Re: Engineering Newsletter

[T.L.G.vanderLinden@student.utwente.nl (Timothy van der Linden)]

On Sunday I was writing to Kevin:

>I guess that I have more confidence in materials science advances, I 
>think that a Photovoltaic material can be manufactured that will work in 
>the high temp/high rad environment

Yes, I never argued that, I only wanted to make clear some side-effects.
A question where I'm not sure about: Satellites often turn around their axis
is that to equal the heat or is it for the gyro-effect?

>> >That reminds me of a great new travel method making use of Hiesenberg 
>> >Uncertainty principle:  as Temperature approaches Abs Zero, Momentum 
>> >becomes zero to the last decimal, and the position becomes _infinite_.  
>> 
>> It is not the position that becomes infinite but the PROBABILITY of its
>> position that becomes infinite. May look the same, but is different. The
>
>Ah, yes, I see.  I knew that, but must have forgotten it.  so i guess it 
>would work, you just would be able to steer.  Oh well.  Back to the 
>drawing board.

No it wouldn't work, that was what I tried to explain in the next few lines:

>> The fact that a particle can move lightyears be everywhere is As you can
>> see, this Although this may look as if it is conflict with the finite speed
>> of light there is a deeper understanding that solves this "paradox".
>
>I'm sorry, I don't understand your language here.  Can you please 
>re-phrase, check your dictionary, or insert the word or words you may 
>have dropped.

I don't understand it either I guess that spelling virus has mutated and
uses E-mail as a carrier :}

So here is a new try:
The fact that a particle can move lightyears in a flash is in conflict with
the finite speed of light. So as long as you know the particle is there, it
takes an infinite time to cool to absolute zero.

>Sorry no, it's part of the great storehouse of knowledge that i have come 
>across in almost fifteen years of reading every science magazine I can 
>get my hands on.  i think this subject appeared in OMNI,  someone 
>somewhere was claiming to have put a _lot_ of pressure on a small sample 
>of hydrogen and gotten it to a metal state.

Every magazine, thats a lot or are you never in a bookstore?

>> >> (Note: Probably all robots will be worn out after a few years, so you may
>> >> need 3 or 4 times more than you originally would think, that would
only cost
>> >> a few days extra)
>> >
>> >Any robot could probably repaired far cheaper than it could be re-built 
>> >from scratch, and this could be done at any time, not just at the outset
>> 
>> Repairing is rather difficult, for some dumb replicating machine it is
>> probably much easier to make a new one than to look for the non-working part
>> and replace it. It is just like a conveyer belt, there is a gain because of
>> the repetative task.
>
>OK, I see.   but a small number of units could be devoted to the constant 
>manufacture of robots (which would then go off and do other things) so 
>that replacement units were always ready.

You could use a small number of units, but I still think it is easier and
faster to make a completely new one. (Compare with Earth's throw-away economy)

>Perhaps not a problem at all, earth based telescopes track distant stars 
>all the time.  Being placed at a polar position would decrease the 
>rotational velocity to be countered, and if the problem is 
>insurmountable, then an orbiting waveguide can be used

I wonder if the telescopes do have the precision we need. What should I
think of when you are talking about an orbiting waveguide?

><sp?> means spelling uncertain.  i think a Josepson <your spelling> 
>junction is a tunneling transistor, and it only works in superconducting 
>conditions, but don't ask me why, maybe steve knows.

As far as I know it's not a transistor (i.e. it can be steered by a 3th port).
A Josephson junction will give a very distinct Direct Current when placed in
a magnetic field (Squid <sp?>) Or if an Direct Current is set over the
junction it will give a distinct frequency.


Timothy