Do You Laugh At Astrology?

1. Do You Laugh At Astrology? (c) 2004 Rajeev Upadhye (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/circular-reality)

2. Do You Laugh At Astrology? If your answer is YES then you are the right audience for viewing this presentation Note: Please feel free to circulate if you find this presentation informative, thought provoking, and convincing

3. Contents • A Puzzle-cum-thought experiment • Astrology in the past • Astrology : Modern point of view • Influence of external factors • Influence of Geomagnetic disturbances • The Seasonal Distribution of Geomagnetic Disturbances • Solar activity and large geomagnetic disturbances • Geomagnetic Activity Effects - Biological Responses • Geomagnetic Activity Effects - Cardiac Failures

4. Contents • Oscillation of geomagnetic disturbances in subarctic area and its transfer function to heart rate variability • Geomagnetic disturbance associated with decrease in heart rate variability in subarctic area • The study of effects of geomagnetic disturbances at high latitudes • on the intrauterine condition of fetus by cardiotocography • Human Physiological Reaction to Geomagnetic Disturbances of Solar Origin • Solar Mass Ejections and Recent Geoactivity • Thoughts of a noted astro-physicist • Concluding Remarks

5. A Puzzle-cum-thought experiment • Suppose you are asked to fill entire ocean water in, say, one liter (strong unbreakble) plastic bags. Will there be tides in this new ocean filled with plastic bags? Keep this puzzle at a corner of your mind till the presentation is over.

6. Astrology in the past • Astrology evolved with a need to handle uncertainty in human life introduced by cycles of nature. Observations about Sun’s and Moon’s position helped man to correlate them with many natural phenomena such as tides, climate changes, floods etc. which always challenged man’s existence.

7. Astrology in the past • The interpretation of cosmic constellations for a particular individual can be tracked back to Babylonian and Assyrian times; however, prophecies were made in reference to kings, and any reference made from desitiny of the king as read in the constellations would then be applicable to kings subjects and realm as a whole.

8. Astrology: Modern point of view • Astrology enjoys same importance in the life of a modern man who is exposed to uncertainty - who lives “un-predictable” life by making choices and taking decisions. • In other words astrology is not for individuals who live a “predictable” life!

9. Influence of External Factors • Are we influenced by external unknown factors while making choices? • Of course YES! For example, if the climate is pleasant in the evening, one might make plans of spending the evening with family, friends depending on the choices. However, if it starts raining and disrupts your plan one may get irritated as desire to enjoy may not get fullfilled.

10. Influence of External Factors • External factors can influence a group - wheather it is small or large, and also its interaction with the other groups • Here are some interesting observations, collected from scientific literarture, when we go deeper in the causal chain looking for external factors affecting life on earth.

11. Influence of Geomagnetic Disturbances • “The sun periodically experiences significant increases in sunspot and solar flare activity. Flares release energy in many forms, including electromagnetic energy and energetic particles, such as protons and electrons. When this energy reaches the earth, it interacts with the earth's magnetic field (hence the term "geo-magnetic"). This causes the visible northern or southern lights; it also generates electric currents that flow through the earth's surface that can affect electric power systems, especially in the northern United States and Canada” • http://www.nerc.com/geomagnetic.html

12. Influence of Geomagnetic Influences • “Geomagnetic storms can produce spurious, quasi-dc currents in electric power systems. Power system disturbances due to the geomagnetic storms were noted as early as 1940. Other major power system disturbances due to geomagnetic storms occurred in 1957, 1958, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1983, and 1989.Significant solar activity occured in the Fall of 2003, although there were no major impacts on the North American electric system.” • http://www.nerc.com/geomagnetic.html

13. The Seasonal Distribution of Geomagnetic Disturbances • “Geomagnetic disturbances tend to occur most frequently in the equinox months of March/April and September/October. They are least common during the solstice months of December/January and June/July. For disturbances of this size there are approximately twice the number of disturbances near the equinoxes as near the solstices. If we consider much larger disturbances then we find an even greater concentration near the equinoxes. So, if your work is affected by geomagnetic disturbances, then it is wise to avoid the equinox months if you can!!” • http://www.ips.gov.au/

14. Solar activity and large geomagnetic disturbances • S. C. Dubey† and A. P. Mishra* • †Department of Physics, Government Girl’s College, Sidhi 486 661, India • *Department of Physics, A.P.S. University, Rewa 486 003, India • Various types of solar dynamic phenomena occurring on the solar surface are responsible for interplanetary and geomagnetic disturbances. A solar phenomenon known as coronal mass ejection (CME) is known to be responsible for major interplanetary disturbances and large geomagnetic storms.

15. Solar activity and large geomagnetic disturbances • In the present study, we have analysed large geomagnetic storms associated with storm time index (Dst) decrease of more than 100 nT observed during the solar maximum of solar cycle 22 peaking around the year 1989, to find their association with CMEs and interplanetary disturbances (IPDs). We find that 90% large geomagnetic storms were associated with CMEs which cause the supersonic IP shocks in solar wind streams. • http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jul25/articles25.htm

16. Solar activity and large geomagnetic disturbances • There is a growing body of evidence that changes in geomagnetic field affect biological systems. In particular, homing pigeons and other migratory creatures who use the earth magnetic field as their guidance. Other studies indicate that physically stressed human biological systems may respond to the minute but measurable fluctuations of the geomagnetic field. This interest led to the formation of new commission entitled 'Electromagnetics in Biology and Medicine'. In recent years there is ongoing debate that magnetic storm or geomagnetic disturbances might play a role in terrestrial weather modification (Space Environment Center)

17. Geomagnetic Activity Effects - Human Health • Energetic particles are strongly shielded from reaching the equatorial regions on Earth's surface by the terrestrial magnetic field and by the thick neutral atmosphere. However, some of these particles have access to the polar regions where the Earth's magnetic field doesn't block the incoming particles. The particles are channeled along the magnetic field and penetrate to low altitudes in the polar regions, exposing flight crews and passengers to elevated level of radiation. The health risk is highest for frequent fliers, pilots and flight attendants who travel polar routes often. Pregnant women are definitely advised to avoid such flights because of risk to their unborn child. An Icelandic study of 265 pilots showed that 25% of cancer among pilots than non-pilots. This is probably pilots are more exposed to cosmic rays (Swiss Re III, 2001). Adequate warning of the short and the long conditions of space weather, might permit humans to use space with less risk. For more information on Astronauts and Space Radiation please refer: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/spaceweather/effects2.html.

18. Geomagnetic Activity Effects - Biological Responses • It is now well established that some organisms use the Earth's magnetic field as their guidance. For instance, in 1957 Blakemore found that certain aquatic bacteria (magnetotactic) and tend to swim along the field lines of the Earth's magnetic field. However, since 1975 it has been found that many other organisms also use the Earth's magnetic field for navigation. These organisms are: honeybees, homing pigeon, dolphins, whales, butterflies, tuna fish etc. The organisms have magnetite (lodestones)in the form of Fe3 O4 an oxide of iron in their brain or abdomen that can help them to sense the Earth's magnetic field.

19. Geomagnetic Activity Effects - Cardiac Failures • In 1982 Maugh reported the finding of magnetite in mammals. The magnetic particles appeared to be surrounded by nervous tissue, suggesting the possibility of interaction between the particle and the brain. In 1983 Baker, Mather, and Kennaugh of the University of Manchester discovered magnetite in the ethmoid cavities of humans. The admission of mentally disturbed patients and myocardial infraction (disease) increased during the disturbed geomagnetic field conditions. A four-year study of (Becker, Bachman, and Friedman, 1961; Friedman, Becker, and Bachman, 1963) showed a positive correlation between the monthly sums of geomagnetic K indices from Fredericksburg and the monthly admissions to two mental hospitals in Syracuse, New York, U.S.A. Another study (1961-1966) conducted by Novikova and Ryvkin (1977) of Sverdlosk Medical Institute reported deaths due to myocardial disease in Severdlovsk, USSR. On geomagnetic disturbed days both the morbidity and mortality were higher than on magnetically quiet days. (http://www.tgo.uit.no/saba/sabathesis/Biol.html)

20. Geomagnetic Activity Effects - Cardiac Failures • For the same study group, Gnevyshev et al. 1977 found that the largest number of sudden deaths from cardiovascular disease occurred within the first twenty-four hours of a geomagnetic storm. Persinger 1988 and Randall (1988, 1991) reported an increase in human hallucinations with increasing geomagnetic activity. Villoresi et al. 1994 studied the 1979 to 1981 Moscow ambulance calls for brain stroke and myocardial infraction and found significant increases on geomagnetic storm days.

21. Oscillation of geomagnetic disturbances in subarctic area and its transfer function to heart rate variability • Zhou R.-H. [1], Otsuka K.[2], Ichimaru Y. [3], Kobayashi M.[3], • Weydahl A.[4], Holmeslet B.[5], Hansen T.L.[5], • Cornelissen G.[6], Schwartzkopff O.[6], Halberg F.[6] • on behalf of the "ICEHRV" Working Group • 1. Department of Etiology and Pathology, National Cardiovascular Center, Research Institute, Osaka, Japan • 2. Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Daini Hospital, Tokyo, Japan • 3. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Tokyo Kasei University, Tokyo, Japan • 4. Finnmark College, Alta, Norway • 5. Auroral Observatory, University of Tromso, Tromso, Norway • 6. Chronobiology Laboratories, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

22. Oscillation of geomagnetic disturbances in subarctic area and its transfer function to heart rate variability • Abstract: • Background: The influence of the natural variation in the geomagnetic field on human health has become an increasingly pertinent question. Polar regions seem to be an ideal place to study the geomagnetic effect on human physiology. We examined here the effect of geomagnetic oscillations on human cardiovascular physiology. • Subjects and Methods: HRV is examined on the basis of 7-day records by Holter ECG from Dec 10, 1998 to November 23, 1999 on 14 clinically healthy subjects (11 men and 3 woman aged from 21 to 54 years) in Alta, Norway. A geomagnetic record was obtained at the Auroral Observatory of the University of Tromso. The cross-spectrum between the geomagnetic activity and HRV measures was quantified via the squared coherence spectrum using the 10080-min time series. Two oscillations were considered coherent when the coherence value exceeded 0.5. • Results: Prominent coherence was observed at the circadian frequency not only in LF (coherence value; 0.6667), but also in VLF (0.6895) and HF (0.7065). There existed also statistically significant coherence at the ultradian frequency; 116.4 min (0.5469) and 21.9 min (0.6298) in VLF, 105.6 min (0.5225) and 30.9 min (0.5525) in LF, and 110.1 min (0.6051) and 32.6 min (0.6059) in HF • http://chrono.umin.jp/htm/H000061.htm

23. Geomagnetic disturbance associated with decrease in heart rate variability in subarctic area • Kuniaki Otsuka[1], Germaine Cornelissen[2], Andi Weydahl[3], Borre Holmeslet[4], Franz Halberg[2] • 1. Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Daini Hospital, Tokyo, Japan • 2. Chronobiology Laboratories, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota • 3. Finnmark College, Alta, Norway • 4. Auroral Observatory, University of Tromso, Tromso, Norway

24. Geomagnetic disturbance associated with decrease in heart rate variability in subarctic area. • Ambulatory ECG monitoring offers prognostic information not only in post-infarction patients [3] but also in the elderly quite generally [4]. The effect of geomagnetic disturbances on heart rate variability (HRV) is examined herein on the basis of 7-day records by Holter ECG, obtained longitudinally on 8 clinically healthy subjects (7 men and 1 woman aged from 21 to 45 years), in Alta, Norway (70 degree N). Frequency-domain measures of HRV, derived by the maximal entropy method [5], were compared for each person on 24-hour spans of high geomagnetic disturbance versus quiet conditions. The 24-hour standard deviation (SD) of the local horizontal component of the Earth magnetic field was about 7 times higher on disturbed as compared to quiet days (252.01+-424.31 nT versus 35.64+-21.97 nT, p=0.012). A 5.9% increase in the 24-hour average of HR (p=0.020) and a decrease in HRV were documented on days of high geomagnetic disturbance, Table 1. The decrease in HRV was validated statistically for the total spectral power (25.2% decrease, p=0.002). The decrease in spectral power was found primarily in the "ultra-low-frequency" (24.6% decrease, p=0.005) and "very-low-frequency" (23.4% decrease, p=0.003) regions of the spectrum (with frequencies in the range of 0.0001 to 0.003, and 0.003 to 0.04 Hz, respectively). The decrease in HRV was much less pronounced in two other spectral regions centered around 10.5 seconds ("low frequency"; 16.3% decrease, p=0.022) and around 3.6 seconds ("high frequency"; N.S.).

25. Geomagnetic disturbance associated with decrease in heart rate variability in subarctic area • Among mechanisms of HRV, the autonomic nervous system comes to mind. Not only have signs of reduced vagal activity been associated with an enhanced risk of sudden cardiac death, but impaired HRV has also been shown to serve as a predictor of mortality among patients with a variety of other vascular disease [4]. The results herein may thus point to some underlying physiological mechanism responsible for the physiological response to changes in magnetic activity other than the parasympathetic, usually identified with spectral power centered around 3.6 seconds, a spectral region wherein no statistically significant differences were found. Solar activity increases about every 11 years and peak solar activity, when geomagnetic disturbances occur more frequently, may increase the cardiovascular disease risk of susceptible individuals. Mortality from myocardial infarction is then increased by 5% in Minnesota (p=0.023). The concomitant longitudinal monitoring of geomagnetic activity and of clinical data may provide useful information to design countermeasures for the prevention of adverse vascular events among patients at high cardiovascular disease risk

26. The study of effects of geomagnetic disturbances at high latitudes on the intrauterine condition of fetus by cardiotocography • Biofizika. 2003 Mar-Apr;48(2):374-9. • Shumilov OI, Kasatkina EA, Enikeev AV, Khramov AA. • Polar Geophysical Institute, Kol'skii Research Center, • Russian Academy of Sciences, Apatity, 184209 Russia. • The effect of geomagnetic disturbances on the intrauterine condition of the fetus in high latitudes was studied by comparing the index of fetus condition (IFC) with the heliogeophysical indices (planetary Kp index and Dst variation index). The functional state of fetus at late terms of pregnancy was assessed by the method of cardiomonitoring. The data of fetal cardiomonitoring were processed by the method of Prof. Demidov by calculating the integral IFC using a computer program.

27. The study of effects of geomagnetic disturbances at high latitudes on the intrauterine condition of fetus by cardiotocography • It was found that the variations in maximum IFC values (approximately 15% of the total number of cases) coincide with seasonal variations in geomagnetic disturbances. The maximum values of IFC were observed at the equinox (March-April-May, October-November), and the minimum values were registered in the period of the solstice. A comparison of IFC values with the indices of geomagnetic disturbances indicated that the IFC value was maximum in the periods of either the greatest weakening of geomagnetic activity or maximum disturbances.

28. Human Physiological Reaction to Geomagnetic Disturbances of Solar Origin • S. Dimitrova and I. Stoilova • Solar Terrestrial Influences Laboratory, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria contact e-mail: svetlagorianova@yahoo.com • During the last two decades the publications about the influence of geomagnetic disturbances related to solar activity on human physiological parameters increase but there are not still strong evidences for this relationship. We performed measurements and observations in the period of autumn and spring equinox (1.10 - 10.11.2001 and 8.04 8211; 28.05.2002). We examined systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate. We also collected data for some personal health condition complaints and behavior characteristics - general condition, working capacity, headache, sleep disturbances and other data for physiological or psychological discomfort. MANOVA method was employed and the influence of the factors geomagnetic activity level, atmospheric pressure, cardiovascular pathology and sex was investigated. Our investigations indicate that most of the persons examined irrespectively to their health status could be sensitive to the geomagnetic disturbances which influence directly self-confidence and working capacity of the subjects investigated.

29. Solar Mass Ejections and Recent Geoactivity • David Webb ISR, Boston • CME's are an important aspect of coronal and interplanetary dynamics. They cause large geomagnetic stroms and can drive transient interplanetary shocks, which are a key source of energetic particles. However, our knowledge of the origins and early development of CME's at the Sun is limited. CME's are most frequently associated with erupting prominences and long-enduring X-ray arcades, but sometimes with little or no observed surface activity. I will review some of the well-determined coronal properties of CME's and what we know about their source regions, including some recent studies using Yohkoh, SOHO and radio data. One set of exciting, new observations is of halo CME's, which had been rarely observed in coronal graphs before the SOHO mission. However, since late 1996, the LASCO coronagraphs have observed about a dozen halo-type CME's. Such CME's suggest the launch of a geoeffective disturbance toward Earth. Indeed, 7 of 9 halo CME's observed between December 1996 and May 1997 were associated with magnetic clouds and geomagnetic storms at Earth http://www.bu.edu/csp/trespass/fall97.html#Tsurutani

30. Thoughts of a noted astro-physicist • Victor Mansfield • An Astrophysicist's Sympathetic and Critical View of Astrology • A plenary talk presented at the Cycles and Symbols Conference • San Francisco, February 14-16, 1997 • “For example, certain correlated systems of particles, that are carefully studied in the so-called Bell Inequality experiments, appear to instantaneously communicate between the parts of the correlated system. In other words, what happens in a region, say at one end of the lab, instantaneously effects what happens at the other end and vice versa. Amazingly, the correlation does not diminish with increasing distance, nor is it a causal connection. There is no energy or information exchange between the parts. Much more needs to be said about this deeply mysterious phenomenon than I can say here, but let me characterize it with the following brief statement. Nonlocality teaches that the relationship between parts is more fundamental, more real, than the isolated identity of the parts. From an astrological perspective, we could say that our relationship to the cosmos is more fundamental, more real than our isolated existence.”

31. Concluding Remarks • Solar Activity + Interplanetary Dynamics suggests some strong causal link to Geomagnetic Disturbances on Earth which in turn affect our life directly or indirectly. • Planetary geometries and their impact on space wheather is a missing link in this causal chain.Though I have not come across any research pointing to planetary positions and their impact on space wheather and geomagnetic disturbances on earth, I am now less inclined to dismiss astrology as fraud. • Coming back to the puzzle - remember we are all bags of blood. • Astrology is a study of planetary geometry and its possible correlation with events on Earth -it is a model of circular reality of life. Nothing More. Nothing less...