University of Maryland Three Meter Experiment

The Three Meter Geodynamo experiment is the latest in a series of progressively larger experiments in the Lathrop Lab at the University of Maryland to study how planets generate magnetic fields. We are essentially trying to build planetary cores in the lab.

We hope the Three Meter experiment will generate a magnetic field from a rotating turbulent flow of liquid sodium metal.

The experiment is now in an assembly and testing phase.

When complete it will contain nearly 13 tons (13,000kg) of sodium metal flowing in the space between a 3 meter diameter outer sphere (shown here in a rotation test) and a 1 meter diameter inner sphere concentric with the outer. Each sphere has a 350 horsepower (250kW) electric motor to drive its rotation. The inner sphere models the Earth's solid inner core; the sodium models the Earth's fluid outer core, the source of the Earth's main magnetic field.

For more information on this experiment and other experiments at Dan Lathrop's lab at the University of Maryland, please visit http://complex.umd.edu

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Physics
• Magnetohydrodynamics
• Dynamo
• Sodium
• Lathrop
• Geodynamo
• Science
• Sphere

[gibsonemg]

Why do you use sodium?

[n3umh]

Sodium is the most electrically conductive liquid. It's used in several magnetohydrodynamic experiments because the generation of magnetic field by fluid motion is in competition with ohmic decay of the field as the current that's supporting the magnetic field flows through an imperfect conductor.

Other liquid metals such as Mercury and Gallium have been used in such (smaller) experiments, but Sodium is a 10x better conductor than either, and has other advantages (low density & inexpensive).

[dnluce]

Needs more cowbell.

[lathropdaniel]

No worries dude. Driving to campus is more dangerous than this.

[000vortex]

In Google: Airborne aerial unmanned bulletproof combat drone of monitoring system.

[PsychotronicWar]

Reminded Event Horizon's Black Hole Gate...

[tarasenkogennadiy]

Это ничего не даст, все неправильно, ядро земли состоит из плазмы-типа шаровой молнии после большого взрыва... Дайте мне возможность сделать свой проект, я переверну мир! Тарасенко Геннадий. Генератор Тарасенко, меня легко найти в инете.

[lathropdaniel]

@bombaykaizoku yes, there is a solid stainless steel core held by a stainless steel shaft.

[bombaykaizoku]

How do you maintain a solid core? Is it a non-sodium sphere held in place?

[GreenmeGo]

Wow! so informative

[itsabomberscope]

wunderwaffe die glocke!

[420glass]

@dnluce Check out the "60cm Inertial Wave Ramp" video if you want more cowbell LOL

[captainparadoxius]

@thebagpiper not if the government will let me have some of that damn mendelevium. ( ;