> I have a question for you technical types:
>
>Reference : SHIVA a science fiction book of some years ago which postulated
>drawing power from the Ionospher by "shorting' it to ground using laser beams
>to ionize a path.
I haven't seen this. Is it good hard SF?
>Reference: Forest Bishops Web Page...his article on an Antartic Mass Driver
>(Orbital Catapult )
Please, it is called "South Pole Accelerator". The reason I name my
inventions/concepts is to assist in my claim to them- the same reason
parents name their children.
>...in which he speaks of the "initialization" of a
>pathway...
>my question: what would happen IF a pathway to the ionisphere is
>ionized...surely current would flow...hell of a lightning bolt? Or
>not....please elucidate.
The SPA corridor indeed has a plasma core, but the purpose is to create a
partially evacuated flight path for projectiles launched from the
surface. The plasma is somewhat sheathed by neutral gas. I didn't look in detail
at its electronic efffects on the ionosphere, maybe someone should.
There is somethng of a "hole" in the ionosphere at the pole, south of
the Auroral Light (where electrons and ions entrained in Earth's magnetic
field hit the upper atmosphere) affording a reduced particle density.
I think there would be a quasi-static stabilization of Earth-to-space
current after the corridor is established, probably near zero amps. If this
doesn't occur naturally, it might be assisted by electrically isolating the
launch facility, charging the projectiles, etc.
You might also want to check out the HAARP website, I think that instrument is
capable of constructing a plasma corridor, possible reaching to the surface, or
to a tower.
>EvMIck
>Roswell New Mexico
^^^^^^^^ And how's it going in the hometown?
Forrest Bishop