Re: Gauss Weapons

Jeff Lyon wrote:
> One of the projects they were working on in connection with Reagan's
> Strategic Defense Initiative was the railgun.  (As I understand it, a
gauss
> weapon would be a "coilgun" -- a close relative of the railgun. 
Anyone
> have any details on the distinction between them?)

	Coilguns are better.

	A coilgun is a series of coils that accelerate the projectile
	by electromagnetic attraction and repulsion.
	
	A railgun is two rail with a conducting projectile closing
	the circuit, accelerated by the Lorentz force.

	With the railgun, each projectile rides a furious arc of
	electricity, eroding the hell out of the rails.  The
	electrical power requirements are horrendous.  None of this
	is true with coilguns.

	For more details:

	Coilgun:
http://www.millennial.org/~jwills/orbit/SPBI112.HTM

	Railgun:
http://www.millennial.org/~jwills/orbit/SPBI113.HTM

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