Re: starship-design: plasma sources

[Kevin Houston <Kevin@urly-bird.com>]

I tried the microwave method, and it's pretty cool, but I worry that it may
damage my 'wave.  Isn't a plasma not very different from a piece of tinfoil
in this respect?  

At 09:48 AM 8/19/99 -0700, N. Lindberg wrote:
>Fred,
>	I'm no expert on plasma physics, but here are some ways that
>immediately spring to mind:
>	1) Spark gap + RF heating of the air.  Plasmas couple very well to
>RF, and most of the energy gets turned into heat.
>	2)High temp combustion + RF.  Sometime, bend a toothpick so that
>it stands with one end pointing up, light that end, and put it in your
>microwave. I think they're kind of pretty.  Also, the Oxy-Acetylene
>reaction is the hottest type of combustion I know of, at a few thousand
>degrees,  Kind of dangerous stuff though.