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Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Accelerator Momentum Loss
Message-ID: <6322@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 25-Jan-86 20:54:59 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.6322
Posted: Sat Jan 25 20:54:59 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 25-Jan-86 20:54:59 EST
References: <12177393347.39.MCGRATH@OZ.AI.MIT.EDU>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 13

> Another solution is possible.  If a charge is placed on the
> accelerator, then it becomes a gigantic charged particle moving in the
> earth's magnetic field.  We know that in this case a force is exerted
> on the particle, a force that can be used to transfer angular momentum
> from the field to the particle, thus making up for the momentum lost
> by the payload acceleration...

Small problem:  as I recall it, at least for the simple case of motion
at right angles to the field lines (close enough, for an equatorial orbit),
the force is at *right angles* to the motion.  This isn't what's wanted.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry