SOLAR CAPACITANCE = CAPACITANCE WITH NEGATIVE EQUIVALENT SERIES RESISTANCE. WHY? BE-
CAUSE OUR SUN'S VISIBLE CORONA IS COMPOSED OF JUST TWO INGREDIENTS: NEON AND SILICON
IN A STATE OF IONIZED PLASMA. IT TURNS OUT THAT NEON SUPPLIES THE NEGATIVE RESISTANCE
WHILE SILICON SUPPLIES THE CAPACITANCE. THE AMMANN BROTHERS PROBABLY HAD A NOBLE GAS,
SUCH AS: NEON OR ARGON OR HELIUM, INSIDE OF THEIR TWO HOLLOW COPPER SPHERES THE IN-
SIDE OF WHICH WAS COATED WITH TWO THIN LAYERS. THE INNER LAYER WAS QUARTZ SILICA OR
CALCIUM FERRITE (MOST LIKELY CALCIUM FERRITE TO INJECT SOME MAGNETIC REMANENCE INTO
THESE COPPER SPHERES AND THEIR INTERCONNECTING COPPER TUBING. THE OUTER LAYER WAS
ALUMINUM OXIDE (ALUMINA) REPRESENTED BY THE DIODE (SINCE DIODES IN THOSE DAYS WERE
MADE OF A BORAX OR BAKING SODA SOLUTION INTO WHICH IS IMMERSED TWO ELECTRODES. THE
CATHODE WAS ALUMINA WHILE THE ANODE WAS ANYTHING ELSE – USUALLY LEAD IN THOSE DAYS.
I WONDER HOW BISMUTH WOULD PERFORM? THE TWO COPPER RODS ATTACHED BELOW EACH
SPHERE (IN THE PHOTOGRAPH) ARE ACTUALLY A SINGLE ROD WHICH IS BENT IN THE MIDDLE
CONNECTING THE TWO SPHERES TOGETHER.