I suspect the threads are nearly 100 percent polar molecules, CO2 and/
or water. This could be checked by eliminating CO2 and water from
the air - provided a foolproof means exists for seeing the threads,
or at least determining their existence through the current
readings. If the threads stop when the water or CO2 goes, then they
are likely comprised of a continuous thread of polar molecules. Some
petroleum distillates are polar, so that would also account for the
black threads observed from a power transformer.
Wild speculation now begins...
The place to start may be eliminating water, which should be
comparatively easy. To eliminate both from a chamber the CO2 could
be eliminated using a getter and then the water eliminated by
freezing out.
If the threads consist entirely of water then some interesting things
could be done. The thread flow rate can be measured by simply
running for a long time and measuring the amount of water
transferred. The thickness of the threads could then be computed
provided the speed of the jet could be measured. I think the speed
of a water jet might be measured by imposing an AC signal on the
jet. I noted a pulsing of an AC (square wave) signal imposed on a 10
meter long flowing electrolytic cell, which occurred in
synchronization with the motions of a peristaltic pump, and which was
thus fluid velocity sensitive. A voltage drop vs flow rate
calibration could be done using streams of water emitted from holes
in the side of a metal can which is maintained at differing fill
levels by a pump and spill drain. It is possible, however, the
peristaltic pump was, via pressure changes, merely changing the
diameter of the Tygon tubing, and thus its diameter and thus its
internal fluid resistance. I don't think so, though, because I think
there was a resistance shift depending on pump direction if memory
serves.
As to the bump vs dimple notion, I would expect there to be a dimple
if the needle end were positive, but maybe a bump in the water with
its own sharp point if the pan is positive.
About thread visualization, it might be interesting if SW were a slow
speed rotary spark gap and the capacitor C1 were sized just big
enough so as to make the thread momentarily visible through a corona
sheath. I suppose you could superimpose a HF HV tesla coil output on
the DC, but that might seriously change the flow mechanics, whereas a
periodic flash would show the normal flow status just prior to the
flash.
------HV----------
| |
| |
| C1 |
|-----| |---R1---|
| | |
| | |
| ---SW--|
| |
| |
------> |-------|
Gap |--HV----
Fig. 1 - Jet spark circuit
Ascii figure above requires fixed font like Courier.
It sure is way easier to dream stuff up than to do the work!
Regards,
Horace Heffner
On Jun 4, 2007, at 7:02 AM, Michel Jullian wrote:
Hi Horace,
I had read about the absence of magnetic deviation too (as well as
the rest of Bill's excellent and remarkably complete experiment
reports), it is not incompatible with the ion refocussing water
bump (sounds better than pimple) hypothesis I posted earlier. You
would not expect the bump height or position to depend on the
magnetic field, only on the electric field distribution, which is
barely affected by the ions when current is low. The ion flow
itself would be deviated, but it would still refocus, at least
locally(*), on the unmoved water bump so the dark spot in the dry
ice mist would also be unmoved.
Of course this relies on my wild speculation that a bump was
mistaken for a dimple in Bill's laser relection test, which may be
totally wrong. It is however based on the plausible hypothesis that
at such low (nA) current levels the charged water surface is more
likely to raise locally towards the oppositely charged tip (or more
likely towards the first incoming ions, after which it would self-
maintain by being attracted to more incoming ions due to its raised
position) rather than recess due to particle impact.
Regards,
Michel
(*) assuming the bump hypothesis is confirmed, a current
distribution test would be interesting, to determine whether all
the current goes to the dark spot or if we have a more classical
wide spread, in which case the widely spread ion flow would only be
refocused locally by the water bump. It would be tricky to do though.
