Light Archives - the bird on fire

Light Boom and Superluminality, from Impossible to Plausible

January 17, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

When Editor Renée told us to write about “light,” James went superluminous.

By James Zheng

Light has a really miraculous existence within the realm of physics. We understand light’s form to be more a ray than a physical entity, and, generally, we describe it as both particles and waves due to its property of spreading easily and still bouncing off of objects. Scientists have discovered plenty of other marvelous phenomena about the nature of light. The phenomenon I like the most is the light boom.

What is a light boom? We’ll get there. First, I want to introduce you to the idea of a similar phenomenon called a sonic boom. A sonic boom occurs when the speed of an object exceeds the speed of sound. There will be strong air resistance, which causes strong oscillation and speed decay. When breaking through the sound barrier, the compression of the air caused by the speeding object doesn’t allow the air to spread easily. The air gradually accumulates in the windward area of the object and finally forms a shock wave, on which the kinetic energy is highly concentrated. These energies are transmitted to people’s ears in the form of a strong explosion, and this is what is typically called a sonic boom. Simply put into layman’s terms, a sonic boom is just a situation in which the speed of the object goes beyond the speed of sound.

The light boom, similarly, is the effect of particles’ speed exceeding the speed of light. When the speed of moving charged particles exceeds the speed of light, a special phenomenon of light emission occurs.

However, the conditions to create a light boom are extremely difficult and cannot be achieved in a vacuum. When the phase velocity (Electromagnetic wave’s propulsion speed on a single-phase point), and group velocity (Electromagnetic wave’s propulsion speed on any phase points through spaces) of light in the medium decreases, it is possible for the moving charged particles to surpass the phase velocity of light. This phenomenon, generally, would only appear in the cooling water of nuclear reactors and would produce a very subtle blue light that can be seen with the naked eye. That blue light is a light boom.

Light booms were originally called Cherenkov Radiation. This radiation was discovered in 1934 by former Soviet Union physicist Pavel Alexeyevich Cherenkov; it was named after him.

Why is there such a huge difference between a sonic boom and the concept of a light boom? Since I found out the preexisting factors to trigger the sonic boom are way simpler than the light boom. If let’s say that a sonic boom is a phenomenon resulting from a speed faster than the speed of sound, then the light boom should have the same principle. But, when I discovered that there is no way of proving there could be a speed faster than the speed of light, my mind went to . . . superluminality–a speed that’s faster than light.

So, I went on researching any circumstances that could give proof to a superluminality, and all I found is the expansion of universes and black holes as the standard example of superluminality. All of those can only be seen in space; the technology we have so far cannot generate an artificial speed that goes faster than light.

Although there is not a “pure” or authentic man-made example of a light boom, we have discovered the expansion of universes and the existence of black holes to confirm the hypothesis of superluminality to at least recognize the existence of it. Once we have the ability to create superluminality by ourselves, we will witness the true light boom.

Light Editor: Renée Vazquez

Source Referenced:

https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%8B%AD%E4%B9%89%E7%9B%B8%E5%AF%B9%E8%AE%BA/473499?fr=aladdin#reference-[2]-24944-wrap

The Lantern Festival: Let There Be Light

January 16, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By James Zheng

The Lantern Festival is on February 8th. By just seeing the name, you might understand it as a day focusing on “Lanterns.” But that is only how the foreign countries view this festival; it is not only about lanterns.

During the Han Dynasty, when the culture of Buddhism was spreading over the eastern part of the nation, the emperor formally established a day for people to light up lanterns in the city as a way to express their faith to the Buddha. This convention has been kept for centuries. When it underwent adaptation in several dynasty changes, peoples’ customs and habits tended to alter the tradition.

Here are some interesting entertainments you could do during the Lantern Festival:

Admiring Lanterns. Just like the name, viewing lanterns is the most exciting part of the day! By just walking on the streets, you could see the lanterns hanging on the side of each roof. Each lantern is designed in a different style. The shapes change, and people “carve” on the lantern surfaces animals or flowers. When you walk on the street, you see scenes brilliantly illuminated with splendid lights and feel the authentic atmosphere of being in the Lantern Festival.
Solving Lantern Puzzles. For some special lanterns, there will be a paper or a wooden token hanging by the lantern; these are called the Lantern Puzzles. To make people not only enjoy viewing the lantern physically, the puzzles are the parts that are more interesting and inspiring. Usually the puzzle will give you an abstract description of something and let you guess a Chinese idiom, word, slang, or proverb.
Eating the round glutinous dumpling. This is my favorite part of the whole lantern festival. The dumpling actually looks like a rice ball, and it is stuffed with different flavors inside. The classic style is the flavor with sugar mixed red bean paste, or the sugar mixed with sesame. Now people prefer the sweeter taste more, and they have invented fruit flavors for it. This dessert which we call “Tang Yuan” in Chinese has a symbol. We see the “Tang Yuan” as a thing that bonds itself tightly together, which also is a sign of reunion for us.

汤圆

Just like the Chinese New Year known by the majority of foreigners, the Lantern Festival’s cultural connotation and value are far superior to other festivals; the essence of it is more like a carnival that everyone could participate in while enjoying the extraordinary significance of our history.

Seasonal Holidays Editor: Katelin Slosky

Life Without Light: What lurks in our ocean’s depths?

January 13, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Katelin Mei

How can life exist with little to no sunlight? How do organisms live? How do they navigate, find food, and escape predators under the crushing weight of the ocean, and the absolute darkness?

Sunlight can enter the ocean to provide light for up to 200 metres. After that, the ocean remains in partial darkness, for up to 1,000 metres. Past here, the ocean is bathed in darkness. This “lightless” area is called the aphotic zone, also referred to as the “midnight zone.” It exists below 1,000 metres. There is no sunlight that can reach this area. The only light in the midnight zone is provided by the fish themselves.

Life thrives in the midnight zone. Here are some of the creatures that live in these depths.

Viperfish – If you are going to be a predator in the darkness, you need to be ferocious so that your prey cannot escape; otherwise, you might not have food for a long time. The viperfish is one of the fiercest predators in the deep sea. They are characterized by long needle-length teeth and a hinged jaw, allowing them to eat almost any kind of prey they come across.

Pacific barreleye fish – Every fish in the deep sea has unique adaptations to the darkness. The Pacific barreleye fish has tube-shaped eyes that look through a clear dome. While their eyesight is very narrow, the tubular eyes are very efficient for picking up any kind of light. Their eyes are surrounded by a fluid-filled shield, allowing them to swivel their eyes and look around them.

Hatchetfish – Predators are fierce in the darkness, so as a result, many of the deep-sea fish have found unique ways to camouflage themselves. One such fish is the hatchetfish. These fish have light-producing organs on their bellies. Many predators hunt by looking upwards for silhouettes. The hatchetfish counters that by making its belly match the daylight filtering through. Now, it is nearly invisible.

Anglerfish – This is one of the most famous deep-sea fish species, for the way it uses its bioluminescence for hunting. Other fish will see the light from the lure, and swim close. Then, the Anglerfish eats her prey. Only the female anglerfish have a glowing lure. They have large mouths and pliable bodies, granting them the ability to swallow prey twice their size.

These are only some of the organisms that live in this area. Humans haven’t explored much of the deep sea; we’ve actually explored space more than our own oceans, so there are more mysteries to discover. But we know for sure that life lurks in even the darkest parts of our oceans.

Sources:

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/light_travel.html

http://www.mbgnet.net/salt/oceans/zone.htm

https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/fishes/hatchetfish

https://www.mbari.org/barreleye-fish-with-tubular-eyes-and-transparent-head/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/group/anglerfish/

Light Editor: Renée Vazquez

Light Placement drawing tutorial

January 10, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Chelsea

Hello, everyone!! I’m back with another drawing tutorial!! Editor Renée chose “Light” as her theme. So I’m going to teach you guys about light placement in simple objects.

So please enjoy and have fun learning!!

For this, I am going to use a circle as an example.

First, draw a circle. On any media, any surface–just draw a circle.

Second, determine where the light is coming from. Figure out which parts are the lightest and darkest in the circle. And, then, outline the shadow.

Third, add color and shading!!

Follow your previous step and carefully put the shades into the object. Use blur tool if you are on a digital device, and use a tissue or just toilet paper to blend all the shades to create a smooth surface if you are not on a device.

And lastly, add the shadow!! As you can see, the darkest part of the shadow is the nearest to the object because the light reflection is at its minimum point. And of course the further the shadow goes, the blurrier and lighter it gets. So use the blur tool or paper to blur the end of the shadow; it’ll make your shadow’s ending point blend into the background.

We are basically done!! But you are not only going to draw a circle all your life right? So I included some other basic objects and shapes and their shading areas.

And we are done!!!! Hope you like this tutorial, and I hope it’ll help you to improve your drawing~!! See you next time!!

Light Editor: Renée Vazquez

Blinded by The Light(‘s Immediate Benefits)

January 8, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Luke Langlois

When the teacher turns the lights on or raises the curtains, every student seems to groan as if the world is on the brink of nuclear extinction. “NO, NOT THE LIGHTS!” This has always bugged me. Why are you opposed to light? What has darkness ever done for you? Do you have night vision? No. You do not have night vision. I have definitively concluded that people only resent the light because it’s the cool teenage thing to do (the pain of adjusting eyes may have something to do with it as well). Anyway, being a mysterious creature of the dark does sound pretty great, but most of us aren’t actually creatures of the night. On the contrary, we’re built for sunlight, as long as you aren’t excessively tanning. PSA; wear sunscreen. Here’s a couple of the reasons why sunlight is GREAT for us.

The sun is our primary provider of vitamin D. Your body actually cannot produce vitamin D on its own without a supplemental supporter. What a design flaw! You can drink as much SunnyD as you want, but that will never replace the free source of healthcare in the sky: the SUN. When people give you funny looks for praising the glory of the sun, you should be able to justify it. As sunlight hits your skin, your body is signaled to start producing vitamin D. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the body. It also assists bone growth by repairing and remodeling osteoblasts and osteoclasts, cells that are instrumental in the synthesis of bone matter. Vitamin D can also assist in immune system regulation and body weight maintenance.
Sometimes, people get S.A.D.: seasonal affective disorder. This is a mood disorder that tends to occur at the same time every year, usually during the doom and gloom that coats the landscape in late autumn and winter. As it turns out, research has found a possible solution for that. Yes; it’s the sun. In general, light, especially natural light, improves our mood. If you’re feeling blue, join the light crew!
We are so reliant on rhythm and consistency every day without even realizing it. If you misplaced your keys or forgot your water bottle somewhere, your entire DAY is RUINED because your schedule is all messed up. Just like our minds have schedules, our bodies have schedules. The specific term in psychology for our body’s schedule is the “circadian rhythm.” Although much of this rhythm is internally regulated, light gives us cues so our bodies know what to do and WHEN. Consistent light stabilizes our internal rhythms. If it’s dark, you’re *supposed* to be closing in on bedtime.

Hmm, if only there was a giant ball in the sky that provided us with essential vitamins, a regulated day, and free light. Oh, wait; there is! Please, appreciate the sun while we have it. In four to five billion years when it explodes, you’ll really miss it as our planet freezes over.

Light Editor: Renée Vazquez

Light

December 6, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

The solstice is coming up; there is less light in the day; it’s cold; we’re lighting up our houses for the holidays–so, Editor Renée chooses “Light” as her theme. She says, “This is a good time to bring ‘light’ to our shortened days. Quintus responds with his poem, “Light.”

By Quintus Ni

How good if there had never been the sun in this world,

So I will not fall in love with it for its warmth

That inflated my sense of security.

How good if there had never been the moon in this world,

So I will not be touched by his beauty

That soft light in the night.

Why hadn’t I been dissolved in the sun,

Why didn’t you melt me earlier,

How can I make your light,

Quietly inlaid in the heart of the moon.

The moon, you are always so delicate,

Let me hurt you silently,

Can’t bear to say anything.

The moon, the gift you stole and give us

It’s a little light on my way.

It danced its wings, light and unrestrained.

Follow the rhythm of my heart,

I am intoxicated…

Holding that little firefly,

I recall the past and present, obsession and perseverance…

The light inside me is like that peony, proudly blooming.

Think of the world as it looks like this,

People one by one through sleepless nights…

Light Editor: Renée Vazquez