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comment by am_Unition
am_Unition  ·  3788 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: A billion times the power the earth requires

Since the proton's mass is ~1000 times that of the electron's, they're ~1000 times more difficult to manipulate.

You could use some rare-earth magnets to generate a stronger magnetic field, but those don't really scale up so well.

This is an interesting concept, but there's several sizable engineering hurdles to overcome, in addition to those outlined in the article.

And what do you need this for? I'm curious...





mknod  ·  3787 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    Since the proton's mass is 1000 times that of the electron's, they're 1000 times more difficult to manipulate.

I would question this logic heavily, I am made up of many many protons (I haven't counted lately, but it's much more than 1000 still I think) and I am very easy to manipulate.

am_Unition  ·  3787 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I would question this logic heavily, I am made up of many many protons (I haven't counted lately, but it's much more than 1000 still I think) and I am very easy to manipulate.

Do you prefer blackmail or extortion? ;)

But yeah, of course, I meant "within a plasma". Dat phat proton gyroradius...

JakobVirgil  ·  3787 days ago  ·  link  ·  

No magnets needed?

JakobVirgil  ·  3787 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Funneling Protium to Venus to be used to make light water. My idea is a sort of lense with a focal point within the Venusian atmosphere. If my thinking is right it should produce Methane and Water when reacting with the C02. If it is collectible only a few gallons a day would be needed to cover the needs of a cloud settlement as it would be recycled vigorously.

am_Unition  ·  3787 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Well you're in luck!

Venus has no magnetosphere to deflect the solar wind, only an induced ionopause. The solar wind is full of H+ ions, so I think that what you're trying to do is actually already happening to a degree (physics pun!). My guess is that the H+ recombines with solar wind electrons before it has enough interaction with the CO2 to tear it apart.

You're really keen on that Venus colony, huh? Myself, I don't find the idea too feasible, but I hope I'm wrong.

JakobVirgil  ·  3787 days ago  ·  link  ·  

They blow in then out with a net loss. I just want a bunch of em in the same place. Terraforming is a fools errand I just want to see a permanent cloud colony that grows its own food and does science.

[edit added phrase "and does science" there at the end]