Murdoch, There have been several ideas put forward over the years to indicate that if "space" is composed of anything, it is rarefied hydrogen and maybe helium. Deep space is basically, (I am told), made up of hydrogen atoms at a variable density but typically individual molecules at about 100 mm (4") apart. There was a proposal to make a deep-space vehicle propelled on the ram-jet principle to scoop these up, heat them in a fusion reactor and chuck them out the back. I'm pretty sure NASA published details of the proposal some 20 years ago.
It also seems generally agreed that the sun, like other stars, keeps going by fission of hydrogen to helium (and higher elements too). Because of its large gravity, hydrogen from the space around the sun would be attracted to the sun. As it happens, both hydrogen and helium have thermal molecular velocities above the escape velocity of Earth but not (I am told) of Jupiter, Saturn and perhaps Neptune. Perhaps there are puddles of the stuff out there at the bottom of a very serious gravity-well. But I do know from personal experience that keeping hydrogen confined on Planet Earth is bloody difficult and quite dangerous! Incidentally, re your 1 in 10, has any "professional scientist" or engineer at any of the US space agencies ever gone on record to say hydrogen *does not* leave our atmosphere in the general direction of up? Regards Michael Allen Thailand > Interesting responses, thx. > > On Tue, 08 Jul 2003 15:19:53 +0700, you wrote: > >> Sorry Murdoch, >> >> Didn't realise you had some questions in here. >> >> I forget what the escape velocity is for Planet Earth. But I know that >> normal hydrogen molecules exceed it. That is why free hydrogen does not >> exist in our planet's atmosphere. Like free water on the moon, it just >> keeps going. >> >> But you have a point: I would imagine that some hydrogen reacts with >> oxygen and ozone along the way. And perhaps with nitrogen too if the >> circumstances are right. I can't give you details because upper >> atmospheric chemistry and physics is above and beyond me :->. > > Actually, over the years, I have been on the side of trying to claim that > some > significant amounts of Hydrogen may escape Earth's atmosphere when > chemically > liberated, but I have usually been met with skepticism at best, shouting- > down by > "professional" scientists at worst. Your agreeing with the overall idea > of this > is maybe a 1 in 5 or 10 type of response. > -- Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for Your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at Myinks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/sOykFB/k9VGAA/ySSFAA/9bTolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://webconx.green-trust.org/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm List messages are archived at the Info-Archive at NNYTech: http://archive.nnytech.net/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
