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FrozenGate by Avery

Lasers in nature??






This was actually a subject of great interest during the legal wars over the original laser patents. Someone was trying to patent stimulated emission, so the opponents had to show that it existed in nature. At the time there was some thought that stimulated emission occurred in the outer atmosphere of some planets, but I think that is not actually true.
 
On an atomic scale I'm sure it happens all the time. All it really takes is the luck of two photons hitting a molecule in quick succession. There will of course be no amplification, however, as amplification requires a population inversion.
 
cev1 said:
This was actually a subject of great interest during the legal wars over the original laser patents. Someone was trying to patent stimulated emission, so the opponents had to show that it existed in nature. At the time there was some thought that stimulated emission occurred in the outer atmosphere of some planets, but I think that is not actually true.
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MARS. The atmosphere of mars has ben observed generating 10.6uM infrared light via stimulated emission. When this was first observed there was a brief flurry of thought that there must be intelligent life on mars. After all, somebody had to build that CO2 laser and it wasn't us. The thin CO2 atmosphere of mars, when stimulated by a good dose of solar ultraviolet makes a dandy lasing medium.
 
Sorry for necro-posting. However, some supernovae do emit laser light when the condition is right. Here's one - Eta Carniae: APOD: November 29, 1997 - Lasers in Eta Carinae - Eta Carniae is one weird star, which you can find several interesting events within a star itself. However, I am not sure if it's true or not but I know Aluminum-II ion can emit ultraviolet laser light when hit very hard (and supernova generates lot of Aluminum II and III ionic plasmas as a result of nuclear fusion).
 
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Normally i get all pissy when people necro post...But honestly, this thread is really, really interesting, and a very good read!
 
That was why I felt it was best to apologize beforehand sometimes. :bowdown:

However, I agree that this thread's pretty interesting, figured I would pitch in a tidbit also. :beer:
 
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