ajdenner@athena.mit.edu (Alexander J Denner) (11/20/88)
Hello,
Does anyone know of any work done (or being done) on atmospheric,
solar, or any type of interstellar-pumped lasers?
Mr. Paul F. Dietz started the conversation on the subject of solar
lasers and refered me to one source, Robert Forward's paper on propulsion
sources. I have been looking into this subject, and find that surprisingly
little is known about the solar corona. I sent an article to
sci.space saying that I thought lasing could not be achieved in the corona
itself (without a very high power laser), but a laser could stimulate
emmision in the outer areas of a solar flare. (This is because of the
effect of the rapid expansion of gases around the flare.) Does anyone
know about or know of any sources dealing with the specifics of the solar
corona? I find that different sources give different values.
It seems to me that solar lasers have immense potential. Such
an energy source could be used to heat the ice caps of Mars, for example.
(Melting the ice caps should create an atmosphere that would be much
more accomodating to humans and to a space colony on Mars.--I know it is
not going to be easy, but it is an interesting idea.) A pulsed laser
correctly aimed could be also used to propel spacecraft (as in Mr. Forward's
paper), blast satelites to pieces, and many other things.
Thank you,
Alex Denner
PS1: Anyone interested in this topic, e-mail me. I will try to get a list
of interested people.
PS2: Followups are directed to sci.physics.
.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexander J. Denner ajdenner@athena.mit.edu
234 Baker House, 362 Memorial Drive mit-eddie!mit-athena!ajdenner
Cambridge, MA 02139 ajdenner%athena@mitmva.mit.edu