On Feb 25, 1:19*pm, Thomas Smid wrote:

But anyway, as we know from previous discussions, Robert suggests the
capture theory as a general alternative to explain the formation of
planetary systems, so also at 1AU or even closer (because that is what
his principle of a fundamental similarity between planetary systems
and atomic systems would demand).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A man of remarkable insight into natural philosophy, whom I will not
name lest I be accused of comparing myself to him, once said words to
the effect that: 'often in science, progress has been made by
considering analogies between things that were previously thought to
be unrelated'.

With this perceptive comment in mind, I would urge readers to consider
what the physics of atomic scale plasmas might suggest in terms of the
formation of multiple stellar systems like exoplanet systems.
Consider a plasma of nuclei, electrons and excited atoms, i.e., not a
fully ionized plasma, but one that allows the capture of electrons by
the nuclei, and subsequent ejection.

In such a plasma you get an extremely rich physics that includes a
very large number of possible "species", configurations, energy
states, ellipticities, discreteness, quasi-continuous evolution for
the highest energy states, etc.

Were we to give some credence to the possibility that atomic scale
plasma behavior might provide useful analogies for guiding our
thinking about stellar scale "formation" behavior, it is possible that
new and useful insights would emerge.

For example, if we wondered whether capture into low-n orbit or
capture into a high-n orbit were more likely, we could use what is
well-known to occur on the atomic scale as a guide to what we might
expect for stellar scale systems. Capture into high-n states is far
more likely. Most of the low-n systems form from the relatively slow
relaxation of high-n systems, not direct capture to low-n states.

Using such an analogy as a mere heuristic guide, or using it as a more
formal theoretical assumption, is a free choice. Eventually the
empirical match between analogy and reality determines the true status
of the analogy.

Best,
RLO
http://www3.amherst.edu/~rloldershaw
Discrete Scale relativity