Abstract
This article explores the feasibility of particle beam weapons, identifies the physical principles that would govern their operation, assesses the technical difficulties, and evaluates their potential uses.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Robinson, C. A. Aviat. Week Space Technol. 109(15), 42 (1978); 109(16), 42 (1978).
Garwin, R. L. Bull. atom. Scient. 34, 24 (1978).
Parmentola, J. & Tsipis, K. Scient. Am. 240, 54 (1979).
Beste, D. C. IEEE Trans. Aerospace Electron. Syst. AES-14, 446 (1978).
Abramowitz, M. & Stegun, I. A. Handbook of Mathematical Functions, 319 (Dover, 1970).
Alfvén, H. Phys. Rev. 55, 425 (1939).
Jackson, J. D. Classical Electrodynamics, Ch. 12 (Wiley, New York, 1962).
Dimov, G. I., Dereviankin, G. Ye & Dudnikov, V. G. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. NS- 24, 1545 (1977).
Prelec, K. (ed.), Proc. Symp. Production and Neutralization of Negative Hydrogen Ions and Beams (Brookhaven National Laboratory Report No. BNL 50727 UC-34a, 1977).
Sweetman, D. R. Culham Laboratory Rep. No. R112 (Abingdon, 1971).
Hammer, D. A. & Rostoker, N. Phys. Fluids 13, 1831 (1970).
Davidson, R. C. Theory of Nonneutral Plasmas (Benjamin, New York, 1974).
Lawson, J. D. J. Elect. Control 3, 587 (1957); 5, 146 (1958); J. Nucl. Energy C1, 31 (1959).
Briggs, R. J., Clark, J., Fessenden, T., Lee, E. & Lauer, E. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Rep. No. UCID-17516 (1977).
Lee, E. P. Phys. Fluids 21, 1327 (1978).
Lauer, E. J., Briggs, R. J., Fessenden, T. J., Hester, R. E. & Lee, E. P. Phys. Fluids 21, 1344 (1978).
MacDonald, A. D. Microwave Breakdown in Gases, 174 (Wiley, New York, 1966).
Link, W. T. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 14, 777 (1967).
Rossi, B. High Energy Particles (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1956).
Briggs, R. J., Hester, R. E., Lauer, E. J., Lee, E. P. & Spoerlein, R. L. Phys. Fluids 19, 1007 (1976).
Lee, E. P. Phys. Fluids 19, 60 (1976).
Williams, E. J. Proc. R. Soc. A169, 542 (1939).
Blanchard, C. H. NBS Circ. 527, 9 (1954).
Bethe, H. A. & Ashkin, J. in Experimental Nuclear Physics Vol. 1 (ed. Segre, E.) 168 (1953).
Mott, N. F. & Massey, H. S. W. The Theory of Atomic Collisions, 367 (Oxford Press, 1949).
Yonas, G. & Spence, P., Rec. 10th Symp. Electron, Ion, and Laser Beam Technology (ed. Marton, L.), 143, (San Francisco Press 1969).
Lee, E. P., Chambers, F. W., Lodestro, L. L. & Yu, S. S. Proc. 2nd int. Conf. High-Power Electron and Ion Beam Res. and Technology, Cornell University Vol. I, 381 (1977).
Charbonnier, F. M., Barbour, J. P., Brewster, J. L., Dyke, W. P. & Grundhouser, F. J. IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. NS- 14, 789 (1967).
Clark, J. J. & Linke, S. IEEE Trans. elect. Dev. ED- 18, 322 (1971).
Griem, H. R. Plasma Spectroscopy Ch. 1 & 2 (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1964).
Stier, P. M. & Barnett, C. F. Phys. Rev. 103, 896 (1956).
Barnett, C. F. & Reynolds, H. K. Phys. Rev. 109, 355 (1958).
Garwin, R. L. & Bethe, H. A. Scient. Am., March (1968).
Garwin, R. L. Internal Security Vol. 1, No. 2 (1976).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bekefi, G., Feld, B., Parmentola, J. et al. Particle beam weapons—a technical assessment. Nature 284, 219–225 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/284219a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/284219a0
This article is cited by
-
Two dynamical models for solar spicules
Solar Physics (1996)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
