[Atomic-S]

Heikki: The major problems in attempting to drill to the center of the earth are pressure and temperature. The Earth's mantle is fluid, extremely pressurized, and the temperature when you really get down to serious depths is terriffic. The pressure problem might be handlable by counterbalancing it with a fluid of some kind, as is already practiced; however the temperature problem when you get well down toward the core is much more formidable: I believe the temp at the core is believed to be some 13,000 F, hotter than the surface of the sun. (If this figure is in error, somebody please tell me). Realistically, I believe that drilling to the core is not an option, but for geothermal purposes we do not have to go that deep.

[another_someone]

Would there not also be problems of radiation as one got very close to the core, and also electric fields?

George

[diegostation]

If we use energy from earth's core until it runs out and the core freezes the impact would be the death of all live forms on earth cause the planet would lose its magnetic field

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by diegostation
If we use energy from earth's core until it runs out and the core freezes the impact would be the death of all live forms on earth cause the planet would lose its magnetic field

It is true of all energy sources that when we use it we deny others from using it, and it will ultimately run out.

At present usage, there is an enormous amount of energy in the Earth's core, and it will take us a very long time to use it up – by which time, lots of other things will have been able to kill us anyway.  Ofcourse, once we start tapping in to such large energy sources, we will probably quickly devise more energy hungry applications to utilise all of that extra energy that is available, and so speed up the cooling of the planet further.

On the other hand, I cannot see the technology required for extracting energy from the Earth's  core as being any easier than many other sources of energy, possibly from other planets.

George

[syhprum]

I think the problem is mostly economic, gold miners are prepared to go down 3000 meters where the geothemal energy is only a nuisence not a useful source of power.
Close to the UK there is an abundent soucre of Geothermal power (Iceland) and I hope to see the day when it is exported to us via a superconduting cable but I do not know if the the cost will ever bejustified.

syhprum

[neilep (OP)]

Has anyone seen the film The Core..( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Core)..they used the novel idea of sound/light waves to blast the rocks.....just like they use when getting rid of kidney stones !!...obviously it's far fetched but do you think teher could be any serious science in it ?

Men are the same as women, just inside out !

[Karen W.]

Interesting movie, but I do not know how much could be based on scientific technology! Maybe to some extent though, maybe basic concepts!

Karen

[lotusbunny]

Excellent film, good taste! Especially with the gorgeous Mr Eckhart, lol

I think you are talking about Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL). Which shock waves that are created outside the body travel through the skin and tissues until they hit the denser stones. The stones break down into small particles.

A very good question, I would think, personally as a laymay, that it does sound feasible for the future as the basic principles are already in use. For example the DOE is using shockwaves to break up waste material, using a machine called an HP3T, and for possible land mine detection. So the use of shockwaves seem to be in amongst the latest science and technolgy realm.
But don't listen to me, i know very little about physics []

I hope someone with more knowledge posts something on this, I would be interest too.

Debs

[neilep (OP)]

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) !!!..oh That !!!..of course....just rolls off the tongue []...thank you so much Debs.

I really appreciate your insight into this technology and like you... I hope that someone with more knowledge (in MY case...a cabbage will do ![])...will come here and add to this interesting subject.

THANKS DEBS


Men are the same as women, just inside out !