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Re: [TCML] Bert Hickman, Lichtenberg Figures and Shrunken Quarters...
Hi Jim, Jeff, and DC,
Thank you all for the kind words!
During our March Lichtenberg production run, we invited some physicists
from FermiLab and the University of Wisconsin. Also, Dave Speck (from
the TCML), team member and physicist Bill Hathaway from Maryland, and a
few other HV enthusiasts to help. In previous runs, local coilers Steve
Ward, Jeff Larson, and Terry Blake have also helped make figures and
capture photos and videos of the process.
BTW, you would not believe how much fun it is to make these... :^)
Imagine a block of 12" x 12" x 1" plastic, containing a trapped layer of
negative space charge that has an internal potential of ~2.2 million
volts. Other than being a bit darker (solarization), it otherwise looks
the same as before being irradiated. However, the charged block holds
almost 1000 joules of energy and a huge swarm of electrons looking for
any defect that would let them escape. The specimen behaves like a
"plateless", high energy HV capacitor. A simple, carefully placed poke
with a well-insulated center punch suddenly releases the trapped charges
in a brilliant, multi-kiloampere discharge. Its all over within a few
hundred nanoseconds. Paradoxically, the wave of internal fractures (that
make up the Lichtenberg Figure) propagates at an average velocity that's
over 800X the maximum speed predicted by classical (Griffith) fracture
theory. Each specimen yields a very satisfying flash and bang, and each
develops a different surprise within.
BTW, did I mention that making these is a lot of fun? :^)
Jim, the machines at Fermi and Argonne primarily accelerate heavy
particles (protons or anti-protons) to extremely high energies. We need
high speed electrons, ideally between 3 - 10 MeV. At higher energies,
the Plexiglas begins to become slightly/temporarily radioactive via
neutron activation. The 150 kW Dynamitron facility we use can go between
1-5 million electron volts. It can deliver an e-beam current of up to 30
mA at 5 million volts. It provides excellent, repeatable results and is
only about 400 miles away. We have on occasion used other pulsed e-beam
facilities that went up to 15 MeV for experimental runs. You can read
all the gory details about making Lichtenberg Figures here:
http://www.capturedlightning.com/frames/Lichtenbergs.html
A video of some specimens being discharged can be found at the bottom of
the March, 2008 Popular Science article on making Lichtenberg Figures:
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2008-02/trap-lightning-block
DC, I am planning on going to the Cheesehead Teslathon again - its
always a blast! Thanks for hosting it!
Thanks again and best wishes,
Bert
Jim Mora wrote:
> Hi Jeff,
>
> I fully concur! I met Bert at DC's Thon a few years ago. Great guy!
Anyway,
> he sold me a wonderful, lighted figure for my wife. It really is
> spectacular. I have showed it proudly at several meetings.
>
> I like the story he told me about a few somewhat whacky scientists
piling in
> the car with all the plexi they could carry and off to Kent State for
> blasting them - surprising with Argone in his back yard and Fermi Lab
a few
> miles down the road. Bert, maybe you can again explain the difference
in the
> particles that you blast with at the Kent accelerator?
>
> Thanks,
> Jim Mora
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf
> Of Jeff Behary
> Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 2:36 PM
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [TCML] Bert Hickman, Lichtenberg Figures and Shrunken
Quarters...
>
>
> Hello all,
> I know this isn't a post regarding TC construction, but I feel the
need to
> comment on a box I got today in the mail from someone we all know on the
> list.I have looked at Bert's pages, and seen his interesting
creations for
> years now, and this afternoon received an assortment of items I can
hardly
> believe.
>
> As nice as his webpage is, it can do no justice to how beautiful and
ornate
> these items are up-close and in-person: to see the dimension of these
> figures, and how intricate they really are is nothing short of
spectacular.
>> From this point on, any lecture I do on Tesla and Tesla Coiling will
include
> these figures to pass around to the audience. These are really something
> special.
>
> Sorry if I sound like a commercial, it isn't my intent - I think for
anyone
> though that has seen his fascinating pages and wondered how nice they
really
> are, I just want to affirm that the items are even more impressive in
> person.
>
> Jeff Behary
> _________________________________________________________________
--
***************************************************
We specialize in UNIQUE items! Coins shrunk by huge
magnetic fields, Lichtenberg Figures (our "Captured
Lightning") and out of print technical Books. Visit
Stoneridge Engineering at http://www.teslamania.com
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