From: crb7q@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Cameron Randale Bass)
Newsgroups: sci.physics
Subject: Compelling Mysteries (II)
Keywords: compelling, mysteries, partridges and pear trees
Date: 10 Nov 92 03:35:43 GMT
Organization: University of Virginia
Originator: crb7q@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU


     Since my first posting made a less-than-resounding thud, like the 
     plodding pedantic humourless engineer I am, I figured I'd try again
     (and since I have a couple of minutes to kill before the next run ends).

     Several people have complained lately about the subject matter
     around this neck of the woods, so I wonder if some of those people
     will oblige me by posting what they believe to be compelling
     mysteries or pressing problems in their particular field.

     I have already posited that I believed the 
          a) galactic rotation curves
     and
          b) cavitation sonoluminescence
     were pretty interesting indications that maybe we were thinking about
     said problem(s) incorrectly.  Now a couple of people did take me
     to task about problem a) not being that much of a problem.  However,
     since it's my list, and visceral examination counts for as much as
     anything when one is speculating about unsolved problems, I'll leave it.

     There are others, 
         c) the long-time stability of the solar system
     that several of us discussed earlier.  Biology tends to tell us
     that the solar system (or at least the earth's orbit) has been stable
     for long lengths of time.  Calculations and perturbation theory tend
     to tell us differently.  Of course, I don't believe the calculations,
     but what do I know?  Opinions are very cheap, so spill them all over the
     place.  Where is our fundamental misunderstanding?  Where are others?
          d) the solar neutrino 'problem'.  Is it a problem?  Do we believe 
     the calculations.  Why do no two experiments seem to tell us the same 
     thing?   Is something being left out of the 'standard model' of the 
     sun?  How much *is* gallium chloride by the ton?
          e) why does the Hubble 'constant' float all over the place.  It
     almost seems like one could select a value at random and find very
     good support for that value in astrophysical observations.

     I'll save the rest of my rather voluminous mental 'list'.

     Now surely many of the people reading here have a physical problem that is
     compelling enough to discuss; compelling enough to wonder aloud what the
     ultimate solution might be.  Surely large numbers of us have a list
     of compelling physical problems that we are dying to share with the
     rest of the sci.physics world?

     Now scout's honor, I personally promise not to comment in any but a very
     very positive manner if anyone wants to bring up anything, anything
     at all (even chaos).  I cannot guarantee anyone else, but if you stick 
     your neck out, I promise that the bleeding will ultimately be minimal.
     And you'll have the side benefit of greatly increased typing speed
     like the rest of us loudmouths.

     I like a bit of wonder and mystery in the universe, it gets so boring
     when a common attitude is that everything is fundamentally solved.
     And actually, I'm just looking for things to add to *my* list. 

                                   dale bass

-- 
C. R. Bass                                          crb7q@virginia.edu        
Department of Mechanical, 
     Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering
University of Virginia                              (804) 924-7926
Xref: sparky sci.physics:18456 sci.space:15526 alt.conspiracy:12022