Useful notes on The Interstellar Dust Hypothesis of Otto Schmidt

The Soviet scientist Otto Schmidt propounded an altogether new hypothesis in 1943 to explain the origin of the solar system which was based on the nebular hypothesis of Kant and Laplace.

According to this new hypothesis large quantities of gas and dust particles were found scattered in the universe which are known as gas and dust cloud. The sun was able to capture some gases and dust particles by the force of its gravitation.

The cloud of gas and dust started revolving around the sun. They were revolving around the sun in an irregular way. At a later stage, the heavier particle of gas cloud and dust particles were combined and collected near the cloud heap and the cloud cover took the form of a vast flat saucer.

The particles after their collision started consolidating by condensation. Later on, they took the form of asteroids. These asteroids began to revolve round the sun within the disk of dust particles.

The asteroids increased their size by absorbing the remaining scattered gas and dust particles by their gravitational force. In fact, these asteroids subsequently were turned into planets.

After the planets were formed, there was a lot of material still remaining in space in attenuated form. These materials started revolving around the planets and ultimately condensed to form satellites.

According to Schmidt, the planets were formed out of clouds of gas and dust particles and not from the sun. It is, therefore, natural to find a marked difference in the angular velocity of the planets and the sun.

This difference in the angular velocities of the sun and the planets is due to the difference in the angular velocities of gas and dust particles at the time of their condensation.

Further, the inner planets of the solar system are composed of heavier elements such as, silicon, iron, aluminum etc., while the outer planets contain lighter elements, i.e. hydrogen, helium and methane etc,.

The reasons given for this is as follows. The inner side of the saucer as referred to above was hotter, here the planets composed of heavier elements were formed. Since the temperature on the outer side of the saucer was lower, the lighter gases condensed to form planets because of cold.

As regards the distances between different planets of the solar system, Schmidt is of the opinion that they are in accordance with statistical laws, because bodies of unequal size and speed will consolidate at certain fixed distances while revolving round the sun.

The reason given for the circular orbit of all the planets of the solar system is that the different particles after their mutual collision will attain their average motion, so that the orbits of the planets would be similar and they will move in the same direction.

It is true; the interstellar dust hypothesis has been able to solve a number of problems such as, the shape of the orbits of the planets, distribution by mass and densities.

However, there are certain controversial points in this hypothesis. The inadequacy of the gravitational force of the sun to capture the gas and dust particle scattered in the universe is the chief objection.

It is also not correct to assume that planets were formed out of asteroids. On the contrary, asteroids are believed to have been formed due to the disintegration of planets.