Gauss weapons ...

A thread of 2 messages, 23 April 1990 to 24 April 1990, in the order they were sent.

#1252 Gauss weapons ...

Jim Cheetham · 23 April 1990

	From Adrian Hurt :-
>  I still think that either the gauss weapons fire high velocity, i.e.
>  supersonic  rounds, in which case they aren't silent except in vacuum
>  or near vacuum; or they are silent, therefore subsonic,

	I think I'll beg to disagree with the intention of this statement.
	The basis of Gauss guns being silent is that they don't use chemical
	explosion to launch the missile, they accelerate it over an immense
	magnetic potential energy difference (or something like that ...)
	This means that the *mechanism* of the launch is silent. It also
	means that many varied missile types can be launched - delicate
	ones such solid chemical slivers (remember the bit on non-lethal
	weapons ...?) that wouldn't withstand the effects of an explosion
	to launch them.
	As for the rounds' speed affecting the amount of noise generated,
	yes, I can see the argument about supersonic speeds. You probably
	would hear the MACH barrier pressure wave as it passed you, but
	your target wouldn't ... until it was too late.
	If you want to use the gauss weapon as a sniper tool, it's important
	that your position isn't given away (hence use subsonic speeds),
	but presumably it isn't important whether or not they know the target
	has been hit (they will presumably find out sooner or later ... :-)
	so why not use a variant of smart round that explodes on impact and
	gives the final `shove' to the front portion of the round that has
	to do the hard part of penetrating armour ... ?

	Alternatively, do away with hand-to-hand combat and accelerate
	an asteroid straight onto the battle-ground. Nothing like a
	nice 300-km wide crater to encourage the other side to surrender!
	(Apologies - got a bit carried away there ... sorry ! :-}
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     _____               (JANET) [email removed]
    (__ __) O  ______    (local) [email removed]
   (____)  (_)(_)()(_)   (voice) (+44) 1 549 1366 x2690
   Jim Cheetham, ISD Kingston Polytechnic.
   "... nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#1254 Re: Gauss weapons ...

Mark F. Cook · 24 April 1990 · reply to #1252

>From Jim Cheetham :-
>     From Adrian Hurt :-
>>  I still think that either the gauss weapons fire high velocity, i.e.
>>  supersonic  rounds, in which case they aren't silent except in vacuum
>>  or near vacuum; or they are silent, therefore subsonic,
>
>     I think I'll beg to disagree with the intention of this statement.
>     The basis of Gauss guns being silent is that they don't use chemical
>     explosion to launch the missile, they accelerate it over an immense
>     magnetic potential energy difference (or something like that ...)
>     This means that the *mechanism* of the launch is silent. It also
>     means that many varied missile types can be launched - delicate
>     ones such solid chemical slivers (remember the bit on non-lethal
>     weapons ...?) that wouldn't withstand the effects of an explosion
>     to launch them.
>     As for the rounds' speed affecting the amount of noise generated,
>     yes, I can see the argument about supersonic speeds. You probably
>     would hear the MACH barrier pressure wave as it passed you, but
>     your target wouldn't ... until it was too late.

Sorry, but I have to side with Adrian.  Speaking as an experienced hunter
and rabid firearms enthusiast, I can guarantee you that a 4mm supersonic
gauss needle makes a very noticable noise and a subsonic needle might not
even go through a thick leather jacket.  That is, of course, unless there
is some characteristic of gauss needles that cause them to behave in a sub-
stantially different fashion that other high velocity airborne projectiles.

Compare a 4mm needle (which is .157 caliber) to a .22 cal. long rifle
round.  The .22 round is supersonic and most of the 'crack' you hear
when firing it is due to the sonic shock wave.  A .22 short round, on
the other hand, is subsonic and is noticably quieter.  It can also be
stopped by 6 inches of compressed cardboard or a single 2 inch fir board.

Since the MACH wave disturbs the air, even people behind the firing point
will hear the report, otherwise (in the above example) the person firing
the .22 long round would never hear anything but the chemical explosion,
since they were behind the muzzle of the rifle.  Personal experience proves
that to be wrong.

As for your target not hearing the report until it was too late, well,
no one is arguing that.  But the same is true today for game/combat rifles
such as the 7mm Magnum, the .22-250, the 25-06, and 5.56mm NATO (to name a
few), which also fire supersonic rounds.  And finally, what would it matter
if the sonic wave preceeded the slug?  The .45 ACP (which was the standard
sidearm for U.S. armed forces until a few years ago) is subsonic and I
doubt that there are any documented cases of people dodging the slug after
they hear the shot fired at them.

While the magnetic acceleration process of the gauss weapon may be ABSOLUTELY
silent (and I have my doubts about this also), anyone within several hundred
meters of the weapon will be treated to the staccato crack of gauss needles
punching holes in the air.

Later,

            Noting the prominent bio-hazard labels on the canisters, Case
        commented, "I wouldn't play with those, boy.  You might get hurt."
            "Why don't you go lick a dog's ass 'til it bleeds." came the
        reply.
                 - "Neuromancer"

        Mark F. Cook

USMail: User Interface Technical Support
        Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
        [address removed]

INTERNET: [email removed]
UUCP:     {cmcl2, harpo, hplabs, rice, tektronix}!hp-pcd!markc