14 ms·
Doing that work will also release heat, but yes, you're correct that the heat wouldn't necessarily emanate from the star like any other. Firstly it would have
by naasking 4y ago
Doing that work will also release heat, but yes, you're correct that the heat wouldn't necessarily emanate from the star like any other.
Firstly it would have a very unique emission spectrum in IR. Secondly, the energy could be transported elsewhere first. For instance, focus the star's energy into coherent beams for millions of light sails moving away from it. That would transport the point of partial heat emission out into space where the light sail is.
- renewiltord 4y agoOkay, but it can't release all the energy as heat, surely, because otherwise I've just doubled the energy. I have moved something against gravity to create a gravitational potential difference and I have all the heat radiated. So now when I let the thing fall, I will generate at least some small amount of heat and so I will have 1+\eps heat as arrived. I am making energy.