Re: Sand

In message <9705122104.AA02301@nps.navy.mil> "Phillip E. Pournelle"
writes:
> At 02:42 PM 5/12/97 -0400, Mike Miserendino wrote:
> >Nope.  The magnetic field would keep the screen where it was needed.
> >Remember as well, the particles have little to no mass.  It would
take very
> >little energy to keep them in place.
> 
>	  The Assumption regarding the mass is incorrect in this case. 
In
> order to have any significant effect in intercepting photons in a
coherent
> laser and still have enough mass left over to continue an effective
screen
> over the large volume of space that we are talking about, would
require a
> reasonably significant mass.	Therefore, it would take quite a bit of
energy
> to keep this mass of swirling crystals to stay with the orginating
craft.
>	  Phil P.

Presumably, since energy is energy, mass is mass and delta-vee is
delta-vee; it isn't going to take any more energy to keep the
crystals with you as you accelerate if they're outside or inside
your ship.

Unless I'm wrong (as usual). Anybody?

-- 
David Brewer