by dougettinger » Mon Nov 08, 2010 6:55 pm
Astronomers are able to recently observe proto-star's disks of gases and dust. A claim is made that on average it takes about 3 times the amount of proto-star disk mass to produce a typical star. Why does not the gravity of the protostar continue to pull the remaining dust inward ? Does radiation pressure in the core that is preventing the collapse of a proto-star by gravity perform in the same way by pushing away incoming dust and gases at the proto-star's surface ?
If this is the case, I have a difficult time understanding the power of this radiation pressure acting against gravity that is able to evauate the entire solar system all the way to the perimeter of Neptune's orbit and beyond ? What percentage of this original power of the radiation pressure is being generated today ? The outer planets may sweep up some of this matter, but only a very small percentage. Why does not this residual dust remain in the wake of the Sun's path and be dragged around the galaxy since it has the same velocity vector ?
Doug Ettinger
Pittsburgh, PA
Astronomers are able to recently observe proto-star's disks of gases and dust. A claim is made that on average it takes about 3 times the amount of proto-star disk mass to produce a typical star. Why does not the gravity of the protostar continue to pull the remaining dust inward ? Does radiation pressure in the core that is preventing the collapse of a proto-star by gravity perform in the same way by pushing away incoming dust and gases at the proto-star's surface ?
If this is the case, I have a difficult time understanding the power of this radiation pressure acting against gravity that is able to evauate the entire solar system all the way to the perimeter of Neptune's orbit and beyond ? What percentage of this original power of the radiation pressure is being generated today ? The outer planets may sweep up some of this matter, but only a very small percentage. Why does not this residual dust remain in the wake of the Sun's path and be dragged around the galaxy since it has the same velocity vector ?
Doug Ettinger
Pittsburgh, PA