Re: starship-design: plasma sources

[Paul-V Khuong <paul_virak_khuong@yahoo.com>]

Kevin Houston <Kevin@urly-bird.com> wrote:
> 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?  
Yeah... Good Question!
Especially when you live at your parent's place 8)
> 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.
Oxy-Acetylene is plasma??? 
Well, anyway, how energetic has the RF to be??(It'd be a cool
project... make your own plasma for less than 15 bucks(±))
And, how can you make the needed RFs(except than with a microwave 8)?
===
Vive le Québec libre... dé souverainistes!!!

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