Re: starship-design: plasma sources

["N. Lindberg" <nlindber@u.washington.edu>]

On Thu, 19 Aug 1999, Paul-V Khuong wrote:

> 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.

Paul,
	I'm not really sure if Oxy-Acetylene is a plasma by any strict
definition. However, there is electron transfer occuring, and I wouldn't
be surprised if the part of the flame where actual combustion occurs
reacts to RF just like the toothpick.  Maybe try making a coil attatched
to a transmitter and turn on the torch.
Nels

> 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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