Comments on: Super Laser http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/ Science, Environment, and Nature in the SF Bay Area Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:39:48 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: frank http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/comment-page-1/#comment-63658 frank Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:50:01 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/#comment-63658 have they ever thought of the enviorment. the may say that is will provide or use clean energy right. well havent they thought that the materials that they use to make the laser. if you are with me email me or call me have they ever thought of the enviorment. the may say that is will provide or use clean energy right. well havent they thought that the materials that they use to make the laser. if you are with me email me or call me

]]> By: tomm174 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/comment-page-1/#comment-63515 tomm174 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:22:49 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/#comment-63515 This project provides an environment for the investigation of the behaviour of a high density plasma with an energy of around 10 thousand electron volts. It is of course a deeply impressive facility. Is it useful ? I can think of 3 applications. 1/ Investigate the processes that drive stars 2/ Investigate the feasability of laser ignited fusion power generation 3/ Get around the ban on H-bomb research. Nice though it would be to believe that the first 2 are the motivation, it seems much more likely that the funding was found to preserve the careers of weapons scientists. 1/ Helping astrophysicists is nice - but probably unnecessary - 10kev is a an extremely LOW energy compared to that generated in accelerators. This machine generates these lowish energy particles at a very high density, - which I suppose could result in some interesting new physics - maybe. . (I have seen a suggestion that the machine could be used to test supernova processes, but the quoted performance seem quite inadequate). 2/ Low carbon power generation is an immediate need. We have technologies which will definitely work & only require production volume to deliver. This technology is unproven in the sense that there is no indication that it could ever provide useful power. If it could, assume a minimum of four generations of machines to achieve production scale, you are talking 40 yrs. This project provides an environment for the investigation of the behaviour of a high density plasma with an energy of around 10 thousand electron volts.
It is of course a deeply impressive facility.
Is it useful ?
I can think of 3 applications.
1/ Investigate the processes that drive stars
2/ Investigate the feasability of laser ignited fusion power generation
3/ Get around the ban on H-bomb research.
Nice though it would be to believe that the first 2 are the motivation, it seems much more likely that the funding was found to preserve the careers of weapons scientists.

1/ Helping astrophysicists is nice – but probably unnecessary – 10kev is a an extremely LOW energy compared to that generated in accelerators. This machine generates these lowish energy particles at a very high density, – which I suppose could result in some interesting new physics – maybe. .
(I have seen a suggestion that the machine could be used to test supernova processes, but the quoted performance seem quite inadequate).
2/ Low carbon power generation is an immediate need. We have technologies which will definitely work & only require production volume to deliver. This technology is unproven in the sense that there is no indication that it could ever provide useful power. If it could, assume a minimum of four generations of machines to achieve production scale, you are talking 40 yrs.

]]> By: DENOS http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/comment-page-1/#comment-63509 DENOS Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:58:15 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/#comment-63509 You can't imagine the amount energy at the focal point of this thing. It could bore a hole through the Earth. It could become an ultimate weapon. I myself amplified three gas lasers with high speed electromagnetic switching that was able to focus on an object at over a mile and punch a hole in a sheet of metal, and this thing is about 1x10 to the 23rd times more powerful or more. So yes, the energy and pressure produced would be extremely dangerous if it ever got out the controlled laboratory environment. Talk about the biggest raygun ever known WOW You can't imagine the amount energy at the focal point of this thing. It could bore a hole through the Earth. It could become an ultimate weapon. I myself amplified three gas lasers with high speed electromagnetic switching that was able to focus on an object at over a mile and punch a hole in a sheet of metal, and this thing is about 1×10 to the 23rd times more powerful or more. So yes, the energy and pressure produced would be extremely dangerous if it ever got out the controlled laboratory environment. Talk about the biggest raygun ever known WOW

]]> By: Yves Parent http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/comment-page-1/#comment-63427 Yves Parent Sat, 30 May 2009 06:26:11 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/#comment-63427 This is amazing! They will make all the energy we need out of water! with no environmental impact! I also recall that they also said they could make gold out of lead. This is amazing! They will make all the energy we need out of water! with no environmental impact!

I also recall that they also said they could make gold out of lead.

]]> By: geezerpower http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/comment-page-1/#comment-59562 geezerpower Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:18:40 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/01/10/super-laser/#comment-59562 Thanks for the excellent article. I wasn't aware of this mind boggling project. Of special interest to me is that it links to Gregory Canavan who was the head of the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences for Bu$hco. I'm doing an article on his involvement in the Terrorism Preparedness for FDNY. He was on a panel that included ex CIA James Woolsey et al, along with the lead fire chiefs who testified on the 911 disaster. I have to question whether it is a bit over the top to use folks of this caliber to dumb down the FDNY...G: Thanks for the excellent article. I wasn't aware of this mind boggling project. Of special interest to me is that it links to Gregory Canavan who was the head of the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences for Bu$hco.

I'm doing an article on his involvement in the Terrorism Preparedness for FDNY. He was on a panel that included ex CIA James Woolsey et al, along with the lead fire chiefs who testified on the 911 disaster. I have to question whether it is a bit over the top to use folks of this caliber to dumb down the FDNY…G:

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