>
> I always assumed that the Black Globe was modeled on the Langston
>Field from Jerry Pournelle's Co-Dominium series. It was black,
I prefer this version of the Globe too. It doesn't give the user an "ultimate"
defense as traveller's version does. If and when I ever use them, I will allow
overloading them as in the CoDominium. If you recall, in the MOTE universe you
have to concentrate lots of offense in one small area to overload it, then the
field-stored energy is radiated inward to the generator itself.
Since the field is 3-dimensional, it takes energy to create it and MORE energy
to create the 'hole' in the middle for the ship to occupy (otherwise the field
would absorb the energy in the ship, and even in the crew's bodies). Speaking
of which, I believe I recall a scene in MOTE where one of the crew works his
way through the field in order to look around. It seems that when he came back
he was cold because the field had started to absorb the molecular energy of his
body. Does anyone else remember this? And does traveller's version allow
going through a Black Globe this way (albeit slowly)?
>running uphill in winter). Also, the ship inside the field can poke
>antennae and such through the field so that they can have a look around
>
I think this is wrong. sticking an antenna through won't do any good.
The field will just absorb the energy of the electrons coming through it. I
believe they had to create a 'hole' in the Field and point their sensors
through it (which, of course, took yet *more* power :) in order to look around.
> Okay, where has this taken us? To the issue of material objects
>...
>course, if you use a sufficient amount of handwaving, you can violate
>physics all you want. ;-)
> >
Since this is all hand-waving physics anyway, lets wave some more...;-)
- - - ------Subject Change: robot fighters------
>
> How about manning them with robots? The might not be cheap, but they obey
>orders without questioning, and without regards to the odds.
A friend of mine came up w/ this idea (hi Tim ;-), Since robots don't need
life support, it cuts down on size, weight and complexity of the fighters also.
- - - ------Subject Change: cosmic rays ---------
>>
>> Supposedly, NASA considers the secondary radiation generated by
>> cosmic rays hitting an armored hull to be more deadly than the cosmic
>> radiation itself. An interview I saw recommended having 2 habitats
It is. I recall reading that primary cosmic rays, if they hit a person, would
go right through without affecting him at all. It is the secondary, tertiary
and lower rays cascaded by the atmosphere that do damage to humans. However,
not being a Physicist, I admit that I may be recalling this incorrectly.
>
>(So no more Annic Nova drives...Metlay, are you listening? Was there ever
>an explanation of where the Annic Nova came from? (Not that I remember))
>
This sounds interesting....What is the Annic Nova (a ship I assume ;) and what
kind of drives did it have?
- - -------
Disclaimer: This is me. Do I sound like anyone else?
Paul Baughman [email removed]