to them.
"I don't think the conservation argument applies, because the Earth is not a closed thermodynamic system. There is energy coming in from the Sun."
This is true. However, that seems to be the main gist of the article. I'd be more interested in whether the long term effects are comparable to gravitational slowing or if it really does tend to cancel out in the long run. Also, I wonder if the same type of study has been done with the ocean current?
It seems everyone here is missing the main topic. (And not just the ones modded Offtopic) The main cause of the earth's rotation slowing _during EL Nino years_ is the change in the angular momentum of the earth. This means, that as some point, the angular momentum will change BACK!! Hence, CONSERVATION of momentum. The net effect in the long run is no change in the earth's rotational period due to this phenomenon. However, it has been a well known fact that the earth's day will gradually grow longer. One of the causes of this is the earth becoming tidally locked with the moon, the way the moon is now. It's just a function of relative gravitational force. And offtopic: The geologic record does indicate the magnetic poles reversing every 10k-12k years. You'll have to research the 'why' on your own though. I only remember from my astronomy classes that it does...
The truth is out there, but the server is down or not responding.
Intuition rarely has anything to do with good, solid engineering. Just ask the Wright brothers. Most, if not all early aviation pioneers used thier intuition (i.e. look how the birds do it) to try and design aircraft. The Wrights built a wind tunnel, and experimented with different airfoils to improve thier design long before attempting to build the first Wright flyer. Now, as far as harmonics on the space elevator, the atmosphere effectively ends approx. 600 km from the surface of the earth (ref: http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/space/atmosph ere.html) Whereas GSO is approx 36000 km above the surface (ref:http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/rocket_s ci/satellites/geo-high.html) So the 'harmonics' are imposed on less than 600/36000 = 1.6% of the total length of the 'string'. It would take a VERY large displacement to set up any kind of harmonic in the elevator. And I am sure some resonance damping could be engineered into structure. I still don't know if the whole concept is feasible, I will reserve judgement until I have read the book. Yes, I AM a rocket scientist.:)
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I can see little Marvin the Martian Now...."Where's the Kaboom, there was supposed to be a Kaboom!"
Maybe this is the attitude that applys to programming, but I am a consultant in the aircraft industry, and part of my job is to ensure the safety of crew/passengers, and adherence to aviation regulations, so it is a completely different game.
I often have to speak up. Most customers are NOT familiar with the regulations that apply to thier aircraft, hell, most of them don't even know what part of the regulations apply.
So I guess the point here is that it really depends on what kind of consultant you are, and what kind of impact it may have. I hope that if it affects safety, you will go with your conscience. If it's only money, well, I would probably at least tell my contractee the alternatives, but leave the decision up to them.
"I don't think the conservation argument applies, because the Earth is not a closed thermodynamic system. There is energy coming in from the Sun."
This is true. However, that seems to be the main gist of the article. I'd be more interested in whether the long term effects are comparable to gravitational slowing or if it really does tend to cancel out in the long run.
Also, I wonder if the same type of study has been done with the ocean current?
It seems everyone here is missing the main topic. (And not just the ones modded Offtopic)
The main cause of the earth's rotation slowing _during EL Nino years_ is the change in the angular momentum of the earth. This means, that as some point, the angular momentum will change BACK!! Hence, CONSERVATION of momentum. The net effect in the long run is no change in the earth's rotational period due to this phenomenon.
However, it has been a well known fact that the earth's day will gradually grow longer. One of the causes of this is the earth becoming tidally locked with the moon, the way the moon is now. It's just a function of relative gravitational force.
And offtopic: The geologic record does indicate the magnetic poles reversing every 10k-12k years. You'll have to research the 'why' on your own though. I only remember from my astronomy classes that it does...
The truth is out there, but the server is down or not responding.
Intuition rarely has anything to do with good, solid engineering. Just ask the Wright brothers. Most, if not all early aviation pioneers used thier intuition (i.e. look how the birds do it) to try and design aircraft. The Wrights built a wind tunnel, and experimented with different airfoils to improve thier design long before attempting to build the first Wright flyer.h ere.html) Whereas GSO is approx 36000 km above the surface (ref:http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/rocket_s ci/satellites/geo-high.html) So the 'harmonics' are imposed on less than 600/36000 = 1.6% of the total length of the 'string'. It would take a VERY large displacement to set up any kind of harmonic in the elevator. And I am sure some resonance damping could be engineered into structure. :)
Now, as far as harmonics on the space elevator, the atmosphere effectively ends approx. 600 km from the surface of the earth (ref: http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/space/atmosp
I still don't know if the whole concept is feasible, I will reserve judgement until I have read the book.
Yes, I AM a rocket scientist.