Will Earth Be Saved From Red Giant Sun?

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by common_sense_seeker, Sep 18, 2008.

  1. Vkothii Banned Banned

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    I hate to be a spelling-nazi, but it's "tidal braking" (if you type this into wikipedia's search bar, you get redirected to "tidal locking").
    Braking (as in slowing down), and breaking (as in busting, or falling apart), are different things.
    And now, back to our regular program...
     
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  3. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    Once again, it becomes obvioius you have no idea what you're talking about.

    The calculations have been done, many times, and the results have even been featured in places like New Scientest, and Scientific American.

    However the point that you're oblivious to is that there's a degree of uncertainty in the results as a result of unceartainty regarding things such as stellar evolution.

    Essentially, the results depend on how, at what rate, and the evolution over time of that rate, the sun looses mass. And the uncertainty makes the difference between the earth being consumed, and the earth not being consumed.
     
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  5. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    I knew that to - I blame the fact that I was typing one handed trying to keep my daughter away from the keyboard (8 months, loves pushing buttons).

    Must have managed to hit the r and e keys at the same time without noticing.
     
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  7. kmguru Staff Member

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    How do we know, if our Sun will be a Red Giant in ~6.5 Billion years and not in 6.5 million years? What happens if our Sun collides with a large chunk of dark matter in the next 100 years? Assuming dark matter exists and since we can not see them....they may be lurking nearby....???
     
  8. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    First up, whether or not the sun has collided with dark matter depends on who you talk to.

    As far as the sun colliding with anything else, the results depend on what it collides with.

    A black hole, or a neutron star have the potential to completely disrupt the star, another yellow dwarf might merge with it, resulting in a blue giant.

    Who knows, all of these things, however, are somewhat unlikely.

    As far as the suns evolution and expected life span goes, that's actually quite straight forward to try and understand.

    We know how much energy the sun radiates, and how much it weighs, those sorts of things, and we have observational evidence that supports our theories.

    It's just some of the finer points that we're not to sure on - like for example, how much mass the sun will shed between now and the point that it expands as a red giant.

    However, studying stars such as Eta Carinae, and other similar objects can help us learn to understand these things better. And as computer power improves, so do our models.
     
  9. kmguru Staff Member

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    Yes of course, I totally forgot about that...I still think, strange things can happen as the galaxy is a big place. Specifically if certain reactions produce non-linearity over a large time scale....remember the pH curve...or the hysterisis loop....

    At least the Sun is not going anywhere soon...except that dark matter....and other dimensions....

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  10. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    I don't doubt that strange things can (and will) happen in this Galaxy.
     
  11. StrangerInAStrangeLand SubQuantum Mechanic Valued Senior Member

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    I hope humans will have advanced enormously but getting to Q level is another story.
     
  12. orcot Valued Senior Member

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    It's a expression
     
  13. common_sense_seeker Bicho Voador & Bicho Sugador Valued Senior Member

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    I wish to declare my apparent ignorance even further and ask why tidal braking is not occuring between the Sun and the Earth?
     
  14. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    1. I didn't say it wasn't occuring, just that the suns mass loss is far more important.

    2. The tidal braking in the earth moon system results in a transfer of angular momentum from the earth, to the moon, part of that effect is to do with the tidal bulge (as I believe has already been explained to you).

    It is my understanding that the earth does not generate a significant tidal bulge in the sun, therefore the same mechanism does not occur to any appreciable extent.
     
  15. common_sense_seeker Bicho Voador & Bicho Sugador Valued Senior Member

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    I'm glad I asked the question then..
     

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