Re: Laser snipers

----- Original Message -----
> True. But it would ionize it all the way to the target. Thus the sonic
boom
> would not be as localized as a gun shot. However, if there were the
> accompaning electrical discharge (lightning), it could show almost
exactly
> where the sniper is.

The noticeable effects of Ionization depend on the intensity and
frequency
of the beam. From the low to the high end, this would be:
- slight electrical charges in the athmosphere. Minimal effects like a
faint
vapour trail in humid air.
- light emission by the ionized atoms. Depending on intensity, this may
be
either only detectable with electrooptic light intensifiers or with the
naked eye
- Extreme heating of the air passed through. Only this would produce
something like a thunder.

Other effects:
- light scattering off dust /smoke in the athmospere. This is what make
a
visible light laser beam visible in the athmosphere. In clean air, even
a
visible light beam cannot be observed.

>
> On the other hand the film I saw (several years ago) of an high energy
laser
> hitting a target did NOT leave a visible trail (spectrum was above
visible).
> I could not tell if there was any associated sound because the target
> exploded as the metal was superheated.

The sound from the weapon itself is hard to guess, but is probably low.
There could some cracks from thermal effects produced by waste heat.
Also
the weapon may be visible to IR detectors.

As somebody else has shown, the recoil from a laser weapon is
negligible.

Greetings