Analytical Calculations of Some Effects of Tidal Forces on Plants on the International Space Station

Forests

Henri Gouin¹ 

[1] Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IUSTI, UMR 7343, 5 rue Enrico Fermi, CEDEX 13, 13453 Marseille, France;

关键词: leaves oscillations;    lunisolar effects;    the International Space Station;    parametric resonance;   

DOI  :  10.3390/f12111443

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Among the phenomena attributable to the Moon’s actions on living organisms, one of them seems to be related to analytical fluid mechanics: along the route of the International Space Station around the Earth, experiments on plants have revealed leaf oscillations. A parametric resonance due to a short period of microgravitational forces could explain these oscillations. Indeed, Rayleigh-Taylor’s instabilities occurring at the interfaces between liquid-water and its vapor verify a second-order Mathieu differential equation. This is the case of interfaces existing in the xylem channels of plant stems filled with sap and air-vapor. The magnitude of the instabilities depends on the distances between the Moon, the Sun, and the Earth. They are analogous, but less spectacular, to those that occur during ocean tides.

【 授权许可】

Unknown