Randall and all interested,

All good description information; and good ~ dual plate compensation
discovery work there.  Finding something new and improving always
makes the day unique and VERY exciting (like walking on a ~ cloud);
and, it's quite nice of you to share such.

Dr. Martin used to sell dual PG plate small diamagnetic levitation stand
devices which used a small levitated neodymium magnet and a upper
adjustable magnet which adjusted the lower magnet to levitate.  I'm
sure they were a strong attempt to draw public interest toward diamagnetic
levitation.  The cost of making the units may have exceeded the allowed
University funds to make more, and eventually the sales ended.  At the
time, (Jan 2000), his units were the cheapest known source of PG.
Levitating small magnets was easy.  Levitating too thick pieces of PG
was another ~ sad story for months, as the neodymium magnets at the time
were ~ grade 30, or less; but, nevertheless we could sometimes see a bottom
edge of PG samples ever so slightly lift a little away from the underneath
magnets joints.  From my own request, Dr. Martin generously forwarded the
scrap PG from in between the round disc's he had made and used.
Eventually the PG thickness awareness limitation issue dawned (Robert
Lamb), and along with assembling 3 layers of 4 mutually attracting and
using 12 square ~ N30 grade magnets, we finally saw complete
(and quiet ecstatic) "lift off" with the thin scrap PG of Dr. Martins
rounded triangular and i-beam shaped pieces over the magnet joints with
the their most intense magnetic fields.  Levitating graphite isn't anything
new of course; it dates back to the 1930's with special shaped and
massive magnets.  It was brief fun times then with Dr. Martin.  Prior too
that and thereafter, Chris Chapman, David Lamb and Robert Lamb
were all actively sharing and exploring such further.  With the
introduction of assorted stronger neodymium magnets in time, the
ease of levitation advanced.  The best magnets eventually were the
commercialization and utilization and sales of long and stronger rated
"motor" magnets that allowed more serious experimentation in efforts
toward seismic sensing efforts.  One might rightfully say, that Dr. Martins
donation of free scrap PG to ~ amateurs; advanced the PG levitation
effort.  Above all else, since then; it's really been the relentless
suggestions,
observations and efforts of Chris Chapman, whose expertise most
guided us most correctly on this "expedition", and on whom the most
historical honorable pioneer recognition should be rightfully bestowed.

Meredith






















On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 6:18 AM, Randall Peters wrote=
:

> Meredith,****
>
>     My system also demonstrates two of the potential wells you mentioned;
> i.e.,****
>
> =93the PG will "prefer" several locations along it's path.  With****
>
> a gentle slow finger push, the PG will speed up, slow down****
>
> as it crosses these (broad) area magnetic peaks and valleys.=94****
>
>     In the first figure of my article the PG plate is in the photograph
> pictured at rest in equilibrium in one of the wells.****
>
> The other well, where a 2nd stable equilibrium was found to exist, is
> indicated by the dashed rectangle.  I could, as you noted, move the plate
> with a gently nudge of a finger, back and forth between the two stable
> positions.  ****
>
>     The pair represent the heart of a classic nonlinear oscillator, calle=
d
> the Duffing.  It has been studied extensively by chaos scientists during
> the last twenty years or so, even though Mr. Duffing first encountered it
> many years earlier.  I studied and wrote a paper about a mechanical form =
of
> the Duffing oscillator, titled =93Chaotic pendulum based on torsion and
> gravity in opposition=94, published in the Amer. J. of Phys. Vol. 63 (12)=
,
> 1995. ****
>
>    If I had elected to operate with a single PG plate rather than the
> pair, the nonlinearity of just one piece, rather than the two, would be
> responsible for considerable (undesirable) nonlinearity.  In other words,
> the asymmetry of the Duffing oscillator, when confined to a single one of
> its two wells, gives rise to harmonic distortions that depart significant=
ly
> from the ideal features of the parabolic (harmonic) well of the Hooke=92s=
 law
> (idealized) case with which we always seek to work.  ****
>
>     By connecting the two plates with a small copper wire I am able to
> =91correct=92 for the thickness-gradient effects of a single plate that y=
ou
> mention, while at the same time eliminate the asymmetry of the Duffing
> problems that result from the use of a single well. Moreover, the
> sensitivity is increased because of the array form.  Who could ask for
> anything more!  I wasn=92t****
>
> expecting such a fortuitous consequence, and am again reminded of a sayin=
g
> by one of my Cajun buddies:  =93even a blind hog sometimes finds an acorn=
=94.
> ****
>
>   By the way, Dr. Martin Simon is trying to get in touch with you.  He
> doesn=92t have a workable address for you and asked if I had a current em=
ail
> address (for which my response was negative).  I=92m sure he would be ple=
ased
> to receive from you an email directed to him at****
>
> msimon@....................
>
>     I suspect that Martin, like myself, though functioning as a
> =91professional=92 while working on related problems; must have been also=
 the
> recipient of rewarding contributions to his research from the =91amateur=
=92
> community .  One of my colleagues at Mercer (Matt Marone) admonished me
> years ago to get involved with folks of the type who contribute to this
> list-serve.  His recommendation proved to be very beneficial to my
> transition into the world of seismology.  Some of my interactions that ha=
ve
> happened during the (approx.) last five years have been the source of
> influence (even to the point of friendships) that I will always treasure.
> ****
>
>     So I encourage you folks to keep on offering your ideas amongst us, n=
o
> matter how =91off the wall=92 they may seem from your own perspective.  T=
hose
> folks in the scientific world who continue to insist on maintaining the
> =91status quo=92 of =91purist=92 refereed publications restricted to a re=
latively
> small =91ivory towered elitist world=92 have no idea what they=92ve been =
missing.
> ****
>
>      Randall      ****
>
>         ****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
Randall and all interested,

All good description informa=
tion; and good ~ dual plate compensation
discovery=A0work there. =
=A0Finding something new and improving always
makes=A0the day uni=
que and VERY exciting (like walking on a ~ cloud);


and,=A0it's quite nice of you to share such.

<=
div>Dr. Martin used to sell dual PG plate small diamagnetic levitation stan=
d
devices which used a small levitated neodymium magnet and a upp=
er adjustable=A0magnet=A0which adjusted the lower magnet to levitate. =A0I&=
#39;m


sure they were a strong attempt to draw public interest toward diamagn=
etic
levitation. =A0The cost of making the units may have exceede=
d the allowed
University funds=A0to make=A0more, and eventually t=
he sales ended. =A0At the
time,=A0(Jan 2000),=A0his units were the cheapest=A0known source of PG=
..
Levitating=A0small=A0magnets was easy. =A0Levitating=A0too thic=
k pieces of PG
was another=A0~ sad=A0story for months, as=A0the n=
eodymium=A0magnets at the time were ~ grade 30,=A0or less; but, nevertheles=
s=A0we could sometimes see a bottom edge of PG samples ever so slightly=A0l=
ift a little away from the underneath magnets=A0joints. =A0From my own=A0re=
quest, Dr. Martin generously=A0forwarded the
scrap PG=A0from in=A0between the round disc's he had made=A0and us=
ed.
Eventually the=A0PG thickness awareness limitation issue dawn=
ed (Robert
Lamb), and=A0along with assembling=A03 layers=A0of 4 m=
utually attracting and
using 12 square=A0~ N30 grade=A0magnets,=A0we finally=A0saw complete
(and quiet ecstatic) "lift off"=A0with the thin scrap=A0=
PG of Dr. Martins
rounded triangular=A0and i-beam=A0shaped=A0piec=
es over the magnet joints with
the their most intense magnetic fields. =A0Levitating=A0graphite isn&#=
39;t=A0anything

new=A0of course;=A0it dates=A0back=A0to the=A01930's with=A0specia=
l=A0shaped=A0and
massive=A0magnets. =A0It was brief fun times the=
n with Dr.=A0Martin. =A0Prior too
that and thereafter, Chris=A0Ch=
apman, David=A0Lamb and Robert Lamb

were all=A0actively=A0sharing=A0and=A0exploring such further. =A0With =
the
introduction of assorted stronger neodymium magnets in time, =
the
ease of=A0levitation advanced. =A0The best magnets eventually=
 were the=A0
commercialization and utilization and sales of long and stronger rated=
"motor" magnets=A0that allowed more=A0serious experime=
ntation in efforts
toward seismic=A0sensing efforts. =A0One might=
 rightfully say, that Dr. Martins
donation of free scrap PG to ~ amateurs; advanced the PG levitation
effort. =A0Above all else, since then; it's really been the rel=
entless suggestions,
observations and efforts of Chris=A0Chapman,=
 whose=A0expertise most
guided us most correctly on this=A0"expedition", and=A0on wh=
om the most
historical honorable pioneer recognition should be ri=
ghtfully=A0bestowed.

Meredith

=




=A0=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0=A0





=A0=A0 =A0=

=A0=A0

=A0








=
On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 6:18 AM, Randall Peters =
<PETERS_RD@..........> wrote:







Meredith,






=A0=A0=A0 My system also demonstrates two of the potential=
 wells you mentioned; i.e.,
=
=93the=
 PG will "prefer" several locations along it's path.=A0 With<=
u>






a gentle slow finger push, the PG will speed up, slow down=
as it crosses these (broad) area =
magnetic peaks and valleys.=94






=A0=A0=A0 In the first figure of my article the PG plate i=
s in the photograph pictured at rest in equilibrium in one of the wells.=







The other well, where a 2nd stable equilibrium =
was found to exist, is indicated by the dashed rectangle.=A0 I could, as yo=
u noted, move the plate with a gently nudge of a finger, back and forth bet=
ween the two stable positions.=A0 






=A0=A0=A0=A0The pair represent the heart of a classic nonl=
inear oscillator, called the Duffing.=A0 It has been studied extensively by=
 chaos scientists during the last twenty years or so, even though Mr. Duffi=
ng first encountered it many years earlier.=A0 I studied and wrote a paper =
about a mechanical form of the Duffing oscillator, titled =93Chaotic pendul=
um based on torsion and gravity in opposition=94, published in the Amer. J.=
 of Phys. Vol. 63 (12), 1995. 






=A0=A0=A0If I had elected to operate with a single PG plat=
e rather than the pair, the nonlinearity of just one piece, rather than the=
 two, would be responsible for considerable (undesirable) nonlinearity.=A0 =
In other words, the asymmetry of the Duffing oscillator, when confined to a=
 single one of its two wells, gives rise to harmonic distortions that depar=
t significantly from the ideal features of the parabolic (harmonic) well of=
 the Hooke=92s law (idealized) case with which we always seek to work.=A0 <=
u>






=A0=A0=A0=A0By connecting the two plates with a small copp=
er wire I am able to =91correct=92 for the thickness-gradient effects of a =
single plate that you mention, while at the same time eliminate the asymmet=
ry of the Duffing problems that result from the use of a single well. Moreo=
ver, the sensitivity is increased because of the array form.=A0 Who could a=
sk for anything more! =A0I wasn=92t






expecting such a fortuitous consequence, and am again remi=
nded of a saying by one of my Cajun buddies:=A0 =93even a blind hog sometim=
es finds an acorn=94.=A0 






=A0=A0By the way, Dr. Martin Simon is trying to get in tou=
ch with you.=A0 He doesn=92t have a workable address for you and asked if I=
 had a current email address (for which my response was negative).=A0 I=92m=
 sure he would be pleased to receive from you an email directed to him at






msimon@................






=A0=A0=A0 I suspect that Martin, like myself, though funct=
ioning as a =91professional=92 while working on related problems; must have=
 been also the recipient of rewarding contributions to his research from th=
e =91amateur=92 community .=A0 One of my colleagues at Mercer (Matt Marone)=
 admonished me years ago to get involved with folks of the type who contrib=
ute to this list-serve.=A0 His recommendation proved to be very beneficial =
to my transition into the world of seismology.=A0 Some of my interactions t=
hat have happened during the (approx.) last five years have been the source=
 of influence (even to the point of friendships) that I will always treasur=
e. 






=A0=A0=A0=A0So I encourage you folks to keep on offering y=
our ideas amongst us, no matter how =91off the wall=92 they may seem from y=
our own perspective.=A0 Those folks in the scientific world who continue to=
 insist on maintaining the =91status quo=92 of =91purist=92 refereed public=
ations restricted to a relatively small =91ivory towered elitist world=92 h=
ave no idea what they=92ve been missing.







=A0=A0=A0=A0 Randall=A0 =A0=
=A0=A0=A0
=A0=A0=A0=
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0






=A0
=
=A0