Re: Laser protection

On Feb 8, 7:42 am, Remus Shepherd <re...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
>    With X-ray lasers, are we getting into the power range where a plasma
> ****eld might be useful?  Enveloping your ****p in a cloud of ions is a
good
> defense against charged particle radiation -- we do it with satellites,
now.
> A laser wouldn't be deflected by the electrical charge of the plasma,
but if
> we know our enemy's weapon system well enough we could use ions that
> absorb his weapon's frequency.  Ionized aluminum has good absorption in
the
> x-ray spectrum, for example.

The advantage of a plasma ****eld against charged particle radiation is
that the plasma traps a magnetic field which can deflect the
particles.  X-rays will go right through the magnetic field without
even noticing it.  The plasma is also quite diffuse, and hard x-rays
sufficiently penetrating to go through practical plasma clouds, while
ionized matter (such as a plasma) is transparent to soft x-rays.

Luke