He is a retired air force colonel and was the first technical program manager of the air force particle beam technology program, serving in that capacity from september 1975 until july 1977 at the air force weapons laboratory, kirtland afb, new mexico. A particlebeam weapon uses a highenergy beam of atomic or subatomic particles to damage the target by disrupting its atomic andor molecular structure. A linear accelerator in space the beam experiment aboard rocket pdf. Now, lets look at the y axis of the beam weapon possibility space. Particle beam weapon definition of particle beam weapon by. Physics of highintensity highenergy particle beam propagation in. Jun 23, 2017 random information on the term particle beam weapon. While many existing resources in beams and accelerators are specialized to aid the professional practitioner, this text. One official document in particular which dates back to 1983, and that was declassified under the terms of the freedom of information act demonstrates a great deal of interest in teslas work in the area of death rays. Also as a follow up question i read somewhere that a charge field could easily stop any particle weapon how true is this. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page information wikidata item cite this page. Copies of teslas papers on particle beam weaponry were sent to patterson air force base in dayton, ohio. A particle beam weapon is a type of directedenergy weapon, which directs energy in a particular and focused direction using particles with minuscule mass. This particle beam fusion accelerator facility provides threatlevel xray effects testing and experiments on complex electronic systems, such as reentry body arming, fuzing, and firing assemblies, with high spectral and temporal fidelity.
Neutral particle beam weapon concepts aerospace projects. Three main constituents of the particle accelerator are. Today while its development lags that of the high energy laser, the particle beam weapon is viewed by some military technicians as the followon weapon to the laser, because of its higher potential lethality. Instead of transporting destructive energy to a target in the form of an explosive warhead carried inside a ponderous vehicle such as a mis sile or an artillery shell, a particlebeam weapon would increase the kinetic ener. The propagation of kinetic energy weapons in a vacuum. Some particlebeam weapons are real and have potential practical applications, e. Rosenzweig fundamentals of beam physics rosenzweig 2 2 this book presents beam physics using a unified approach, emphasizing basic concepts and analysis methods. Teslas electrokinetic and electrogravitic machine air ship designs 1911. Particlebeam weapons system ieee conference publication. A particle beam is a stream of charged or neutral particles, in many cases moving at near the speed of light there is a difference between the creation and control of charged particle beams and neutral particle beams, as only the first type can be manipulated to a sufficient extent by devices based on electromagnetism. Particle beam weapon definition of particle beam weapon. Random information on the term particle beam weapon. A particlebeam weapon is a type of directedenergy weapon, which directs energy in a particular and focused direction using particles with minuscule mass.
The prospects of developing a muon beam weapon do disable enemy missiles is now certain. Currently, the particles being used to form the beam are electrons, protons, or hydrogen atoms. Titled new art of projecting concentrated nondispersive energy through natural media, the paper provided the first technical description of what is today called a charged particle beam weapon. A particlebeam weapon is a weaponized version of this technology. This is a pure antiship weapon and would perform badly if used as a point defence weapon. On that day i went to the library and started looking for documents which. The device was, in theory, capable of generating an intense targeted beam of energy that could be used to dispose of enemy warplanes, foreign armies, or anything else youd rather didnt exist. Particle beams weapons fire streams of quickmoving projectiles, and only really differ from rifles because rifles use a quintillionth of the ammo, and about the same proportion of energy. Finally, for endoatmospheric beam weapons, the pinch effect provides the means for radially confining charged particle beams. If you are having a raygun fight in an atmosphere, you want the laser gun to use some color of visible light or. The total energy within the beam is the aggregate energy of the rapidly moving particles, each particle having kinetic energy due to its own mass and motion. A ship armed with particle beams should attempt to engage at longer ranges against other beam armed ships to take advantage of its fixed damage, while enemy damage decreases with range.
Kirtland afb sandia national laboratories beam weapons. One type of socalled laser radar inertial platform combination system has the following operating principles. Today while its development lags that of the high energy laser, the particlebeam weapon is viewed by some military technicians as the followon weapon to the laser, because of its higher potential lethality. Chapter 16 teslas death ray and the accelerated particle beam weapon embedded in the army field reports and air materiel command engineering evaluations analyzing the roswell craft were descriptions of how the spacecraft might have utilized a form of energy known as directed energy, powerful beams of excited electrons that could be precisely directed at any target. It was actually declassified more than a few years ago and, for a while, could be found at the fbis main website. So ive read about particle beam weapons and as far as i understand its simply a concentrated beam of particles ie electrons emitted towards an object. Directed energy missile defense in space part 5 of 15. Particlebeam weapon is a concept of directed energy weapons and used for attacking targets utilizing particlebeam with high energy. So rather than risk teslas technology falling into the hands of americas enemies. Particle beam weapons are the ultimate scifi weapon for hard science fiction authors and worldbuilders.
A particlebeam weapon is a type of directedenergy weapon, which directs energy in a particular and focused direction using particles with negligible mass. Directed energy weapons include laser, high power radio frequency hprf, and particle beam technologies hprf technology is frequently called high power microwave hpm or rf directed energy. You cant steer or redirect that beam to any great degree so. The idea of a particle beam weapon looks attractive to world leaders. Laser and charged particle beam weapons the heritage. The current beamweapon program is originated from teslas death rays idea.
A particle beam weapon uses a highenergy beam of atomic or subatomic particles to damage the target by disrupting its atomic andor molecular structure. There are two basic categories of directed energy weapons from a technical. Just after world war ii, there was a renewed interest in beam weapons. The primary advantage of the charged particle beam type of wea passing through the atmosphere as is the case with a laser beam weap0n. It accelerates charged particles in most cases electrons, positrons, protons, or ionized atoms, but very advanced versions can accelerate other particles such as mercury nuclei to nearlight speed and then shoots them at a target. With the exception of some of the brilliant pebbles and zenith star designs, almost nothing apart from unreliable artwork has been released. Three neutral particle beam satellite weapon concepts were shown, in lowrez and frustrating detail, in a report on power systems for sdi use. Nikola teslas death ray is real, declassified files. These weapons, with the exception of particle beam weapons pbws and laserinduced plasma channel lipc weapons, generate streams of electromagnetic energy that can be precisely directed over long distances to disable or destroy intended targets. The declassified files, published after 73 years as a freedom of information release, provide vindication for conspiracy theorists who have long claimed that many tesla innovations were suppressed by the powers that be, claims that scientists and mainstream media have rubbished as wild conspiracy theories until now in the 1930s tesla reportedly invented a particle beam weapon that some. Jan, 2015 the idea of a particle beam weapon looks attractive to world leaders. A particlebeam weapon is a type of directedenergy weapon, which directs energy in a particular and focused direction using particles with miniscule mass. It was the height of world war ii, and tesla had claimed to have invented a powerful particlebeam weapon, known as the death ray, that could have proved invaluable in the ongoing conflict. Kirtland afb phillips lab particle accelerator particle.
This paper does not explore particle beam weapons further. Colonel roberds is a distinguished graduate of air command and staff college and a graduate. Some particlebeam weapons have potential practical applications, e. On september 21 of this year the fbi uploaded to its website, the vault, its eyeopening file on nikola tesla. As part of the beam experiments aboard rocket bear project, a prototype hydrogen beam weapon is launched from white sands missile range in july 1989 and. A particle beam weapon is a type of directedenergy weapon, which directs energy in a particular and focused direction using particles with negligible mass. Additionally, in its capacity as lead laboratory, sandia coordinates doesupported pulsed power fusion work at other government. Jan 22, 2016 a particle beam weapon uses a highenergy beam of atomic or subatomic particles to damage the target by disrupting its atomic andor molecular structure. Jul 02, 2012 this is just for fun so dont take it too seriously. The air force research lab called phillips laboratory until 2000, is headquartered at kirtland air force base. Additionally, in its capacity as lead laboratory, sandia coordinates doesupported pulsed power fusion work at other government operated. The manipulation and diagnostics of charged particle beams at high kinetic. One issue has to do with convincing the warfighter that theres a niche for this new type of weapon.
The file, which can be found at this link, makes for fascinating reading. Apr 25, 20 particle beams weapons fire streams of quickmoving projectiles, and only really differ from rifles because rifles use a quintillionth of the ammo, and about the same proportion of energy. Muons can be formed into a tight beam and projected for many kilometers through the atmosphere with little attenuation. Categories click to retract administrative policy procedures. A laser aimsight can be the actual weapon optics, much like an slr reflex camera eyepiece. Recently, proposals have been set forth to exploit such particle beams as possible defense mechanisms to be used to protect against offensive missiles which may be launched by a hostile power. The successful development of a particle beam weapon would require significant technology gains across several difficult. The particle accelerator is the source of highenergy particle beam and is therefore the heart of the particle beam weapon system. Lasers, highpower microwaves and highenergy particle beams have been exploited for dew development. Nikola teslas death ray is real, declassified files reveal. In this case of satellite borne particle beam weapons, if the angle of the target is from 20 to 0. Saturn also provides high temperature, large volume hohlraums and other cold xray environments for weapon physics. Particle accelerators as they currently exist would be terrible weapons.
Laser and charged particle beam weapons the heritage foundation. The mystery of nikola teslas missing files history. The laboratory is one of the air forces major research and development labs, and is a focal point for all space and missilerelated research and technology. In a particle beam weapon pbw, intense beams of electrons, protons, or atoms are produced by a high energy accelerator and aimed at a. Particlebeam weapons would differ fundamentally from all earlier instru ments of war.
Degradation can range from temporary upsets in electronics subsystems, permanent circuit. The main drawbacks of particle beam weapons is they are power hogs, they are difficult to reduced to pistol size, and terras atmosphere will scatter enough of the beam to give the firer a lethal dose of radiation. They are typically giant structures with one or two small rooms where the particle beam is actually delivered. Nov 27, 2018 it was the height of world war ii, and tesla had claimed to have invented a powerful particlebeam weapon, known as the death ray, that could have proved invaluable in the ongoing conflict.
The particle beam weapon generates its destructive power by accelerating sufficient quantities of subatomic particles or atoms to velocities near the speed of light and focusing these particles into a very highenergy beam. Tesla offered his particlebeam weapon to numerous governments, including the united states, but the only country to show interest was the soviet union, which conducted a. Some particle beam weapons have potential practical applications, e. In the 1930s tesla reportedly invented a particle beam weapon that some, ironically, called a peace ray, says lauren davis at io9. Im pretty sure im missing a big piece here when i say it it just sound too easy but. A particle beam weapon is a type of directedenergy weapon, which directs energy in a particular and focused direction using particles with miniscule mass. This is just for fun so dont take it too seriously. The main advantage of particle beam weapons is they have penetration that make lasers look like throwing a handfull of thistledown. This makes the aimsight vastly more accurate than iron sights. A raygun is a type of fictional device that fires a beam of usually destructive energy used in science fiction. When, however, the fbi created the vault many of its files such as those on marilyn monroe.