Difference between revisions of "Particle beam weapon"
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| − | Particle Beam Weapons are in fairly common use by a broad spectrum of space military powers. One was reputedly responsible for killing millions during an attack against the [[ | + | Particle Beam Weapons are in fairly common use by a broad spectrum of space military powers. One was reputedly responsible for killing millions during an attack against the [[Triumvirate of Yut.]] They are called by many terms and come in a wide variety of roles, ranges and power outputs, but generally fall under two categories, the NPB ('''Neutral-Particle Beam''') and the CPB ('''Charged-Particle Beam'''). |
The NPBW or CPBW (Neutral-Particle Beam Weapon or Charged-Particle Beam Weapon) works by accelerating charged particles, such as ions, at speeds close to the speed of light. Propogation of such beams thusly occurs at high speeds, making the range of such weapons quite long and making them a good choice for space based weapon platforms. NPBs start of as CPBs because only CP can be moved to relatavistic speeds through electromagnetic forces in a particle accelerator. | The NPBW or CPBW (Neutral-Particle Beam Weapon or Charged-Particle Beam Weapon) works by accelerating charged particles, such as ions, at speeds close to the speed of light. Propogation of such beams thusly occurs at high speeds, making the range of such weapons quite long and making them a good choice for space based weapon platforms. NPBs start of as CPBs because only CP can be moved to relatavistic speeds through electromagnetic forces in a particle accelerator. | ||
Revision as of 17:56, 13 October 2004
Particle Beam Weapons are in fairly common use by a broad spectrum of space military powers. One was reputedly responsible for killing millions during an attack against the Triumvirate of Yut. They are called by many terms and come in a wide variety of roles, ranges and power outputs, but generally fall under two categories, the NPB (Neutral-Particle Beam) and the CPB (Charged-Particle Beam).
The NPBW or CPBW (Neutral-Particle Beam Weapon or Charged-Particle Beam Weapon) works by accelerating charged particles, such as ions, at speeds close to the speed of light. Propogation of such beams thusly occurs at high speeds, making the range of such weapons quite long and making them a good choice for space based weapon platforms. NPBs start of as CPBs because only CP can be moved to relatavistic speeds through electromagnetic forces in a particle accelerator.
The neutral particle beam has it's adventages over the charged particle beam when in an atmosphereless enviroment such as space. Because Charged particle beams will expand more rapidly then neutral particle beams because charged particles repel one another. Charged particles are also effected by external electric and magnetic fields, which makes the beam travel in a curved path.
The charged particle beam has it's advantages over the neutral particle beam in an enviroment with an atmosphere. Because neutral particle beams can't propogate in an atmosphere because collision with atmospheric particles ionizes particles in the beam, converting it into a charged particle beam of poor quallity. As charged particle beams propogate through an atmosphere they will ionize atmospheric gasses. This permits charged neutralization, a flow of charge which shorts out internal electric fields which would otherwise prevent CPB propogation.
Particle beams interact with solid matter through one-on-one interactions, where individual particles in the beam lose energy through encounters with individual particles in the target. Since the distance to a target is much greater than the thickness of a target, more energy is generally lost in propagation through the atmosphere than is deposited within the target itself. Therefore, beams with sufficient energy to propagate through the atmosphere will have sufficient energy to damage their target. As a result, target interaction is an important factor in beam design only for neutral particle beams propagating in a vacuum. Relativistic particles have ranges in solids comparable to a typical target thickness. Therefore, a beam deposits energy throughout a target’s volume, and not on its surface. This results in lower temperature gradients, and neither thermal conduction nor radiation are effective as mechanisms to limit target damage.
