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Could you even operate this laser terrestrially? The article says optical frequencies (visible light). I think the backscatter from atmospheric dust alone would
by ericbarrett 3y ago
Could you even operate this laser terrestrially? The article says optical frequencies (visible light). I think the backscatter from atmospheric dust alone would blind anybody who glanced at it, and it would be visible for miles around.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- jandrese 3y agoIt's not one laser, it's 100,000,000 single kW lasers spread across the surface of the Earth. A single kW laser is already very dangerous and stuff like reflecting off of a passing airplane will be a problem, but they'll be everywhere so you can't hide. That's probably unfair. I assume they'll be spread across deserts and other places with low population density.
- ericbarrett 3y agoMissed that, thanks. I thought maybe attenuation in the atmosphere would be a problematic amount of heat, but it turns out the Earth gets roughly 200,000 TW of solar irradiance so 100 GW would have a negligible (immediate) effect even if fully absorbed.
- bagels 3y agoI didn't do the math, but on an array this big, the 'near field' might be outside of the atmosphere anyways.
- jdkee 3y agoYou could build it on the moon.