Emission
Black body radiation
Any object at any temperature above -273 ºK emits radiation sometimes referred to as thermal radiation. This is due to the oscillations of its molecules which act as electric oscillators which initiate the radiation. In this discussion radiation is synonymous to electromagnetic waves. The temperature and nature of the body determine the frequency and intensity of the radiation or emission. The hotter a body gets the shorter the wavelength radiated. The shorter the wavelength, the higher the intensity. These are well documented characteristics of black body radiation. We are disregarding reflection of electromagnetic waves for this discussion (ref. CW)
It is important to note here that due to Black Body Radiation it is impossible to create an electromagnetic vacuum because the material we use is itself emitting electromagnetic waves because it is not possible to achieve -273ºK. We keep insisting that space is a vacuum … this could not be further from the truth!!!!!
One of the characteristics of mass is that it absorbs energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. Mechanisms removing the absorbed energy from the surface into the mass like conduction (which is also mediated by vibrating molecules) will become relevant in the discussion on gravity. An interesting and crucial fact regarding gravitation is that the temperature of the mass is indirectly influenced by energy and pressure. Two equal masses at one temperature will differ if one is heated significantly. The extra energy from the added heat or even from external pressure will increase the gravitational potential of that mass. The ability of a “black body” to emit radiation is obviously increased by any extra mass, energy or pressure added to it. The pressure released by radiation is increased and will be discussed in the next section on Emission. This constant interplay of absorption and emission is the balance that the object or body has to maintain with its environment. Although the mechanism of emission is slightly different in the realm of quantum physics the principle of balance of quarks etc with the local environment still applies. This balance between emission and absorption forms the core of our discussions on a few levels and underlies the whole argument regarding the Energy Cycle. It is the constantly present factor that makes the system so dynamic and is the driving factor supplying options and alternatives to this wonderful balance on all levels of our existence.
Emission
The emission of various actual “particles” from hot bodies like our sun (and I’m sure that this applies to many other masses in our galaxies … even the black holes) is important to the galactic energy cycle but it is not the purpose of this article to pursue this aspect further. Once the chapter on primordial synthesis and molecular clouds has been discussed the role of free particles will automatically fall into place. But first let’s discuss the nature of electromagnetic radiation.
My story starts with the effect of gravity on an electromagnetic wave. Let’s take an extreme case to demonstrate a point. Assume that the enormous energy created by gravitational collapse of matter inside a black hole is attempting to escape gravitation by radiation. According to conventional wisdom even light can’t escape the event horison of a black hole. If however the wave is generated by mass nearing the event horison as it heats up or if the massive object was not quite as massive as a black hole, the wave would escape but would still be severely restricted in the direction of propagation. When the source is just outside the event horison the speed of the wave is also restricted. (We will discuss relativity in detail later). If the wavelength is being held back any added energy from the emission source would be incorporated by increasing the amplitude and maybe the frequency (as it gets hotter) of the incipient wave. This “abnormal” build up of energy in amplitude will seek to be relieved as the wave gradually escapes the gravitational restriction. This tendency results in a “force” which drives the wave to attain its “normal” wavelength and speed away from any massive bodies and their gravitation.
This wavelength expansion process is expained in classical physics by syaing that the “gravitational potential” increases as the wave moves away from the mass. This loss of energy from the wave by contributing to “gravitational potential” causes the frequency to drop (frequency determines energy of a wave) and to maintain the speed of light, the wavelength has to increase because c = f x wavelength.
Let’s say the same thing again but consider one oscillation forming one wave. The energy creating the oscillation that creates the electromagnetic wave persists in completing the single oscillation that is trying to emit this single stunted wave. All the energy of that oscillation cycle has to be stored in this wave but gravity is withholding and stunting the wavelength in the direction of propagation. The feature of a wave available to absorb this energy is of course the amplitude which must enlarge to store the energy within the shortened wavelength. Remember that we are talking about a single wavelength, so the frequency (wavelengths per second) does not feature in this arguement. In fact, near the event horison of a black hole this wavelength would conceivably be very, very short with a massive amplitude. One would imagine that the energy now captured in this massive amplitude is virtually bursting to “normalise” this wave by trying to extend its wavelength. Herein lies a pent up force … INFLATION.
This is a most important consideration to understand because the interplay of this “force” and gravity as opposing forces is the fundamental concept of this hypothesis. Increased space “density” around a massive object is not a new concept and gravitational restriction is caused by all massive objects … the black hole being the extreme. I realise that this is a simplistic view because the time dilation and other aspects of relativity come into play and we will discuss relativity at length later, but for now let’s indulge the thought that the wave is struggling to get away from the massive object because gravity is holding it back and this restriction is reflected in a shortened wavelength and reduced speed of propagation (see A in the drawing above). Note that the amplitude is enlarged which reflects the pent up energy of the wave. In an area of space away from a gravitational field the wavelength, frequency and amplitude will look like B. This relationship of increasing wavelength and decreasing amplitude not only forms the basis of inflation but is the theme of all that is to follow in this article.
(Because this hypothesis applies to all frequencies of radiation, ƒ will not be discussed further at this stage but rather regarded as a constant in our demonstration)
The build up of amplitudinal energy eventually overcomes the gravitation of ANY massive object. The levels of energy created have to be comparable to and greater than the restrictive gravitational forces of the massive body. This scrunched up wave set has an immense pressure building up from behind in the form of energetic waves all being held back in the direction of propagation of the wave but bursting to go. As the gravitation lessens with the square of the distance the “normality” returns gradually as the energy extends the wavelength and reduces the amplitude.
ALL radiation from any massive body shows this expansion of waves. Various masses create wavelength restriction to varying degrees and intensity according to their masses and space is a seething mass of inflating waves which display increased density around massive objects. As the distance from the mass increases more and more electromagnetic waves from various other sources join the party and space becomes more complicated and more “normal” due to the gravitationally uninhibited waves. Once again I am going to ignore relativity and discuss the speed of light and space density in the last chapter.
