On Jun/23/2018 at 3:39 AM, JF Mezei wrote :
On 2018-06-22 19:58, Alain Fournier wrote:

In both cases, when the fishing line or the elevator cable snaps the
elasticity pulls back with more force than the gravity or centrifugal
force.

Centrifugal force is equal to gravity at genostationary orbit for this
setup. below that, gravity is bigger so it pulls cable down.

But what your argument does not consider is that the cable at
geostationary is travelling at roughly 9370 km/h. But throughout the
cable, all portions have the same radial speed (15° per hour, 360° per
24 hours).

As the topmost portion of the cable is pulled down, its speed increases
and it now has a radial speed greater than 15° per hour.


The lower end will pull cable down (gravity) and resist beiong pulled
forward (either because still anchored or being dragged on ground
(resistance).

The higher end will respond to being pulled down by increasing forward
velocity, thus tugging on cable to move horizontally. Those two forces
should keep cable fully extended and straight. It won't be snaking around.

Any elasticity in the cable means that when the initial break at
geostationaly happens, the elasticity will pull cable down more than
just gravity. But that extra force will also result in the top most
portion accelerating horizontally. So it isn't clear that as the
tension is released, the cable would "snake".

You are just missing the end of you last sentence. It isn't clear that
as the tension is released the cable would snake until you do
simulations to see what happens.


Alain Fournier