Ray Guns Near Crossroads to the Battlefield

#1

Post by uptheirons » Thu, May 20, 2010, 1:05 AM UTC

Ray Guns Near Crossroads to the Battlefield
scientificamerican.com

Re: Ray Guns Near Crossroads to the Battlefield

#2

Post by keltecp11 » Thu, May 20, 2010, 1:21 AM UTC

The Future Is Now.

Re: Ray Guns Near Crossroads to the Battlefield

#3

Post by warfangle » Thu, May 20, 2010, 2:02 AM UTC

One of the approaches they're using is generating lasers that follow a sinosoidal wave. Do any of you smarter than I have information as to why these sinosoidal lasers would be less affected by atmospheric conditions?

Re: Ray Guns Near Crossroads to the Battlefield

#4

Post by InclinedPlane » Thu, May 20, 2010, 2:44 AM UTC

warfangle wrote: post #3

One of the approaches they're using is generating lasers that follow a sinosoidal wave. Do any of you smarter than I have information as to why these sinosoidal lasers would be less affected by atmospheric conditions?

You appear to have misunderstood a part of the article. A free-electron laser forces electrons into a sinusoidal path in order to generate laser light, but the generated light is no more sinusoidal than any other laser light.