Kugelblitz (astrophysics): Difference between revisions
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The best-known reference to the kugelblitz idea in English is probably [[John Archibald Wheeler]]'s 1955 paper "Geons",<ref>John Archibald Wheeler, '''"Geons"''', Phys. Rev. '''97''' 511 - 536 (1955) http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v97/i2/p511_1</ref> which explored the idea of creating particles (or [[toy model]]s of particles) from [[spacetime]] curvature. Wheeler's paper on [[geon (physics)|geon]]s also introduced the idea that lines of electric charge trapped in a [[wormhole]] throat might be used to model the properties of a charged particle-pair. |
The best-known reference to the kugelblitz idea in English is probably [[John Archibald Wheeler]]'s 1955 paper "Geons",<ref>John Archibald Wheeler, '''"Geons"''', Phys. Rev. '''97''' 511 - 536 (1955) http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v97/i2/p511_1</ref> which explored the idea of creating particles (or [[toy model]]s of particles) from [[spacetime]] curvature. Wheeler's paper on [[geon (physics)|geon]]s also introduced the idea that lines of electric charge trapped in a [[wormhole]] throat might be used to model the properties of a charged particle-pair. |
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kugelblitz is an important plot element in [[ |
kugelblitz is an important plot element in [[Frederik Pohl]]'s novel [[Heechee Rendevous]]. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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Revision as of 07:52, 2 December 2009
In theoretical physics, a kugelblitz (German: "ball lightning") is a concentration of light so intense that it forms an event horizon and becomes self-trapped: according to general relativity, if we aim enough radiation into a region, the concentration of energy can warp spacetime enough for the region to become a black hole (although this would be a black hole whose original mass-energy had been in the form of radiant energy rather than matter).
According to Einstein's general theory of relativity, once an event horizon has formed, the type of mass-energy that created it no longer matters.
The best-known reference to the kugelblitz idea in English is probably John Archibald Wheeler's 1955 paper "Geons",[1] which explored the idea of creating particles (or toy models of particles) from spacetime curvature. Wheeler's paper on geons also introduced the idea that lines of electric charge trapped in a wormhole throat might be used to model the properties of a charged particle-pair.
kugelblitz is an important plot element in Frederik Pohl's novel Heechee Rendevous.
References
- ^ John Archibald Wheeler, "Geons", Phys. Rev. 97 511 - 536 (1955) http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v97/i2/p511_1
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