Choate Prime Physics

[Jim Choate]

On Tue, 24 Jul 2001, Steve Schear wrote:

> The photons don't lose energy: the beam or flux is diminished in 
> intensity.  Your improper choice of terms is what's getting creating the 
> misunderstandings.

Really? I'd say that any distinction between the 'photons energy' and the
'current energy' is a false distinction. The 'current' is realy a
'virtual' current since it exists 'instantaniously' (ie there is no
discernable delay between the incident photons and the emitted one)
otherwise your 'mirror' wouldn't be a 'mirror' (ie the reflected image
would not retain both phase and time coherence) as the reflected waves
would be in-coherent. For a similar 'virtual' effect look at the current
flow on the input of a op-amp (ie virtual ground).

In either case, your distinction is irrelevant to the issue at hand.

Will a mirror, even the most effective mirror on the planet, work as a
defence against a high-level optical laser for a rocket (ie ICBM)?

Answer, no. Even the small losses of such a perfect mirror at these beam
intensities would be too great. There are three components to this
failure. The first is the simple losses in the mirror itself, the second
is the massive cooling it would require to compensate for these loses
would completely destroy the ability of the rocket to deliver its warhead,
and then some since it would be roughly equivalent to another rocket being
strapped onto this one. The impact on Isp is catastrophic in this
scenario. Then we can look at operational issues, will it even fit in a
submarine now effectively? Will it fit on a mobile launcher? I doubt it
considering the size changes that would need to take place. And thirdly, 
even if we allow that the mirroring worked, it is a moot point. The
rocket is now too large and slow to deliver its warheads effectively
because the increase in mass has so reduced its range and payload. By
defeating the laser, you've created a missile that you can't launch.

The goal of the laser operator is obtained, in either case.


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