Laser needed for Attracting Lightning Bolts!

[cipherfx]

Hello Friends,


I'm needing a Laser that will attract lightning. From what I understand what some experts have used is a laser that pulses really fast, and it some how creates a plasma channel in the sky which then makes a path for lightning to strike?

Can anyone point me to such a laser?

[MERGE]

ok to catch any of you up to speed if you're lost of on what i'm talking about there is a link here Artificial Lightning: Laser Triggers Electrical Activity In Thunderstorm For The First Time
that talks about it. Anyways I wondering a modified hand held laser could get me by?

[MERGE]

Crazy.. has no one in these forums used lasers to trigger Lightning?
I thought for sure someone might of tried that.

 

[Prototype]

No way a hobbyist could do that. They're using a pulsed laser that probably draws more energy than your house and costs $xxx,xxx.xx. Sorry, but I just don't think it's possible.

 

[cipherfx]

man... I'm gonna try cause yea the lasers they use are high powered but that's probably so that they can get a constant trigger /with good results. I'd be curios to try

Anyone else wanna try this one? I'm betting that this could be possible
cause there's got to be more that factors in besides just creating a plasma channel

 

[cipherfx]

well shoot! at this point money is not an object, Where can I buy such a laser? that's made for this type of thing? Also hobbiest don't give up on me! Any Die Hard's willing to Sacrifice their Artic Laser to the Lightning Gods for this experiment?

- A video of this on youtube alone could generate Thousands of $$
due to the number of hits a video like this would get.

 

[TTerbo]

dude JUST edit your OP dont make new posts.
and good luck, how much laser experience do u have anyhow??

 

[Prototype]

well shoot! at this point money is not an object, Where can I buy such a laser? that's made for this type of thing? Also hobbiest don't give up on me! Any Die Hard's willing to Sacrifice their Artic Laser to the Lightning Gods for this experiment?

- A video of this on youtube alone could generate Thousands of $$
due to the number of hits a video like this would get.

If money is no object, contact the research team and ask where they got it, as the laser they're using probably cost millions, mine was a conservative estimate. An Arctic couldn't achieve the power you need. They're probably using more than 50J, which is a huge amount of laser power, the first reflections from the moon being hit with a laser (before the retroreflectors) used a huge ruby laser that was 50J in strength, and even then they only got a few photons back. So imagine the amount of power you need to generate plasma channels. On top of that you'd need millions of dollars, unlimited access to ungodly amounts of electricity, a team of experts and permission from the government. Short of government funded programs, no one is going to be doing this.

 

[rathat]

I saw that lasers can make earthquakes by creating tectonic beam waves, is that why you can't have lasers in Australia?
can someone make a video and put it on youtube? I am really wondering if this would work and all.
I would buy one and make earthquakes to get rid of my enemies, but I don't have a job.

It would be even cooler if someone put it in a handheld.

 

[TTerbo]

Dont you dare make any earth quakes down here!!
cheers

 

[Gryphon]

I am assuming you want a laser that would ionize the air and create a path of least
resistance for the lightning. A laser like that would be huge, and rather difficult to
move, impossible to make handheld with current technology

 

[dnar]

Besides, this laser would need more than a few Lazorbs to survive I am thinking...

Is not a kite and key just a little bit easier Mr Newton?

 

[cipherfx]

yes to ionize the air thats really all that needs to be done, but regardless i need to move forward with this project. Like I said money is not an object even if it costs millions we are ready to go.

But from what I remember research a few years back it they didn't use all that big of lasers really.

 

[TTerbo]

maybe just buy 100,000,000,000 Arctics

 

[HaloBlu]

Sounds a bit like you had your heart set on using a laser but a fine wire trailed by a model rocket seems to work very well. A hell of a lot cheaper. Requires a atmospheric electrical activity sensor to know when is best to launch or at least an lightning detector. wikipedia Lightning_prediction_system Only detection via radar is mentioned there but there are inexpensive methods.
Rocket Triggered Lightning Collection

 

[Prototype]

I agree with HaloBlu, they even mentioned rocket launch in the article you linked. I believe they were using larger rockets, but there are homemade rockets that can reach heights needed.

 

[Heavyen]

I would try with FEL
Free electron laser - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Things]

They use a high powered laser because, well, it takes a lot of power to generate plasma channels mid air!

Obtaining a laser to do this, even with the money, could be tricky. I think what they do though, is shift the focal point rapidly, creating small ionized channels.