Animal Navigation Model
I have some new ideas that may connect my Animal Navigation Model with some of the Health problems experienced by some crew members in the International Space Station.
Gravity acts in living cells in two ways. First is in the way that is mathematically described as a Vector such as acting on a mass as in a Plumb Line where the mass in the Bob is pulled towards the instantaneous Center of the Earth along the local vertical. A spinning top also aligns with the local vertical as it precesses around it. A spinning top in this sense is equivalent to a Plumb Line.If a spinning top is mounted in a Cardanic suspension, three orthogonal axes of freedom with the center of mass located at the intersection of the three axes, it will act as a Gyroscope and after launch it will always point to the same direction in space.
A spinning top should be represented by a “pseudo” or “quasy” Vector because the sense of rotation is arbitrary as Clockwise or Counterclockwise or right or left handed.A spinning top remains pointing along the vertical because it receives torque from the rotation of the Earth. If it carried Eastwards or Westwards it will receive respectively more or less torque from the rotation of the Earth.
All living things that we know evolved to live on the surface of the Earth and several functions are Schuler tuned (Arnold Sommerfeld “Mechanics, Volume I Lectures on Theoretical Physics”} such as Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM) and Cortisol release from the Supra-renal Glands conveniently located near the center of mass of all quadrupeds and bipeds.
The figure for Schuler tuning is given as 84.4 minutes but is calculated for the 24 hrs. Solar Day.
The Cortisol release is measured at periods of 87.4 minutes that is a better match for the Free Running period of the Circadian Clock that is closer to the 24 hour 52 minutes the period of the Lunar Day.
The Calcium losses in the Astronauts in spite of the exercises in the ISS (International Space Station) may go back to a gene from the mollusk Nautilus that has daily up and down migrations adds a new segment to the shell every day and a new chamber every Lunar Month.
As far as growing plants in the ISS it will help growing them in a platform stationary with respect of the initial pointing area in space of the growing shoots as soon as they emerge.
The old Cholodny-Wenn model defines the up or down direction but the “Line of action” is defined by the angular momentum of the ATP Synthase rotors in the tip of the growing shoot.
My Model of Animal Navigation applies to all species because all living cells exhibit Circadian Rhythms and Gravity is always available in the Biosphere not to mention way beyond it.
It is nice that in this case Nature has to solve the problem only once. My model has an elegant unifying power.
Note: In the Mitochondria in animals and the Chloroplasts of plants the rotor in ATP Synthase is pointing in all directions but it must be well oriented in some areas such as the Pineal gland in Birds, the Supra Chiasmatic Nucleous nerves in Mammals and the growing tips in plant shoots and roots to provide accurate pointing in the alignment with Gravity.
February 2017