• Authors: Christopher F. Chyba (Princeton University), Kevin P. Hand (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology), Thomas H. Chyba (Spectral Sensor Solutions, LLC)
• Title: Experimental demonstration of electric power generation from Earth’s rotation through its own magnetic field
• Journal: Physical Review Research

In 2016, researchers from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and Department of Astrophysical Sciences and Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory published a paper laying out a theoretical basis for the generation of a continuous direct-current voltage and a small amount of electrical current from the kinetic energy of Earth as it rotates through its own magnetic field. There was a simple proof showing that this should be impossible, but Princeton SPIA’s Christopher F. Chyba and JPL’s Kevin P. Hand discovered a loophole in the proof that could allow for the phenomenon.

To test their theory, Chyba, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor in International Affairs and a professor of astrophysical sciences, Hand, and Thomas H. Chyba of Spectral Sensor Solutions created a hollow, nearly footlong cylinder made of manganese-zinc ferrite. This conducting soft magnetic object has topological and material properties that allow it to circumvent the theoretical objections to generating electricity from Earth’s magnetic field. Although the object is stationary in the laboratory, that laboratory is itself being carried by Earth’s rotation through the planet’s own magnetic field, producing a magnetic force on the charges in the conducting object. Normally the electrons would rapidly displace (in a hundredth of a billionth of a second), creating a static electric field that perfectly cancels the magnetic force, and no sustained electric current could be generated. But for the MnZn ferrite hollow cylinder, the theory predicts that perfect cancellation is impossible, and an electric current should flow. 

The team’s first experiments with the device were conducted in a dark, windowless laboratory with low electromagnetic background interference. The system generated tens of microvolts of electricity, with voltage and current reversal properties under rotation of the system that matched predictions of the 2016 theory.

“The device appeared to violate the conclusion that any conductor at rest with respect to Earth’s surface cannot generate power from its magnetic field,” Chyba says.

To cross-check their results, the team replicated the experiments in a residential building some 3.5 miles from the lab.

“This was a largely unregulated environment, in contrast to that of our primary laboratory,” the researchers reported. “The resulting data are noisy with correspondingly large error bars in comparison with the results obtained in our primary laboratory. Nevertheless, the data once again show the voltage magnitude and behavior under rotation predicted by our effect, demonstrating that the observed effect is not due to an unidentified local influence in our primary laboratory.”

The prospect of carbon-free energy is tantalizing, but Chyba warns not to start celebrating just yet. He describes the findings as “initial proof-of-concept results” and cautions against overinterpretation. While the findings “provide a starting point for future investigations into ways to passively generate larger amounts of current and voltage using Earth’s magnetic field,” these experiments generated a “miniscule” amount of electricity.

“Both papers talk about how it might be scaled up, but none of that has been demonstrated, and it might well prove not to be possible,” Chyba says. “And in any case, the first thing that needs to happen is that some independent group needs to reproduce — or rebut — our results, with a system closely similar to our own.”

NOTE: Chyba will present these findings at the APS Global Physics Summit in Anaheim, California, during the “Magnetism for Emerging Technologies II” session on March 19.