Re: [TCML] small ionizing source on top of toroid

[Yurtle Turtle <yurtle_t@xxxxxxxxx>]

In case some of you didn't catch this the first time around:

http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2008/08/07

Adam

--- On Tue, 11/11/08, Bert Hickman <bert.hickman@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [TCML] small ionizing source on top of toroid
> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 11:35 PM
> Frosty wrote:
> > I remember reading once that it is thought that
> natural lightning can
> > achieve such huge 'spark lengths' at
> relativley low voltages because of
> > avalanche break down from (ionizing) cosmic rays. Does
> any one know what
> > sort of energies/radiation intensities would be
> required to actually cause
> > runaway break down on the tesla coil level? I dont
> think americium would be
> > too effective because it emmits alpha particles (I
> think), which cant go
> > more than a few cm in air.
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > Jesse
> > _______________________________________________
> > Tesla mailing list
> > Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
> > 
> 
> Hi Jesse,
> 
> The problem with natural lightning is that, even though
> immense voltages  are present, the measured E-fields (before
> breakdown) within storms are not sufficient to trigger
> avalanche breakdown. Without this initial stage, the
> following stages (streamers, stepped leaders, return stroke,
> etc.) that eventually culminate in a lightning bolt, will
> never develop. Extensive atmospheric cosmic ray showers
> (EAS) and, more recently, lower energy background cosmic
> rays have been proposed as possible sources of large numbers
> of high energy secondary electrons that can "run
> away" in the presence of ambient E-fields.
> 
> "Runaway" electrons require an initial energy of
> 100 keV or higher, typically in the range of ~100 keV - 10
> MeV. When high energy cosmic rays collide with our
> atmosphere, electrons can be generated from the decay of
> daughter particles, electron-positron pair production,
> Compton scattering, bremsstrahlung, and collisional
> ionization. Here's a web-accessible paper that describes
> one of the theories:
> http://www.phy.olemiss.edu/~jgladden/phys510/spring06/Gurevich.pdf
> 
> Certain radioactive isotopes undergo beta decay that
> generates electrons (or positrons) that could trigger
> runaway breakdown. An example would be Phosphorus 32, a high
> energy man-made beta emitter, where the electrons have an
> average energy of 0.69 MeV and a maximum energy of over 1.7
> MeV. These electrons can travel up to 20 feet through air,
> and they'll also generate high energy X-rays if the
> specimen is placed near a dense metal foil.
> 
> If these relativistic electrons are released near the
> surface of a TC topload, the ambient E-field might be
> sufficient to support runaway breakdown and spark breakout
> at lower output voltages than normally required. However, as
> Dave mentioned earlier, it would also be potentially quite
> hazardous from a radiation safety standpoint, even if you
> could obtain the appropriate isotopes and meet
> regulatory/safety criteria.
> 
> Bert
> -- ***************************************************
> 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
> ***************************************************
> _______________________________________________
> Tesla mailing list
> Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla


      
_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla