Re: electron density and distribution
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 2:38 pm
This gets at a big question. Is there a cloud structure or not? IDK the answer.
The electrons are being held in by a magnetic field pressure and the cage voltage. They do not like being that close to a (-) center. The electron details can be related by the beta number. Here it is for WB6.
For WB6, estimates are: the B-field is at ~1,000 Gauss, the bulk electron temperature is at ~2,500 eV and their density is one electron in 1E-19 meter^3 of space. Using these details we can look at the energy distribution Dan is describing:
In the center, we hate radiation losses. Radiation scales as temperature^4. That means the colder the electrons, the better. In addition: the (+) and (-) mix together. So, we want allot of cold electrons and very few hot ions. Hence:
Is this energy distribution possible? I do not know.
Kinetic theory has an estimate for mean free path. The math only works if the electrons have a bell curve of energy – which everyone is contesting.
Magnetic pressure is the B-field^2. This is the same scaling as magnetic energy density. A MATLAB model of WB6 tells us the magnetic field pressure looks like this.
Hence, the mean free path, beta number and temperature could change depending on where the particle is. But it is a hard case to make, because the electrons and ions are also hitting each other and devolving into a maxwellian mess. That wiener process is always working against structure.
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Does the cloud have structure or not? This is the critical question. We do not know. We need to scream and holler and get the money, manpower and equipment to figure this out. Many more people should be examining this. I think there is enough work for 20 independent groups writing peer-reviewed papers on this one question.
The electrons are being held in by a magnetic field pressure and the cage voltage. They do not like being that close to a (-) center. The electron details can be related by the beta number. Here it is for WB6.
For WB6, estimates are: the B-field is at ~1,000 Gauss, the bulk electron temperature is at ~2,500 eV and their density is one electron in 1E-19 meter^3 of space. Using these details we can look at the energy distribution Dan is describing:
In the center, we hate radiation losses. Radiation scales as temperature^4. That means the colder the electrons, the better. In addition: the (+) and (-) mix together. So, we want allot of cold electrons and very few hot ions. Hence:
Is this energy distribution possible? I do not know.
Kinetic theory has an estimate for mean free path. The math only works if the electrons have a bell curve of energy – which everyone is contesting.
Magnetic pressure is the B-field^2. This is the same scaling as magnetic energy density. A MATLAB model of WB6 tells us the magnetic field pressure looks like this.
Hence, the mean free path, beta number and temperature could change depending on where the particle is. But it is a hard case to make, because the electrons and ions are also hitting each other and devolving into a maxwellian mess. That wiener process is always working against structure.
===
Does the cloud have structure or not? This is the critical question. We do not know. We need to scream and holler and get the money, manpower and equipment to figure this out. Many more people should be examining this. I think there is enough work for 20 independent groups writing peer-reviewed papers on this one question.