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From: els@pur-phy.UUCP (Eric Strobel)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: X-ray lasers
Message-ID: <1120@pur-phy.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 1-Dec-83 14:04:07 EST
Article-I.D.: pur-phy.1120
Posted: Thu Dec  1 14:04:07 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Dec-83 04:37:17 EST
References: <13929@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Physics Dept.
Lines: 13


     As far as I've heard, the driving device is DEFINITELY NOT megaton-size!
An x-ray laser has already been tested (in fact several of them), and a test
using a megaton-range device would be in blatant violation of the SALT treaty.
The device used is most likely one of the 3rd generation of nuclear explosives,
similar to the neutron bomb.  These are low-yield (~typical of tactical devices)
and are designed to enhance energy output in some band, at the expense of output
in other forms.  The neutron bomb is sort of the prototypical example of the
3rd generation devices.


                                    els[Eric Strobel]
                                    decvax!pur-ee!physics:els