Laser test more show than science -4 beams at 10 times the power generated by the entire country

trivalleyherald ^

[chance33_98]

In a whir of pre-holiday press, federal nuclear-weapons executives gush- ed over a four-barreled blaze of light inside Lawrence Livermore Lab's National Ignition Facility.

For five-billionths of a second, the nation's biggest -- and at $4 billion, most expensive -- science project flickered to light a year or more ahead of schedule, creating four laser beams at 10 times the power generated by the entire country.

[RLK]

"They ran at too short a pulse length to test the spatial filters," Bodner said. "Their energy's too low, and their pulse length's wrong."

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And furthermore Bodner is jealous as hell because he didn't do it first.

[CruisinAround]

"It will help us model and simulate nuclear explosions to ensure the safety and reliability of our nuclear weapons without underground nuclear testing," said Linton Brooks, acting National Nuclear Security Administration chief.

Yeah, right. Just tell us we're diverting money funds to the missile defense fund. We can take it.

[The Obstinate Insomniac]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Mike Darancette]

In fact, former Livermore laser scientist Stephen Bodner wonders if there's a reason NIF managers didn't push the beams closer to what's necessary for fusion ignition, the driving rationale for the project.

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Imagine little preditors flying around with aimable mirrors on their noses.

[boris]

"Imagine little preditors flying around with aimable mirrors on their noses."

No, this is not a weapon project.

It is aimed at making fusion power.

And, when testing new technology it is always the wise course to begin with small tests.

When we test rocket engines, the first series is little more than a few 'burps'--milliseconds--to make sure the bugger will light and make flame and smoke. You work your way up to full power and long duration.

The problem with Predators with lasers is the sheer energy (power times time) that is needed. I once designed a deuterium-fluoride laser gun. The problem was that it would fire for ~2 seconds at some hellish power level...and would be more lethal to the shooter than the shootee.

--Boris