4 ms·
> about 3.9e4m^3 every second, which contains about 3.9e11 hydrogen atoms I think this step is off by 1e5. It contains 3.9e16 hydrogen atoms at 1e6/cm^3. So t
by DavidSJ 11y ago
> about 3.9e4m^3 every second, which contains about 3.9e11 hydrogen atoms
I think this step is off by 1e5. It contains 3.9e16 hydrogen atoms at 1e6/cm^3.
So that 631 MJ becomes 63.1 TJ.
- ridgeguy 11y agoI assumed an interstellar medium density of 10 H atoms/cm^3, which is 1e7 atoms/m^3, given 1e6 cm^3 per m^3. I think the volume swept out by the spacecraft is about right: (3e8m/sec)(.2)6.45e-4m^2 is about 3.9e4m^3/sec. Then, 1e7 H atoms/m^3 * 3.9e4m^3/sec gives about 3.9e11 atoms/sec hitting the (1 inch square) spacecraft.
- DavidSJ 11y agoI see, I missed the part where you assume 10 atoms per cm^3.