Boeing laser demonstrator destroys targets through wind and fog

[steve001]

+ video.
Boeing laser demonstrator destroys targets through wind and fog

 

[3Pig]

10kw, that's insane, but what could it do if the target was polished to a mirror finish

 

[upaa27]

Lasers like that are usually low to medium ir which are not reflected by normal mirrors unless they are coated for that wavelength.

Unless it is near ir or extremely low in which it will be reflected(mostly)

 

[Cyparagon]

Lasers like that are usually low to medium ir which are not reflected by normal mirrors

Incorrect. Only second-surface mirrors absorb mid-IR. Virtually all metals reflect most IR.

 

[upaa27]

Incorrect. Only second-surface mirrors absorb mid-IR. Virtually all metals reflect most IR.

Ok thanks cyp!

Forgot about the handy absorption charts out there for metals. I guess I was thinking of glass not metal.

 

[danefex]

Impressive video but they didn't answer the BIG question....
:tinfoil:

Can it pop a balloon?

:beer:

 

[djQUAN]

or light a match.

 

[Svenvbins]

Hehe. I laughed at the warning sign on the side: "Do not look into (opening?)"

I'm guessing at 10kW, your eyes would be the least of your worries if that thing is pointed at you =D

 

[BowtieGuy]

Can it pop a balloon?

Probably not, at a mere 10kW this is just a toy.
The upcoming 60kW version will might pop a black balloon though! :crackup:

 

[Pi R Squared]

Hehe. I laughed at the warning sign on the side: "Do not look into (opening?)"

I'm guessing at 10kW, your eyes would be the least of your worries if that thing is pointed at you =D

I can just imagine some moron using a mirror to get a look inside the opening. :crackup: Of course no one would be allowed near it when firing but its amazing the lack of common sense some people will have.

Alan

 

[Down with Umbrella]

Rotisserie chicken done in 2.2s!

Wouldn't it be cool if this laser was in the visible light spectrum? I know its not for a reason but it would be intense. Like a scene from your favorite syfy flick. Caltech put a sodium laser on of their telescope to aid in corrective optics, that must be an impressive sight.

Correct me if I am wrong but maybe the reason for the longer wavelength is better penetration through atmosphereic conditions. Doesn't longer WL = better penetration?

 

[Svenvbins]

Correct me if I am wrong but maybe the reason for the longer wavelength is better penetration through atmosphereic conditions. Doesn't longer WL = better penetration?

Longer wavelengths have significantly less rayleigh scattering (scales with 1/wavelength^4) so I'd guess that's one of their reasons, although I guess there are a couple more.

 

[IsaacT]

Rotisserie chicken done in 2.2s!

Wouldn't it be cool if this laser was in the visible light spectrum? I know its not for a reason but it would be intense. Like a scene from your favorite syfy flick. Caltech put a sodium laser on of their telescope to aid in corrective optics, that must be an impressive sight.

Correct me if I am wrong but maybe the reason for the longer wavelength is better penetration through atmosphereic conditions. Doesn't longer WL = better penetration?

Not exactly. I will put an image of the absorption lines of our atmosphere below but suffice it to say that the absorption of different wavelengths is entirely dependent on the elements present in the atmosphere. Each element absorbs and releases energy equal to the change in energy levels along their electron orbits. So while many IR wavelengths are not absorbed nearly at all, we have a lot of IR wavelengths that are nearly completely blocked. Extremely long radio waves and visible spectrum tend to pass through the atmosphere with fewer losses. Ultraviolet and below are almost completely blocked, and IR has a lot of spotty coverage. So it is clear that atmospheric penetration is not related to photon energy/frequency so directly.

My guess would be they used IR because they could achieve massive power levels more easily than with others. Also, tactically an invisible thing shooting down a missile will be better than something the enemy could see. 10kW of 532 would sear the sky with brightness.

 

[bobhaha]

Put a KTP crystal in front of that bad boy!

 

[Down with Umbrella]

That's a pretty interesting chart. The IR spectrum looks to be in waves, it would be advantageous to be in one of those low point and be invisible to the naked eye.

 

[IsaacT]

Then again, lasers have a large intensity, so the absorption levels probably don't matter much.