starship-design: Re: I know this is off the subject but...

[Steve VanDevender <stevev@darkwing.uoregon.edu>]

Timothy van der Linden writes:
 > Kyle asked:
 > 
 > >Has anyone actually built a magnetic monopole? (I'm serious)
 > 
 > If you can build one, you are able to violate current laws of physics.
 > So if you could proof this thing to work, you'd be a candidate for a Nobelprize.

Maxwell's equations can be slightly modified to account for monopoles;
changing a zero to a constant in the equation that describes magnetic
flux would deal with the monopole case.

However, since no one has ever observed a monopole (yet) it's believed
that the current formulation of Maxwell's equations is correct.

 > Kyle also wrote:
 > 
 > >I have constructed a device that (depending on the polarity) puts out
 > >ONLY north or south polarity, but not both. Interested? Could be VERY
 > >useful.
 > 
 > Measuring mono-polarity seems to be worth a scientific paper already... How
 > did you measure that?
 > 
 > Timothy

Actually, it's fairly easy to detect a monopole.  The detector I heard
of is simply a loop of superconducting material.  A monopole passing
through the loop would induce a current flow that would remain in the
loop after the passage of the monpole, unlike a dipole which after
passing through the loop would leave no net current flow.

So, Kyle, there's a simple experimental test for your alleged monopole.
I'm sure that consultation with a physicist would either allow you to
test your monopole or get you an explanation of why you don't really
have one.  If you thought I was skeptical, try dealing with a real
physicist :-)