3 ms·

This reminds of the more spectacular "Invisible Electrostatic Wall" incident at a 3M adhesive tape plant (http://amasci.com/weird/unusual/e-wall.html http://ama

by mrb 12y ago

This reminds of the more spectacular "Invisible Electrostatic Wall" incident at a 3M adhesive tape plant (http://amasci.com/weird/unusual/e-wall.html http://amasci.com/weird/unusual/e-wall.html).

ionwake 12y ago
I always found this story fascinating
- trhway 12y ago
  >On entering the factory floor and far from the equipment, Mr. Swenson's 200KV/ft handheld electrometer was found to slam to full scale. When he attempted to walk through the corridor formed by the moving film, he was stopped about half way through by an "invisible wall." He could lean all his weight forward but was unable to pass. He observed a fly get pulled into the charged, moving plastic, and speculates that the e-fields might have been strong enough to suck in birds! i wonder what Geiger counter would show there at such potentials (youtube has videos for 3M tape unrolling generating X-rays even at lower speeds and scales)
  - brador 12y ago
    Would a faraday cage stop this field? I mean if you were sitting in a faraday cage on a moving conveyer belt perpendicular to the invisible wall and passed through the invisible wall, would it still have the effect or would you pass right through?
    - trhway 12y ago
      there would be forces acting on the cage (while field inside would be pretty undisturbed). Thus the cage would probably be stopped by the field too.
  - thret 12y ago
    Surely this was sufficiently interesting for someone to attempt to replicate it for the purpose of entertainment?
lotsofmangos 12y ago
Perhaps the brig on future starships will be located just above a floor containing a tape factory.
- lifeisstillgood 12y ago
  "I cannae unroll the Sellotape fast enough capt'n! " I can see that red shirt might come to a sticky end however. But at least the plot holes could be patched up.
ChuckMcM 12y ago
I was reminded of that as well. This however seems that a voltage potential is conducted to the person standing on "the spot" so it would be interesting to see what that potential was relative to. If it were simply building up there would be occasional discharges, aka lightning zaps, when the air ionized. But given that there have not apparently been reports of bolts of lightning. There clearly is a grounding path somewhere, just a fairly high resistance one. I like the idea of the pipes being charged. (picture of the big yellow building) if that were the case and you could install a heater to supply a massive amount of free electrons on a building across the way, you'd have the start of a very large 'tube' or 'valve' :-)
mrfusion 12y ago
That's really amazing. Has anyone tried to replicate it? Anyone up for doing a kick starter to build a force field?
- anigbrowl 12y ago
  Seriously, I would totally buy a ticket to experience that - seems like the sort of thing that turns out to be important and later everyone feels stupid for not acting on it earlier.

by mrb 12y ago

This reminds of the more spectacular "Invisible Electrostatic Wall" incident at a 3M adhesive tape plant (http://amasci.com/weird/unusual/e-wall.html http://amasci.com/weird/unusual/e-wall.html).

ionwake 12y ago

I always found this story fascinating

trhway 12y ago
>On entering the factory floor and far from the equipment, Mr. Swenson's 200KV/ft handheld electrometer was found to slam to full scale. When he attempted to walk through the corridor formed by the moving film, he was stopped about half way through by an "invisible wall." He could lean all his weight forward but was unable to pass. He observed a fly get pulled into the charged, moving plastic, and speculates that the e-fields might have been strong enough to suck in birds! i wonder what Geiger counter would show there at such potentials (youtube has videos for 3M tape unrolling generating X-rays even at lower speeds and scales)
- brador 12y ago
  Would a faraday cage stop this field? I mean if you were sitting in a faraday cage on a moving conveyer belt perpendicular to the invisible wall and passed through the invisible wall, would it still have the effect or would you pass right through?
  - trhway 12y ago
    there would be forces acting on the cage (while field inside would be pretty undisturbed). Thus the cage would probably be stopped by the field too.
- thret 12y ago
  Surely this was sufficiently interesting for someone to attempt to replicate it for the purpose of entertainment?

lotsofmangos 12y ago

Perhaps the brig on future starships will be located just above a floor containing a tape factory.

lifeisstillgood 12y ago
"I cannae unroll the Sellotape fast enough capt'n! " I can see that red shirt might come to a sticky end however. But at least the plot holes could be patched up.

ChuckMcM 12y ago

I was reminded of that as well. This however seems that a voltage potential is conducted to the person standing on "the spot" so it would be interesting to see what that potential was relative to. If it were simply building up there would be occasional discharges, aka lightning zaps, when the air ionized. But given that there have not apparently been reports of bolts of lightning. There clearly is a grounding path somewhere, just a fairly high resistance one. I like the idea of the pipes being charged. (picture of the big yellow building) if that were the case and you could install a heater to supply a massive amount of free electrons on a building across the way, you'd have the start of a very large 'tube' or 'valve' :-)

mrfusion 12y ago

That's really amazing. Has anyone tried to replicate it? Anyone up for doing a kick starter to build a force field?

anigbrowl 12y ago
Seriously, I would totally buy a ticket to experience that - seems like the sort of thing that turns out to be important and later everyone feels stupid for not acting on it earlier.