Plasma-based weaponry

Plasma-based weaponry is any group of weapons designed to use high-energy ionized gas or "plasma", typically created by superheating lasers or superfrequency devices. There has been notable interest in its development. One plasma prototype weapon exists in Russia which was developed by The Radio Instrument Building Research Institute under the supervision of Academician A. Avramenko. Their action is based on focusing beams of electromagnetic energy produced by laser or microwave radiation into the upper layers of the atmosphere.

Current research

Boeing has considered furthering the research of plasma weapons and directed energy weapons, or DEWFact|date=February 2007. Boeing Phantom Works has several ideas, one of which is that a plasma weapon aboard a hypersonic aircraft could possibly skim off the plasma that naturally forms around the airframe of a vehicle travelling at Mach eight. They hypothesize that this captured plasma could then be redirected by a focusing system and used as a weapon. There is an apparent interest in plasma for aerospace technologies in the U.S.

While both of these proposals are scientifically feasible, practical applications are beyond our current level of technology. However, the Russians have stated to have developed a so-called "bolt-on" plasma generator that is used to actually increase the aerodynamic performance of their research aircraft using plasma to influence the fluid dynamics.

A nonlethal weapon designed to use a laser to induce a high energy state in gases is currently being funded by the United States military. [new scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7077 ] The leading tip of the incoming beam ionized the target material, while the remainder is absorbed by this newly created plasma causing it to expand rapidly. This rapid expansion not only has an effect similar to a flash-bang grenade, but also creates an extremely strong EM field which is tunable through the output of the laser itself. This EM field stimulates nerves throughout the body triggering muscle paralysis and/or intense sensations of pain. There have been concerns that the technology may be unethically used, as it is possible to stimulate pain nerves throughout a person's body creating unimaginable levels of agony. [new scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7077 ]

Date: 5.07.07

When the two patents below are carefully read, a conclusion can be reached that a plasma column can be created in the atmosphere and used as an antenna to transmit to a target on the ground. That target might be a person.

"Columnar focal lens" 5,900,986 Air Force patent

short excerpt:

The concept of utilizing a plasma generated by laser guided electric discharges in the atmosphere as the conducting element of an antenna . . . . The principal objective was the development of an antenna with no physical structure, but with large effective area.

The present invention is a lens that produces a columnar focus with the axis of the focal column perpendicular to the principal plane of the lens. The lens refracts an incident wave front with a focal length that is dependent upon the radial distance from the axis of the lens. These foci produce a focal column. The radii of curvature of the primary surface of the lens are dependent upon the desired length of the focal column. The thus focused radiation can be used to generate free electron surfaces in the atmosphere for use as an antenna, to act as an electromagnetic transmission line, to induce lightning strikes, or for electronic counter measure purposes. The invention can also be used for end cavity pumping of a laser medium.

"Horizontal plasma antenna using plasma drift currents" 6,118,407Navy patent

short excerpt:

A horizontal plasma antenna is provided. An ionizer generates an ionizing am through a horizontal tube to form a bounded plasma column extending along a horizontal axis in a gravity field. An amplitude or frequency modulating signal is applied to Helmholtz coils to control a horizontal magnetic field that is perpendicular to the horizontal axis. The resulting changes in the magnetic field produce a drift current in the plasma that, in turn, radiates an amplitude or phase modulated electromagnetic field from the plasma column.

One can ionize the atmosphere by just heating it up with electromagnetics (laser, microwaves, etc.), but it is a whole lot easier to generate plasma if one dumps barium, carbon, and aluminum into the atmosphere first.

With the assistance of a $2.7 Million U.S. contract, Stellar Photonics is developing a Plasma Acoustic Shield System, or PASS. The PASS uses a high-energy laser to create an airborne ball of plasma, then uses another laser to create a shockwave inside the plasma ball, creating a flash of light and explosion. [cite web |url=http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn11723-plasma-shield-may-stun-and-disorientate-enemies.html |title=Plasma Shield may stun and disorientate enemies |publisher=New Scientist |accessdate=2008-09-22]

HAARP

An Air Force research project to study atmospheric phenomenon but invokes many conspiracy theories because of its high power consumption and potential as a radio frequency based weapon.

cience-fiction

Much science-fiction literature as well as movies and computer games has references to plasma weaponry.

Examples:
* The British sci-fi series "Blake's 7"
* The sci-fi universe "Warhammer 40,000"
* The free online multiplayer game "OGame"
* The "Halo" video game series
* The "Terminator" movie series
* The "Metroid" video game series
* The sci-fi toy line and anime series "Zoids"
* The "Doom" video game series
* The Combine's synths use plasma-based weaponry in "Half-Life 2"
* The "X-Com" video game series
* The Matrix series features plasma weaponry

See also

*Pulsed Energy Projectile, an experimental non-lethal weapon technology that involves emission of a laser pulse that creates a small amount of exploding plasma upon contact with the target
*Plasma torch
*Plasma rifle

References

External links

*Jane's "Defence Weekly" article [http://www.janes.com/regional_news/americas/news/jdw/jdw010328_1_n.shtml]
*Plasma science and technology website [http://www.plasmas.org/index.html]
*The Register criticizes US plans to make a plasma weapon [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/03/us_plasma_weapon/]
*Russian plasma weapon [http://warfare.ru/?lang=&catid=329&linkid=2545]
*Star Wars vs. Star Trek Essays: Plasma Weapons [http://stardestroyer.net/Empire/Essays/PlasmaWeapons.html]