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Post by Attero Dominatus on Mar 29, 2010 19:02:54 GMT -5
What is Metastability?
In laymans terms, metastability is an 'island' of temporary stability in a 'sea' where it normally does not exist. At the atomic level, certain compounds of atoms exist in a metastable state.
Most of these compounds form and then deform within a timespan of microseconds. The yellow light from Helium discharge lamps comes from the electrically induced formation and decomposition of short-lived Helium molecules, which release photons in the process.
Every element with atomic numbers above 83 are essentially metastable nuclei, and decay at varying rates to more stable nuclei. Some isotopes of lighter elements also decay to non-radioactive forms.
Metastability is not entirely a physical phenomenon. It could be said that government is a metatstable form of civilization. Like an atomic nucleus, there is a limit to how large a government can be before radiating death. Beyond that point, there is only murderous and ultimately self destructive dictatorship.
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 29, 2010 22:33:40 GMT -5
I cannot argue with that but I have come to believe that any government will grow into a tyranny given the time.
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Post by Attero Dominatus on Mar 29, 2010 22:52:19 GMT -5
True. I agree on that 100%. Government inevitably becoming tyrannical is the basis of a short story I got started on.
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 30, 2010 8:11:58 GMT -5
Something to tell the socialists: Utopia is getting to write your own script, there won't be a "Happily ever after" if someone else is writing it.
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 31, 2010 16:44:54 GMT -5
How close do you think we are to developing one of those "flying cars"?
Or maybe a better question is... how rugged and simplified can an attack aircraft be? Something a reservist could keep in their barn for when they are needed. (in a sci-fi type story)
I suppose they could get the ol' null-gee device treatment but maybe those are only used for capital ships or something.
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Post by Attero Dominatus on Mar 31, 2010 16:57:48 GMT -5
How close are we to them? A prototype has been able to hover so far: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moller_Skycar_M400For an air-car turned attack craft, I would suggest having it be made of carbon fibers, maybe armored internally in critical areas by its owner with lightweight kevlar plates. Weapons? I would suggest machineguns mounted to the forward axis and custom-made hardpoints for expendable munitions like bombs, missiles, rockets, ECM pods and external fuel tanks. As for propulsion, could be be a ducted fan system powered by multi-fuel gas turbines. Your character would want a vehicle with at least two turbines because many vehicles that have two engines can operate on one for emergencies. Since it would naturally be able to hover, I would suggest the pilot use it like an attack helicopter. Find some cover to 'mask' behind, pop up, fire, then mask again. Fly low, nap of the earth (an air-car would have computers to do this automatically), below the enemy's 'radar floor.' But watch out for RPGs and machineguns! |
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 31, 2010 17:21:13 GMT -5
I guess a more organized and better equipped organization would be needed to actually have something like a fighter jet. I am envisioning something that a farmer might keep in a barn for when they are "called up". Something that would not really be state of the art, although that far in the future what you described could be considered stone-age. heh.
Sort of the difference between an P-52 Mustang and an F-22 Raptor I guess.
Just something I was thinking about.
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 31, 2010 17:27:32 GMT -5
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Post by Attero Dominatus on Mar 31, 2010 17:28:24 GMT -5
How far in the future did you want? I went with what might be possible between 20 and 100 years from now when I made that suggestion. Even further in the future, your farmer could have better technology like focus fusion reactors ( see focusfusion.org/ for information about this reactor type ) and magneto-hydro-dynamic turbines (which utilize the plasma directly for turning the drive shafts). |
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Post by Attero Dominatus on Mar 31, 2010 17:31:39 GMT -5
I like that design in your link. Something like that would do for your story. You would have less range due to the mass of the weapons and the drag they create but it could be a worthy tradeoff. Of your character could add additional fuel tanks to make up for that.
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 31, 2010 17:35:30 GMT -5
What kind of fuel do you think they'd be using in say 50-100 years?
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Post by Attero Dominatus on Mar 31, 2010 17:39:49 GMT -5
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 31, 2010 17:44:07 GMT -5
I also imagine the thing would be rugged enough not to need heavy maintainence and could sit there for a long time. That the computer in the barn/hangar could turn it on, run diagnostics, fuel it and all that at the flip of a switch, possibly at a signal from the "headquarters".
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Post by Floyd Looney on Mar 31, 2010 17:49:24 GMT -5
I just did a caveman headtilt "hheeeeehhh??" lol. That is interesting. |
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Post by Attero Dominatus on Mar 31, 2010 18:45:18 GMT -5
I also imagine the thing would be rugged enough not to need heavy maintainence and could sit there for a long time. That the computer in the barn/hangar could turn it on, run diagnostics, fuel it and all that at the flip of a switch, possibly at a signal from the "headquarters". That is a very good idea. Ruggedness also translates into less operating cost due to less need for spare parts and simpler repairs. It also makes field repairs (example: patching up a broken pipe with some kind of sealant or welding a metal plate over a hole) more doable too. |
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