Refutation of [Chyba and Hand, Phys. Rev. Applied 6, 014017 (2016)]: No Electric Power can be Generated from Earth's Rotation through its Own Magnetic Field

TL;DR

This paper refutes a previous claim that Earth's rotation can generate continuous electric power using a specific device, clarifying that the original prediction was based on a frame of reference confusion and is physically impossible.

Contribution

It provides a straightforward demonstration that the proposed power generation device cannot work and identifies the fundamental error in the original prediction.

Findings

The proposed device cannot produce continuous electric power.

The original prediction results from a frame of reference confusion.

Correct analysis shows the predicted power is exactly zero.

Abstract

In a recent article [Phys. Rev. Applied 6, 014017 (2016)], Chyba and Hand propose a new scheme to generate electric power continuously at the expense of Earth's kinetic energy of rotation, by using an appropriately shaped cylindrical shell of a well chosen conducting ferrite, rigidly attached to the Earth. No experimental confirmation is reported for the new prediction. In the present Refutation, I first use today's standard electromagnetism and essentially the same model as Chyba and Hand to show in a very simple way that no device of the proposed type can produce continuous electric power, whatever its configuration or size, in agreement with widespread expectation. Next, I show that the prediction of non-zero continuous power by Chyba and Hand results from a confusion of frames of reference at a critical step of their derivation. When the confusion is clarified, the prediction becomes exactly zero and the article under discussion appears as pointless. At the end, I comment about the persistent invocation by Chyba and Hand of the misleading legacy notion that quasi-static magnetic fields have an intrinsic velocity, and other questionable concepts.