Search continues for a non-creationist solution to the ‘Pioneer anomaly’
by D. Russell Humphreys
Photo NASA
Artist’s view of Pioneer 10 above and far beyond the Solar System.
For ten years, about once a week,1
papers have been appearing in the scientific world offering new solutions to the
‘Pioneer anomaly’, a small but mysterious slowdown of four outward-bound
spacecraft: Galileo, Ulysses, and Pioneers 10 and 11.
Some papers seek for a mundane cause, such as heat radiation emitted by all three
types of spacecraft in exactly the right direction at exactly the right intensity
… the required coincidences stretch my credulity a bit. A recent talk at a scientific
conference2 reported that
such an effect ‘could account for at least a third of Pioneer
11’s anomalous acceleration.’ [Note that ‘acceleration’ to physicists also includes slowing down or a change in direction.] Why isn’t there more certainty,
what about the other two-thirds, and what about the other three spacecraft? It doesn’t
look like celebrations are yet in order.
Many other papers invent exotic physical laws to explain the anomaly, especially
why the amount of slowdown is very close to a number that has cosmological connections.
The very existence of so many different theories shows that their authors are not
satisfied with either the mundane explanations or the other exotic theories.
A few papers use the physical laws we know about, but invoke new conditions that
would give new results, such as imagining much more mass in the as-yet-unobserved
Oort cloud that is supposed
to be far beyond the orbit of Pluto occasionally supplying new comets to the Solar
System. The conditions required for such explanations appear to be not credible,
judging by the lack of enthusiasm for them in secular science circles.
The conditions required for such [exotic evolutionary] explanations appear to be
not credible, judging by the lack of enthusiasm for them in secular science circles.
Last fall I offered a solution
of the third type in the Journal of Creation.3 It uses standard physics, such as Einstein’s
general theory of relativity, and makes standard assumptions, such as the expansion
of space (to which Scripture alludes4).
The only non-standard condition I used was to assume that the matter of the cosmos
is limited in extent, with a fair amount of empty space beyond the matter, an assumption
that is supported by the Bible. With those relatively modest beginnings, I was able
to explain the Pioneer anomaly. In fact, this anomalous apparent acceleration of
the Pioneer spacecraft could be the first local manifestation we have observed of
the expansion of the cosmos, and the first evidence that expansion is occurring
in the present, not just the past.
The assumption I used violently contradicts the foundational assumption of the Big
Bang, which says the universe has no centre and no edge. In other words, it does
not have a portion of empty space around its matter. Consequently the Big Bang model
has been unable to explain the anomalous Pioneer acceleration.
My paper does not appear to have slowed the flow of new theories. In fact, the flow
seems to have increased, and (perhaps it is only my imagination) the theories seem
to have become wilder and more desperate. Yet for those people who prefer a biblical
view of the cosmos, it looks like my article offers a reasonable explanation. Perhaps
other creation cosmologists will offer other biblical options.
Related articles
Further reading
Related resources
References
- For example, using Google Scholar to search for the phrase
‘Pioneer anomaly’ occurring only in 2008 turned up nearly two dozen
papers by April, most of which were trying to explain the effect.
Return to text.
- Turyshev, Slava G., Pioneer anomaly: status of new
investigation, American Physical Society meeting, April 11–15, St. Louis,
Missouri, Abstract H7.00001, given 13 April 8:30 AM. As
reported by Stuart Goldman, ‘Pioneer Anomaly’ solved? Sky and Telescope
Homepage News. Return to text.
- Humphreys, D.R.,
Creationist cosmologies explain the anomalous acceleration of Pioneer spacecraft,
Journal of Creation 21(2):61–70, August 2007; non-technical
article, Humphreys, D.R.,
Creation cosmologies solve spacecraft mystery, Acts & Facts 36(10):10–12,
October 2007. Return to text.
- There are 8 references in the Bible that God ‘stretched
out the heavens’: Job 9:8; Isaiah 42:5, 44:24, 45:12, 51:13; Jeremiah 10:12, 51:15;
Zechariah 12:1. Return to text.
Published: 7 May 2008(GMT+10)
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