Solar System's "Bouncing" Linked To Mass Extinction Events
by Kate Melville
A new computer model of our solar system's movement relative to the Milky Way indicates that it "bounces" up and down through the plane of the galaxy; a cycle that scientists say is a "beautiful match" with the mass extinction events that occur periodically on Earth.
and
"This is a seminal paper which places the comet-life interaction on a firm basis, and shows a mechanism by which life can be dispersed on a galactic scale," commented Centre director Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe. And in case you're interested in when the next comet infestation might occur, our present position in the galaxy suggests we are now very close to another such period.
Hi Rich,
The article you reference is interesting from several points of view. The phenomenon discussed is real but that is about as far as it goes. Firstly, much of the information regarding the oscillation of the solar system through the galactic plane was first published in a paper at the Astronomical Data Center (ADC) in 1965. Its citation and synopsis, is still on line. So one must ask themselves, why the sudden resurgence of interest?
According to some of the more recent updates to the observations and measurements, first proposed, the earth traverses the plane 2.7 times per revolution around the galaxy. The revolution takes about 200million years. The oscillation cycle is now thought to be on the order of 66million years, but since the solar system passes through going south, and then again going north in one 66million year cycle, the half-cycle is around 33million years. The amplitude of oscillation is about 100 light years above and below the galactic plane. Some studies suggest a corrolation between plane crossings and mass extinctions on the earth because it is believed tidal forces, disturb the Oort cloud where comets live and some get kicked out, hurtling toward the inner solar system (where earth lives) upping the probability for a catastrophic strike.
Since John Major Jenkins has published his alarmist work about the end of the Mayan calendar corresponding with a galactic crossing, the implication of possible disaster has been allowed to prosper even though Mr. Jenkins very subtley stated the alignment appears so, due to precession. Now people are researching the astronomical facts finding out we oscillate and then linking it to Jenkins statements and - voila - headlines.
But the fact is, we just recently crossed the plane about 3 million years ago and are currently north of it and we are continuing to move away from it toward the top of our 100 light year maximum. Next scheduled crossing will be some time around 30 million years in the future.
Till then, our chances for disaster will be the normal garden variety kind, like nuclear war, errant asteroid, nearby super-nova; that kind of thing. So relax people.
Yeah - was kind of wondering if they were trying to tag onto the Mayan thing too. But I did find it interesting - plus the part about:
Napier contends that the periods of comet bombardment also coincide with mass extinctions, such as that of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. But while the bounce effect may have been bad news for dinosaurs, it may also have helped life to spread. The scientists suggest the impact may have thrown debris containing micro-organisms out into space and across the universe.
Wonder if it could account for life on our planet from another such occurence on another planet.
i'm not lookin' for who or what made the earth - just who got me dizzy by makin it spin