China studying gravity anomaly during this eclipse

From:

www.newscientist.com...

From remote observatories on the Tibetan plateau to a cave in a Shanghai suburb, Chinese researchers are poised to conduct an audacious once-in-a-century experiment. The plan is to test a controversial theory: the possibility that gravity drops slightly during a total eclipse.

Geophysicists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences are preparing an unprecedented array of highly sensitive instruments at six sites across the country to take gravity readings during the total eclipse due to pass over southern China on 22 July. The results, which will be analysed in the coming months, could confirm once and for all that anomalous fluctuations observed during past eclipses are real.

I hope that something useful will come out of this eclipse. If the gravity change is confirmed, physicists must re-write at least some of the laws or offer patches for this anomaly.

It's actually been tested quite a bit. Hardly "once a century".

From a group attempting (in 2006) to duplicate the results of previous experiments carried out with pendulums but using highly sensitive graviometers. (newscientist seems to have overlooked it)

Gravitational and other anomalies seen repeatedly in connection with solar eclipses have led to speculation about a possible gravitational shielding effect as the cause. Here we show that an unusual phenomenon that occurs only during solar eclipses, rapid air mass movement for the bulk of the atmosphere above normal cloud levels, appears to be a sufficient explanation for both the magnitude and behavior of the anomaly previously reported in these pages.

www.eclipse2006.boun.edu.tr...

Their conclusion is that any changes in Earth's gravity field are so slight that they can be attributed to movements in the air mass overhead. They claim to have shown that the results of the pendulum experiments are invalid.

[edit on 7/20/2009 by Phage]

reply to post by Phage


You're either one of the smartest people on this site, or the fastest googler.

However, I've never seen you give off a positive attitude!

Your always chomping at the bit to prove others wrong and speak down to them.

Cheer up bro, your going to make everyone think you have low self esteem and are a bully.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

And thanks OP for the post, S+F!

Can't wait to see what data a government scale, especially China scale, experiment will produce!




[edit on 20-7-2009 by breakingdradles]

reply to post by rocksolidbrain

As an on-and-off reader since the 1970s, I have been obliged to downgrade New Scientist from 'genuinely scientific periodical' to 'mostly trustworthy source of articles about science' and now to 'muddleheaded pop-science-lite publication'. See, for instance, the linked article that inspired this thread.

* * *

reply to post by breakingdradles
In my view, Phage is one of the most valuable resource-people we have on ATS: a voice of sanity in a sea on paranoia and delusion. Long may he post and prosper.

This may prove an electro magnetic component of gravity if it is detected.

Originally posted by breakingdradles
reply to post by Phage

 

You're either one of the smartest people on this site, or the fastest googler.

I'd be inclined to the former, but that was a shout, I have to say.

However, I've never seen you give off a positive attitude!

Your always chomping at the bit to prove others wrong and speak down to them.

Cheer up bro, your going to make everyone think you have low self esteem and are a bully.

I thought that at first, but I have seen him post a few times and i personally think he is just trying to educate people, from his perspective of course.

I was wondering about the 'one in a centruy' thing aswell, I'm guessing they meant for China? Solar ecplipses happen more often than once a centruy around the world, I remember when I was about 8 or 9 in Rhodes, Greece, saw one there, watched it thorugh a black glass ash try, very cool.

Been a few more since then if memory serves.

I'm not really sure if a solar eclipse would effect gravity, haven't really thought about it, but since there has been no noticable change before now, I'd have to sugest that even if it did, it really would be very nominal.

EMM

Well I guess there's no harm in trying eh. You can never do too little research when it comes to something as rare as a full eclipse, I still find it miraculous that the difference in distance between the sun and moon and where we are it just so happens that every so often they pretty much perfectly sit in front of one another.. No-one I know seems to think thats even remotely interesting though..

Phage is back? I've not seen anything in a while from ya dude.. but some of the threads recently really lack lustre so I'm not suprised.

Breakingdradles - He's definitely one of the most useful contributors on this site, been a fan since before I even joined!

I guess the previous experiments were inconclusive , otherwise who will spent time, effort and money on any well explained anomaly. At least the previous experiments prove that there is an anomaly.

So yes, no harm in trying, if there is anything at all we will hear about it soon.

Lol, I must agree, Phage is all knowning, and I look forward to his input on all threads. But I think its his avatar, that makes some members perceive him as always pissed off, or being a bully.


So, this has me thinking about questioningall's recent threads.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

*The moon and sun do create extra pull on its targeted area durning a solor eclipse.
*It will pass almost center over the Three Gorges Dam in China.
*China is a very active earthquake zone

Question for the 22nd.... will earthquakes be triggered by the slight movement of all that water, built up were it shouldnt be (as nature intended)?


[edit on 7/20/09 by Cyprex]

reply to post by Cyprex

The answer is no. Eclipses do not affect the tides any more than a "normal" new moon does.


www.abovetopsecret.com...


"all knowing"? Hardly. But I do know a little about a lot of different stuff.


[edit on 7/20/2009 by Phage]

reply to post by breakingdradles


Based on the preponderance of the evidence (lol) I have no other conclusion to draw other than Phage rules, stfu, and have a nice day....

Phage pointed out past gravity experiments re: Solar Eclipses. His post was valid, on topic and pertinent.

You really just need to calm down.



[edit on 21-7-2009 by DaMod]