Questions About the Ramp-Up Theory

[Torvus]

Two questions:

1. The EGWT states that laser weapons, etc. function by sending their high-energy particles through coils of "galven circuitry," through meters or even kilometers of the things.

If TL particles are bosons (as we presume them to be), how can they be channeled in this fashion? How is it that this process can increase the focus and thus range of the beam?

2. How is it that lasers can fire off-axis? (How can SW have bendy lasers? )

Just curious to see if these issues have been addressed.

[Torvus]

I take it they haven't, then.

[ClaysGhost]

I don't understand your use of "boson" in this context?

[Torvus]

Originally Posted by ClaysGhost

I don't understand your use of "boson" in this context?

Perhaps I used it incorrectly, but I was refering to luxons such as photons, which carry the fundamental forces. This is as opposed to small subatomic particles, such as leptons.

[Mad]

Originally Posted by Torvus

1. The EGWT states that laser weapons, etc. function by sending their high-energy particles through coils of "galven circuitry," through meters or even kilometers of the things.

If TL particles are bosons (as we presume them to be), how can they be channeled in this fashion? How is it that this process can increase the focus and thus range of the beam?

Do we even know what a "galven coil" is? How can we ask anything about operation "in this fashion" when we don't even know what "this fashion" is to begin with?

As far as I can tell, the only way anyone of could give an answer here is to make assumptions about what "galven coils" are and what they do, and then to assign the necessary properties to the particles used in turbolasers.

The more specific you want to get, the more speculation would have to come into play.

In general (that is, with the least amount of speculation I can think of), the coil probably generates a force field that pushes the turbolaser particles towards the center of the coil. With the correct angling, the beam should be tightly focused and thus it won't diffuse until it is further away from the gun. (This actually seems to be the intent since the word "focus" was used.)

Do you perceive some kind of issue with this?

2. How is it that lasers can fire off-axis? (How can SW have bendy lasers? )

Whatever force is used by the galven coils is probably used to redirect the turbolaser beam. Again, is there something wrong with that?

Just curious to see if these issues have been addressed.

Not directly, no. A generalized explanation seems to work well enough given the vague details.

[Torvus]

Whoa, I'm just curious. I'm not trying to challenge the theory here.

Here, let me dig up some specific quotes:

"Laser canons use long barrels - with interior galven coils and circuits - to maintain the beam's cohesion over incredible distances."

A question, can "cohesion" be used as a synonym for "focus?"

Regarding planetary TL's:

"The turbolaser's barrel is nearly twenty-five meters in diameter and uses three kilometers of galven circuits to focus the energy bolt."

Another question - is "circuit" limited to being something which transmits electricity, or does it apply elsewhere? Part of why I ask about the coils is because I had originally thought they were transferring electrons or some other electrically charged particles.

It also states blasters to have a "galvenning" system, although blasters (most, at least) are supposed to be plasma weapons.

I was just wondering if particles resembling photons could, realistically, be not just directed but also focused by a looping multi-meter spiral of (circuit?) material.

[Mad]

Originally Posted by Torvus

Whoa, I'm just curious. I'm not trying to challenge the theory here.

Sorry if I came across too aggressive. I was trying to go with a intermediate kind of reply.

Here, let me dig up some specific quotes:

"Laser canons use long barrels - with interior galven coils and circuits - to maintain the beam's cohesion over incredible distances."

A question, can "cohesion" be used as a synonym for "focus?"

It's certainly being used in that context:

"The energy bolt's destructive power is incredible, and the barrel's galven coils focus the beam, providing a range that is double or triple that of conventional laser cannons. Turbolasers can also target planetary surfaces for devastating ground bombardments." - EGW&T page 88 (bolding mine)

It may be a stretch, but since cohesion and focus both refer to bringing things together (though typically in different contexts), they are both referring to the same concept.

Regarding planetary TL's:

"The turbolaser's barrel is nearly twenty-five meters in diameter and uses three kilometers of galven circuits to focus the energy bolt."

Another question - is "circuit" limited to being something which transmits electricity, or does it apply elsewhere? Part of why I ask about the coils is because I had originally thought they were transferring electrons or some other electrically charged particles.

No, it's not limited to electricity. Ever hear of a race track defined as a circuit? It just means the beginning and the end meet up.

It also states blasters to have a "galvenning" system, although blasters (most, at least) are supposed to be plasma weapons.

Well, again, we don't know what galven coils are. They could very well affect both turbolaser luxons and blaster bolts.

On the other hand, the descriptions of galven coils on turbolasers seem to suggest that laser cannons (in SW context, of course) don't have the galven coils. So going by the idea that turbolasers are beefed up lasers, which in turn are beefed up blasters, why would blasters and turbolasers have galven coils but lasers lack them? Perplexing. It does seem to suggest that there's some kind of difference between blasters and lasers for that to happen, though.

I was just wondering if particles resembling photons could, realistically, be not just directed but also focused by a looping multi-meter spiral of (circuit?) material.

As far as I know, yes. Or, as far as I know, no. It depends on what assumptions we make about the unknown properties of the exotic luxons and what we assume galven coils to be.

[ClaysGhost]

Originally Posted by Torvus

Perhaps I used it incorrectly, but I was refering to luxons such as photons, which carry the fundamental forces. This is as opposed to small subatomic particles, such as leptons.

I'd stick to luxons, because that sums up all we know about the TL particles. Calling them bosons implies extra information that we don't have (and most bosons aren't luxons). "Boson" and the complementary classification, "fermion", describe properties of particles (or of collections of particles), rather than distinguishing families of particles like the terms lepton, baryon, etc do.

[Torvus]

On the other hand, the descriptions of galven coils on turbolasers seem to suggest that laser cannons (in SW context, of course) don't have the galven coils. So going by the idea that turbolasers are beefed up lasers, which in turn are beefed up blasters, why would blasters and turbolasers have galven coils but lasers lack them? Perplexing. It does seem to suggest that there's some kind of difference between blasters and lasers for that to happen, though.

That first quote was from the "Laser Cannon" entry and mentions "galven coils and circuits."

Originally Posted by ClaysGhost

I'd stick to luxons, because that sums up all we know about the TL particles. Calling them bosons implies extra information that we don't have (and most bosons aren't luxons). "Boson" and the complementary classification, "fermion", describe properties of particles (or of collections of particles), rather than distinguishing families of particles like the terms lepton, baryon, etc do.

Ah, OK. What's the term that encompasses the four (assuming gravitons) fundamental forces?

[ClaysGhost]

Originally Posted by Torvus

Ah, OK. What's the term that encompasses the four (assuming gravitons) fundamental forces?

They're known as gauge bosons. But I doubt that the TL particle is a gauge boson.

[Mad]

Originally Posted by Torvus

That first quote was from the "Laser Cannon" entry and mentions "galven coils and circuits."

Ah, yeah... that should've been obvious from your quote. (I don't actually have the book and can only go off the quotes I see.) Still, the author worded what I quoted for turbolasers very strangely. Guess it doesn't mean anything, though.