NOTES RELEVANT TO THE CONCEPT
OF REACHING AN EXTRASOLAR PLANET VIA SUPERLUMINAL SPACEFLIGHT
NOTE 1: SPACEFLIGHT HAZARDS THROUGH THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM
Passage through a medium containing antimatter by a spaceship hull made from normal matter will, over time, degrade the strength of the hull. This is because of the relatively high energy annihilation gamma rays that will be created by the interaction with the antimatter. The high energy of these gamma rays will be even further increased by the Doppler shift caused by the extreme speeds interstellar spaceships must achieve. These gamma rays cause the formation within the hull of ionizing particles in a cascade shower.
Their ionization weakens the matter.
Although the interstellar medium is at most tenuous, its present state is the result of stellar evolutionary processes. Even if there were originally equal amounts of matter and anti-matter in the Galaxy, It appears likely that it is now enriched in antimatter relative to normal matter. This enrichment is because antimatter is hypothesized to be a source of antigravity, in much the same way that matter appears to be a source of gravity. But antigravity is a repulsive force, rather than an attractive force. The repulsive nature of antigravity means that interstellar antimatter is unlikely to disappear through coalescence into objects such as stars. The relationship of cosmic antimatter to dark matter, if any, is unknown.
The degradation will take place because of the high energy annihilation gamma radiation emitted as the normal matter in the hulls interacts with the antimatter interstellar atoms. Their high energy gives them very large penetrating power. They will penetrate deeply into the hulls of the spaceships. Such degradation, given the long exposure times that are likely, will cause leaks to occur and, if not prevented, may cause failure of the mission.
NOTE 1.1
It is possible to reduce the likelihood of this hull degradation. One way would be to continually illuminate the exterior surface of each hull, and its surrounding space, with ultraviolet light. This will photoionize all of the incoming atoms, both normal matter and antimatter. Repulsion of the incoming antimatter ions is accomplished by surrounding each hull with a screen of wires. Each screen should be given a negative electrostatic charge, negative with respect to the hull.
NOTE 2: MISSION DURATION
Time dilation amounts to travel into the future. We describe here a possible way to avoid what could be called the “relativity barrier.’ The relativity barrier occurs at speeds that approach the speed of light. The relativity barrier causes profound changes in moving masses, including among other things, increase in mass and a slowing of the passage of time. Gravity and speeds close to luminar are the only known circumstances affecting the passage of time.
Aside from Earth, there is no human-habitable planet orbiting about our star, which we call the Sun. However, many extrasolar planets are now known to exist. More are being added to the list all the time. Some of them may possibly be human - habitable. This blog and its supplements describe a concept for travel to a hypothetical habitable extrasolar planet, within a time of one human generation.
NOTE 3:
PROPULSION BASICS
Superluminal spaceships may use the rocket principle for propulsion. In this principle, exhaust gas is vented out through a port in the rear of the spaceship and the spaceship recoils in the opposite or forward direction. We here suggest that the exhaust “gas” be light itself. We suggest that the gamma radiation wavelength band be the kind of light used. The mutual annihilation of matter and antimatter gives rise to unique gamma ray wavelengths. These gammas come out isotropically, with most of these gamma quanta causing the spaceship to recoil, in reponse to the other gammas, which come out the port in the back of the spaceship. Such exhaust will move at the local speed of light.
NOTE 3.1: INTERSTELLAR ROCKETS
As discussed above, we use the same principle to propel the spaceship. The principle is that of a radiation rocket. A propellant is ejected from the rear of the spaceship and the spaceship recoils in the opposite direction. The recoil speed is limited to the speed of the propellant. The propellant speed, in this interstellar situation, is the speed of light in the space environment. In the interstellar situation the propellant is electromagnetic radiation. The propellant radiation is annihilation gamma radiation. Annihilation is known to be the most efficient process for energy generation and release. In our spaceship, the annihilation takes place in a reaction chamber, where a large flux of gamma rays is formed when streams of ionized, magnetically guided and focused matter and antimatter fuel collide with each other and disappear. To the maximum feasible extent, propellant gas of gamma ray quanta is ejected. The ejection speed is at the local speed of light, because gamma radiation is high energy light.
The walls of the reaction chamber will become heated, thereby reducing the efficiency from 100%. This heat will be useful, however; It may be used to power the various subsystems on the spaceship, such as life support.
Steering of the spaceship may be accomplished by movement of the ejection port in the reaction chamber walls. The reaction chamber’s walls may be modular, in order to facilitate the steering function.
NOTE 4: SOME PROPERTIES OF ANTIMATTER
It is speculated that antimatter causes antigravity fields around itself. If antigravity actually does exist, it is repulsive in character, but otherwise similar to gravity. It is expected to resemble gravity, which has an inverse-square dependence on distance. Its repulsive nature makes it unlikely to permit the formation of extended objects, such as antistars, antiplanets, or antigalaxies. Therefore, we should not expect to detect such objects, save by the annihilation gamma radiation emitted wherever they touch matter atoms.
A possibility is to take advantage of the dilation of time that relativity theory has shown us exists as one approaches the speed of light.
NOTE 4.1: AVOIDING RELATIVITY’S EFFECTS
It is suggested that, to avoid the relativity barrier, the travelers should locally increase the speed of light. Such an increase would permit them to travel faster than the barrier would normally allow.
This results from the fact that it is known that light is deflected as it passes nearby large cosmic objects. The deflection may be explained as a retardation of that portion of the light closest to the object, while the more distant light continues onwards at its normal speed. The retardation is caused by the attraction of the light toward the mass. The light is slowed down as it passes closely by the mass. The attraction is the result of the curvature of the local space-time towards the mass. Space-time is the medium for light. In other words, the deflection is caused by gravity. It therefore seems not unreasonable to expect that antigravity, the inverse of gravity, may cause light to accelerate its speed. It is, of course, completely unknown what effect antigravity fields have on human bodies, save for the contraction of time noted above.
In the concept, the spaceship exposes a quantity of antimatter produced in, and carried on board the spaceship. It is speculated that antimatter is a source of (repulsive) antigravity, and that antigravity accelerates light, while gravity decelerates light.
NOTE 5: GRAVITY AND ANTIGRAVITY
The continuum of points in interstellar space-time is generally smooth. The exceptions to smoothness are at locations in space or time that are found at the presence of matter, antimatter, or, equivalently, by light. Around such locations, the continuum is bent or “warped.” The sense of the curvature may be toward the particle or ray. Alternatively, it may be repulsive. This means that an antibody traveling nearby will be repelled away from the force center (i.e., the center of curvature) Where it is attractive, the curvature is commonly called gravity. Curvature in the opposite sense is herein referred to as antigravity.
It is known that mass deflects the direction of light. It is speculated that the deflection is done by pulling back on the passing light, decelerating it, relative to the remainder of the light, the part of the light exposed to the most intense part of the gravity field. The most notable feature of gravity is its sign: it seems to exist only as an attractive force everywhere.
Antigravity, which we have never encountered, is believed to arise from antimatter. It curves the continuum in the opposite sense from gravity. It is repulsive between anti-masses. On the other hand, antigravity is expected to accelerate light exposed to intense antigravity, thereby increasing its speed. It will therefore oppositely deflect any light passing nearby a hypothetical anti-mass. Such natural bodies are unlikely to exist, because of the repulsive nature of the curvature or center of “force.” This is because they are not formed as stars are formed, by an attractive force (i.e., gravity), but instead their individual particles remain free. It is unclear as to the relationship, if any, between such antimatter particles and dark matter.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Monday, April 4, 2011
SUPPLEMENT D
NOTES RELEVANT TO THE CONCEPT
OF REACHING ANOTHER PLANET VIA SUPERLUMINAL SPACEFLIGHT
INTRODUCTON
The blog and its supplements are all concerned with human interstellar spaceflight. Such spaceflight is needed in order to preserve humanity by escape from an impending terrestrial cataclysmic war. Establishment of human self-sustaining settlements on planets other than Earth is believed to be imperative. A concept was outlined, in which a flotilla of spaceships would carry humans, at speeds faster than light, to a habitable extrasolar planet. The concept outlined in the blog contains many unproven hypotheses. The concept uses antimatter. But, it was posted in an attempt to start people thinking about how to escape from Earth. It is not known if antimatter will do all that the blog ascribed to it; if something else will do a better job, we should adopt it. IT IS MY HOPE THESE DOCUMENTS WILL HELP STIMULATE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW HUMANITY CAN REACH ANOTHER PLANET AND LIVE THERE.
Interstellar distances are huge. Travel from Earth to a star other than the Sun at speeds significantly slower than the speed of light would require so much time as to be valueless for re - supply against unanticipated needs.
To reach any other habitable planet in a reasonable amount of time for those left behind on Earth will likely require speed greater than the speed of light. The speed of light is still far, far greater than any speed we have yet achieved. But, given the reality of the oncoming disaster (see CRITICISMS below), this means it is not too early to begin exploration of any possible ways of surpassing the speed of light, which has hitherto been regarded as an upper limit to speed. Conflict with relativity is avoided in the blog by increasing the speed of light in and around the spaceship. This increase in the speed of light would result from immersing the spaceship and surrounding space – time in an anti - gravitational field.
CRITICISMS OF THE CONCEPT
Objections have been raised to the idea of faster-than – light travel. Some of these objections are based on the fact that the theory of relativity forbids travel at superluminal speed. Indeed, it does forbid such travel. Relativity is known to be correct. But this prohibition assumes that the speed of light is a universal constant. This latter assumption is based on many measurements and observations. But all of these measurements and observations were conducted from well within the gravitational field of the Sun. Conflict with relativity is avoided here by locally increasing the speed of light.
Another objection questions the reality of the alleged upcoming disaster. In AUTHORS NOTE, I said that increasing weapons proliferation and human overpopulation will bring on a war that would at least destroy civilization, if not destroy all life itself. The objectors to this say that both problems can be solved, at much lower costs than would the space missions cost. I agree that both of the problems can be solved. Their solution would indeed
be enormously cheaper than the space flotilla. Unfortunately, more than two years have now passed since the original blog was posted, and I have not yet seen a single sign of either solution being undertaken. In fact, the problems appear to actually be worsening.
ANTIMATTER, ANTIGRAVITY and SUPERLUMINAL SPEED
Most interstellar space is regarded as empty space.“ Empty” space
is filled with (actually, it consists of) gravitational fields.
{A brief digression here: Space – time and gravity are seen to be two different aspects of the same fundamental quantity; you can’t have one without the other. The existence of gravity means that space - time also exists. But we know there is yet another relevant quantity, light/matter, that also exists. All three are different facets of the same quantity; the existence of one (e.g., gravity) means that all three exist. Those fields generate and distort the curvature of space - time.
An hypothesis advanced in the blog is that gravity - induced tightening of curvature may significantly slow light down from the speed it has at locations far from any stars.
Another of the hypotheses advanced in the blog is that antigravity fields exist. It is believed they are fields that cause space – time to curve, just as gravity fields do, but to curve in the opposite sense from gravity. If gravity fields slow light down, antigravity fields may actually increase the speed of light. Relativity was developed before antimatter was detected by particle physicists using accelerators. Positrons, which have been long known as a radioactivity emission, are another form of antimatter.
The present concept makes use of antimatter, not only to power hypothetical gamma-ray rockets, but also to provide sources of a antigravity field. Antigravity is also hypothetical. Although it has not yet been shown to actually exist, antigravity is believed to exist as a curve the continuum of space- time points oppositely to the sense of the curvature caused by gravity. Therefore, it may act so as to increase the speed of any light passing through a region. IF THE SPEED OF LIGHT IS INCREASED in a given region, SUPERLUMINAL TRAVEL THROUGH SUCH A REGION MAY BE POSSIBLE. In other words, the prohibition is avoided, by increasing the speed of light, in the immediate environment of the spaceship.
To reach any other habitable planet in a reasonable amount of time for those left behind on Earth will likely require speed greater than the speed of light. Although the speed of light is still far, far greater than any speed we have yet achieved, the oncoming disaster means it is not too early to begin exploration of any possible ways of surpassing it.
For a “reasonable amount of time” we have adopted a duration of one human generation. The first wave of settlers will of necessity be few in number, and will have a human gene pool small compared with that we now have on Earth. If any Earth dwellers are still alive and desire to join the settlers, much of a generation will be needed to construct their spaceships and train their personnel. More settlers will probably be wanted, This assumes that the first settlers have sent back a message, likely asking for resupply against unanticipated needs, as well as for help. Such messages will require faster than light speed, possibly carried by robots.
Fundamental to the development of the concept is the idea that the medium controls the speed of light passing through it. In the present situation, the medium is interstellar space. The curvature of this space is given by the vector sum of the gravity fields due to all the distant masses, such as stars. This means that the speed of light may NOT be a universal constant; it only has the currently measured value everywhere in the neighborhood of the solar system. However, it may have other values elsewhere. The reason that the speed of light has the numerical value we measure, is largely that the Sun has the numerical amount of mass that it has.
IT IS THE NET FIELD OF GRAVITY VECTORS AT A GIVEN POINT THAT EXERTS CONTROL OVER THE SPEED OF LIGHT AT THAT POINT. The more intense the gravitational field, the slower the speed of such light. A corollary of this would be that the more intense the antigravity field, the faster the speed of such light. Although we have never knowingly observed it, antigravity is believed to be commonplace. Just as mass gives rise to gravity, antimatter gives rise to antigravity. Antigravity is expected to be a repulsive, inverse – square curvature of the continuum. Such continuum curvature is what seems to us to be a “repulsive force.”
For the concept, the faster the speed of light in its environment, the faster a spaceships may move.
MISSION DURATION
Time dilation amounts to travel into the future. Option B describes a possible way to avoid what could be called the “relativity barrier.’ The relativity barrier occurs at speeds that approach the speed of light. The relativity barrier causes profound changes in moving masses, including among other things, increase in mass and a slowing of the passage of time. Gravity and speeds close to luminar are the only known circumstances affecting the passage of time
Aside from Earth, there is no human-habitable planet orbiting about our star, which we call the Sun. However, many extrasolar planets are now known to exist. More are being added to the list all the time. Some of them may possibly be human - habitable. The blog and its supplements describe a concept for travel to a hypothetical habitable extrasolar planet, within a time of one human generation. This concept is called Option B in the following discussion.
PROPULSION BASICS
Superluminal spaceships may use the rocket principle for propulsion. In this principle, exhaust gas is vented out through a port in the rear of the spaceship and the spaceship recoils in the opposite or forward direction . The maximum speed of the spaceship is limited to the speed of the exhaust gas. We here suggest that the exhaust “gas” be light itself. We suggest that the gamma radiation wavelength band be the kind of light used. The mutual annihilation of matter and antimatter gives rise to unique gamma ray wavelengths. These gammas come out isotropically, with most of these gamma quanta causing the spaceship to recoil, in reponse to the other gammas, which come out the port in the back of the spaceship. Such exhaust will move at the local speed of light.
INTERSTELLAR ROCKETS
Both options discussed below use the same principle to propel the spaceship. The principle is that of a radiation rocket. A propellant is ejected from the rear of the spaceship and the spaceship recoils in the opposite direction. The recoil speed is limited to the speed of the propellant. The propellant speed, in this interstellar situation, is the speed of light in the space environment. In the interstellar situation the propellant is electromagnetic radiation. The propellant radiation is annihilation gamma radiation. Annihilation is known to be the most efficient process for energy generation and release. The mutual annihilation of matter and antimatter is the energy source. In our spaceship, the annihilation takes place in a reaction chamber, where a large flux of gamma rays is formed when streams of ionized, magnetically guided and focused matter and antimatter fuel collide with each other and disappear. To the maximum feasible extent, propellant gas of gamma ray quanta is ejected. The ejection speed is at the local speed of light, because gamma radiation is high energy light.. This means the spaceship will travel at that same speed, but in the opposite direction
The walls of the reaction chamber will become heated, thereby reducing the efficiency from 100%. This heat will be useful, however; It may be used to power the various subsystems on the spaceship, such as life support.
Steering of the spaceship may be accomplished by notion of the ejection port in the reaction chamber walls.. The reaction chamber’s walls may be modular, in order to facilitate the steering function.
TWO OPTIONS FOR THE TRAVELLERS
There are at least two optional ways for humanity to escape the coming global disaster on Earth. In Option A, the interstellar flight takes place at a speed slower than light, but close to it. Relativistic time dilation occurs for this spaceship. The travelers do not age seriously; in effect, they emerge at their selected destination in the future of distant Earth. In Option B, they may move faster than light speed, but have ages comparable with those left behind on Earth. They may explore several possible destination planets during their lifetimes.
OPTION A
The first such way is easily the best known of the two options. Travel to a hopefully habitable extrasolar planet at speeds less than, but close to, the speed of light. If the planet is not habitable as hoped, the escapees could choose to return to Earth. If sufficient time on Earth may have elapsed for radioactive fallout from the stratosphere to have become negligible , Earth may have become habitable once more. Civilization could start to be rebuilt by the returnees.
OPTION B
As noted in the original AUTHOR NOTE, this second option is unstudied and relies upon antimatter, which is a barely known substance. It also speculates that antigravity fields exist outside the solar system. It also speculates that its sources are particles of antimatter, and that the speed of light is greater in antigravity fields. Because their spaceship would travel faster than the speed of light, they could achieve greater distances, for a given amount of rocket fuel. The Option B escapees would have therefore available a greater number of possible destinations than available under Option A, but will likely not have sufficient fuel be able to return to Earth.
SOME PROPERTIES OF ANTIMATTER
It is speculated that antimatter causes antigravity fields around itself. If antigravity actually does exist, it is repulsive in character, but otherwise similar to gravity. It is expected to resemble gravity, which has an inverse-square dependence on distance. Its repulsive nature make it unlikely to permit the formation of extended objects, such as antistars, antiplanets, or antigalaxies. Therefore, we should not expect to detect such objects, save by the annihilation gamma radiation emitted wherever they touch matter atoms.
One way was outlined in the previous documents. It is reviewed briefly below. The other way is to take advantage of the dilation that relativity theory has shown us exists as one approaches the speed of light.
We previously noted that gravity curvature slows down the passage of time. It may be said to dilate duration of units of time. Conversely, a particle of antimatter may be said to contract the passage of time. That is, the duration of time units is decreased; time is “speeded up.” Space travelers in a field of antigravity can expect their lifetimes to be shortened, relative to people left behind on Earth. The travelers, however, would not notice any changes among themselves.
AVOIDING RELATIVITY’S EFFECTS
It is suggested that, to avoid the relativity barrier, the travelers should locally increase the speed of light. Such an increase would permit them to travel faster than the barrier would normally allow.
This results from the fact that it is known that light is deflected as it passes nearby large cosmic objects. The deflection may be explained as a retardation of that portion of the light closest to the object, while the more distant light continues onwards at its normal speed. The retardation is caused by the attraction of the light toward the mass. The light is slowed down as it passes closely by the mass. The attraction is the result of the curvature of the local space-time towards the mass. Space-time is the medium for light. In other words, the deflection is caused by gravity. It therefore seems not unreasonable to expect that antigravity, the inverse of gravity, may cause light to accelerate its speed. It is, of course, completely unknown what effect antigravity fields have on human bodies, save for the contraction of time noted above..
In the concept, the spaceship exposes a quantity of antimatter produced in, and carried on board the spaceship. It is speculated that antimatter is a source of (repulsive) antigravity, and that antigravity accelerates light, while gravity decelerates light.
GRAVITY AND ANTIGRAVITY
The continuum of points in interstellar space-time is generally smooth. The exceptions to smoothness are at locations in space or time that are found at the presence of matter, antimatter, or, equivalently, by light. Around such locations, the continuum is bent or “warped.” The sense of the curvature may be toward the particle or ray. Alternatively, it may be repulsive. This means that an antibody traveling nearby will be repelled away from the force center (i.e., the center of curvature) Where it is attractive, the curvature is commonly called gravity. Curvature in the opposite sense is herein referred to as antigravity.
It is known that mass deflects the direction of light. It is speculated that the deflection is done by pulling back on the passing light, decelerating it, relative to the remainder of the light, the part of the light exposed to the most intense part of the gravity field. The most notable feature of gravity is its sign: it seems to exist only as an attractive force everywhere.
Antigravity, which we have never encountered, is believed to arise from antimatter. It curves the continuum in the opposite sense from gravity. It is repulsive between anti-masses. On the other hand, antigravity is expected to accelerate light exposed to intense antigravity, thereby increasing its speed. It will therefore oppositely deflect any light passing nearby a hypothetical anti-mass. Such bodies are unlikely to exist, because of the repulsive nature of the curvature or center of “force.” This is because they are not formed as stars are formed, by an attractive force (i.e., gravity), but instead their individual particles remain free. It is unclear as to the relationship, if any, between such antimatter particles and dark matter.
OF REACHING ANOTHER PLANET VIA SUPERLUMINAL SPACEFLIGHT
INTRODUCTON
The blog and its supplements are all concerned with human interstellar spaceflight. Such spaceflight is needed in order to preserve humanity by escape from an impending terrestrial cataclysmic war. Establishment of human self-sustaining settlements on planets other than Earth is believed to be imperative. A concept was outlined, in which a flotilla of spaceships would carry humans, at speeds faster than light, to a habitable extrasolar planet. The concept outlined in the blog contains many unproven hypotheses. The concept uses antimatter. But, it was posted in an attempt to start people thinking about how to escape from Earth. It is not known if antimatter will do all that the blog ascribed to it; if something else will do a better job, we should adopt it. IT IS MY HOPE THESE DOCUMENTS WILL HELP STIMULATE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW HUMANITY CAN REACH ANOTHER PLANET AND LIVE THERE.
Interstellar distances are huge. Travel from Earth to a star other than the Sun at speeds significantly slower than the speed of light would require so much time as to be valueless for re - supply against unanticipated needs.
To reach any other habitable planet in a reasonable amount of time for those left behind on Earth will likely require speed greater than the speed of light. The speed of light is still far, far greater than any speed we have yet achieved. But, given the reality of the oncoming disaster (see CRITICISMS below), this means it is not too early to begin exploration of any possible ways of surpassing the speed of light, which has hitherto been regarded as an upper limit to speed. Conflict with relativity is avoided in the blog by increasing the speed of light in and around the spaceship. This increase in the speed of light would result from immersing the spaceship and surrounding space – time in an anti - gravitational field.
CRITICISMS OF THE CONCEPT
Objections have been raised to the idea of faster-than – light travel. Some of these objections are based on the fact that the theory of relativity forbids travel at superluminal speed. Indeed, it does forbid such travel. Relativity is known to be correct. But this prohibition assumes that the speed of light is a universal constant. This latter assumption is based on many measurements and observations. But all of these measurements and observations were conducted from well within the gravitational field of the Sun. Conflict with relativity is avoided here by locally increasing the speed of light.
Another objection questions the reality of the alleged upcoming disaster. In AUTHORS NOTE, I said that increasing weapons proliferation and human overpopulation will bring on a war that would at least destroy civilization, if not destroy all life itself. The objectors to this say that both problems can be solved, at much lower costs than would the space missions cost. I agree that both of the problems can be solved. Their solution would indeed
be enormously cheaper than the space flotilla. Unfortunately, more than two years have now passed since the original blog was posted, and I have not yet seen a single sign of either solution being undertaken. In fact, the problems appear to actually be worsening.
ANTIMATTER, ANTIGRAVITY and SUPERLUMINAL SPEED
Most interstellar space is regarded as empty space.“ Empty” space
is filled with (actually, it consists of) gravitational fields.
{A brief digression here: Space – time and gravity are seen to be two different aspects of the same fundamental quantity; you can’t have one without the other. The existence of gravity means that space - time also exists. But we know there is yet another relevant quantity, light/matter, that also exists. All three are different facets of the same quantity; the existence of one (e.g., gravity) means that all three exist. Those fields generate and distort the curvature of space - time.
An hypothesis advanced in the blog is that gravity - induced tightening of curvature may significantly slow light down from the speed it has at locations far from any stars.
Another of the hypotheses advanced in the blog is that antigravity fields exist. It is believed they are fields that cause space – time to curve, just as gravity fields do, but to curve in the opposite sense from gravity. If gravity fields slow light down, antigravity fields may actually increase the speed of light. Relativity was developed before antimatter was detected by particle physicists using accelerators. Positrons, which have been long known as a radioactivity emission, are another form of antimatter.
The present concept makes use of antimatter, not only to power hypothetical gamma-ray rockets, but also to provide sources of a antigravity field. Antigravity is also hypothetical. Although it has not yet been shown to actually exist, antigravity is believed to exist as a curve the continuum of space- time points oppositely to the sense of the curvature caused by gravity. Therefore, it may act so as to increase the speed of any light passing through a region. IF THE SPEED OF LIGHT IS INCREASED in a given region, SUPERLUMINAL TRAVEL THROUGH SUCH A REGION MAY BE POSSIBLE. In other words, the prohibition is avoided, by increasing the speed of light, in the immediate environment of the spaceship.
To reach any other habitable planet in a reasonable amount of time for those left behind on Earth will likely require speed greater than the speed of light. Although the speed of light is still far, far greater than any speed we have yet achieved, the oncoming disaster means it is not too early to begin exploration of any possible ways of surpassing it.
For a “reasonable amount of time” we have adopted a duration of one human generation. The first wave of settlers will of necessity be few in number, and will have a human gene pool small compared with that we now have on Earth. If any Earth dwellers are still alive and desire to join the settlers, much of a generation will be needed to construct their spaceships and train their personnel. More settlers will probably be wanted, This assumes that the first settlers have sent back a message, likely asking for resupply against unanticipated needs, as well as for help. Such messages will require faster than light speed, possibly carried by robots.
Fundamental to the development of the concept is the idea that the medium controls the speed of light passing through it. In the present situation, the medium is interstellar space. The curvature of this space is given by the vector sum of the gravity fields due to all the distant masses, such as stars. This means that the speed of light may NOT be a universal constant; it only has the currently measured value everywhere in the neighborhood of the solar system. However, it may have other values elsewhere. The reason that the speed of light has the numerical value we measure, is largely that the Sun has the numerical amount of mass that it has.
IT IS THE NET FIELD OF GRAVITY VECTORS AT A GIVEN POINT THAT EXERTS CONTROL OVER THE SPEED OF LIGHT AT THAT POINT. The more intense the gravitational field, the slower the speed of such light. A corollary of this would be that the more intense the antigravity field, the faster the speed of such light. Although we have never knowingly observed it, antigravity is believed to be commonplace. Just as mass gives rise to gravity, antimatter gives rise to antigravity. Antigravity is expected to be a repulsive, inverse – square curvature of the continuum. Such continuum curvature is what seems to us to be a “repulsive force.”
For the concept, the faster the speed of light in its environment, the faster a spaceships may move.
MISSION DURATION
Time dilation amounts to travel into the future. Option B describes a possible way to avoid what could be called the “relativity barrier.’ The relativity barrier occurs at speeds that approach the speed of light. The relativity barrier causes profound changes in moving masses, including among other things, increase in mass and a slowing of the passage of time. Gravity and speeds close to luminar are the only known circumstances affecting the passage of time
Aside from Earth, there is no human-habitable planet orbiting about our star, which we call the Sun. However, many extrasolar planets are now known to exist. More are being added to the list all the time. Some of them may possibly be human - habitable. The blog and its supplements describe a concept for travel to a hypothetical habitable extrasolar planet, within a time of one human generation. This concept is called Option B in the following discussion.
PROPULSION BASICS
Superluminal spaceships may use the rocket principle for propulsion. In this principle, exhaust gas is vented out through a port in the rear of the spaceship and the spaceship recoils in the opposite or forward direction . The maximum speed of the spaceship is limited to the speed of the exhaust gas. We here suggest that the exhaust “gas” be light itself. We suggest that the gamma radiation wavelength band be the kind of light used. The mutual annihilation of matter and antimatter gives rise to unique gamma ray wavelengths. These gammas come out isotropically, with most of these gamma quanta causing the spaceship to recoil, in reponse to the other gammas, which come out the port in the back of the spaceship. Such exhaust will move at the local speed of light.
INTERSTELLAR ROCKETS
Both options discussed below use the same principle to propel the spaceship. The principle is that of a radiation rocket. A propellant is ejected from the rear of the spaceship and the spaceship recoils in the opposite direction. The recoil speed is limited to the speed of the propellant. The propellant speed, in this interstellar situation, is the speed of light in the space environment. In the interstellar situation the propellant is electromagnetic radiation. The propellant radiation is annihilation gamma radiation. Annihilation is known to be the most efficient process for energy generation and release. The mutual annihilation of matter and antimatter is the energy source. In our spaceship, the annihilation takes place in a reaction chamber, where a large flux of gamma rays is formed when streams of ionized, magnetically guided and focused matter and antimatter fuel collide with each other and disappear. To the maximum feasible extent, propellant gas of gamma ray quanta is ejected. The ejection speed is at the local speed of light, because gamma radiation is high energy light.. This means the spaceship will travel at that same speed, but in the opposite direction
The walls of the reaction chamber will become heated, thereby reducing the efficiency from 100%. This heat will be useful, however; It may be used to power the various subsystems on the spaceship, such as life support.
Steering of the spaceship may be accomplished by notion of the ejection port in the reaction chamber walls.. The reaction chamber’s walls may be modular, in order to facilitate the steering function.
TWO OPTIONS FOR THE TRAVELLERS
There are at least two optional ways for humanity to escape the coming global disaster on Earth. In Option A, the interstellar flight takes place at a speed slower than light, but close to it. Relativistic time dilation occurs for this spaceship. The travelers do not age seriously; in effect, they emerge at their selected destination in the future of distant Earth. In Option B, they may move faster than light speed, but have ages comparable with those left behind on Earth. They may explore several possible destination planets during their lifetimes.
OPTION A
The first such way is easily the best known of the two options. Travel to a hopefully habitable extrasolar planet at speeds less than, but close to, the speed of light. If the planet is not habitable as hoped, the escapees could choose to return to Earth. If sufficient time on Earth may have elapsed for radioactive fallout from the stratosphere to have become negligible , Earth may have become habitable once more. Civilization could start to be rebuilt by the returnees.
OPTION B
As noted in the original AUTHOR NOTE, this second option is unstudied and relies upon antimatter, which is a barely known substance. It also speculates that antigravity fields exist outside the solar system. It also speculates that its sources are particles of antimatter, and that the speed of light is greater in antigravity fields. Because their spaceship would travel faster than the speed of light, they could achieve greater distances, for a given amount of rocket fuel. The Option B escapees would have therefore available a greater number of possible destinations than available under Option A, but will likely not have sufficient fuel be able to return to Earth.
SOME PROPERTIES OF ANTIMATTER
It is speculated that antimatter causes antigravity fields around itself. If antigravity actually does exist, it is repulsive in character, but otherwise similar to gravity. It is expected to resemble gravity, which has an inverse-square dependence on distance. Its repulsive nature make it unlikely to permit the formation of extended objects, such as antistars, antiplanets, or antigalaxies. Therefore, we should not expect to detect such objects, save by the annihilation gamma radiation emitted wherever they touch matter atoms.
One way was outlined in the previous documents. It is reviewed briefly below. The other way is to take advantage of the dilation that relativity theory has shown us exists as one approaches the speed of light.
We previously noted that gravity curvature slows down the passage of time. It may be said to dilate duration of units of time. Conversely, a particle of antimatter may be said to contract the passage of time. That is, the duration of time units is decreased; time is “speeded up.” Space travelers in a field of antigravity can expect their lifetimes to be shortened, relative to people left behind on Earth. The travelers, however, would not notice any changes among themselves.
AVOIDING RELATIVITY’S EFFECTS
It is suggested that, to avoid the relativity barrier, the travelers should locally increase the speed of light. Such an increase would permit them to travel faster than the barrier would normally allow.
This results from the fact that it is known that light is deflected as it passes nearby large cosmic objects. The deflection may be explained as a retardation of that portion of the light closest to the object, while the more distant light continues onwards at its normal speed. The retardation is caused by the attraction of the light toward the mass. The light is slowed down as it passes closely by the mass. The attraction is the result of the curvature of the local space-time towards the mass. Space-time is the medium for light. In other words, the deflection is caused by gravity. It therefore seems not unreasonable to expect that antigravity, the inverse of gravity, may cause light to accelerate its speed. It is, of course, completely unknown what effect antigravity fields have on human bodies, save for the contraction of time noted above..
In the concept, the spaceship exposes a quantity of antimatter produced in, and carried on board the spaceship. It is speculated that antimatter is a source of (repulsive) antigravity, and that antigravity accelerates light, while gravity decelerates light.
GRAVITY AND ANTIGRAVITY
The continuum of points in interstellar space-time is generally smooth. The exceptions to smoothness are at locations in space or time that are found at the presence of matter, antimatter, or, equivalently, by light. Around such locations, the continuum is bent or “warped.” The sense of the curvature may be toward the particle or ray. Alternatively, it may be repulsive. This means that an antibody traveling nearby will be repelled away from the force center (i.e., the center of curvature) Where it is attractive, the curvature is commonly called gravity. Curvature in the opposite sense is herein referred to as antigravity.
It is known that mass deflects the direction of light. It is speculated that the deflection is done by pulling back on the passing light, decelerating it, relative to the remainder of the light, the part of the light exposed to the most intense part of the gravity field. The most notable feature of gravity is its sign: it seems to exist only as an attractive force everywhere.
Antigravity, which we have never encountered, is believed to arise from antimatter. It curves the continuum in the opposite sense from gravity. It is repulsive between anti-masses. On the other hand, antigravity is expected to accelerate light exposed to intense antigravity, thereby increasing its speed. It will therefore oppositely deflect any light passing nearby a hypothetical anti-mass. Such bodies are unlikely to exist, because of the repulsive nature of the curvature or center of “force.” This is because they are not formed as stars are formed, by an attractive force (i.e., gravity), but instead their individual particles remain free. It is unclear as to the relationship, if any, between such antimatter particles and dark matter.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
SUPPLEMENT C
Number of spaceships
Supplement C Date: October 10, 2009
Risk is defined as,”Possibility of loss or injury; exposure to hazard or danger; degree or probability of loss.” The mission conceived herein may be described as the riskiest of all ventures, for at least two reasons. First, faster than light travel has never been demonstrated convincingly, nor has it been shown to even be possible. Second, the failure of the present mission to settle humans on an extrasolar planet could well signify the end of humanity.
Therefore, a guiding principle that should be followed in any implementation of this salvation mission is that of reduction of risk. One way to reduce mission risk would be to use several spaceships, instead of the single spaceship discussed previously.
The several spaceships, which should be nearly identical to each other, should travel together, forming a flotilla. A flotilla of spaceships will significantly improve the probability of mission success. These ships will almost certainly be complicated transportation systems, systems that are not immune to breakdowns. The flight times will be long, of the order of years in duration, even if the superlight speed is successful. If only one spaceship is used, a malfunction that occurs aboard it would very likely be catastrophic. It would cause mission failure; the settlers would not be brought to the target planet. But, if other spaceships are nearby, the settlers and crew from the failed ship could be transferred to the other members of the flotilla, thereby saving the personnel and the mission.
The reusable space shuttles carried by each spaceship could be used to effect the transfer. Optimally, each member of the flotilla should be a little larger than required to accommodate only its crew and settlers. This increased size will allow for one or two malfunctions during the mission. The items to be transferred to the other ships should be approximately equal numbers of people, plus equal fractions of the cargo carried by the failed ship. To the maximum feasible extent, the failed ship should be cannibalized.
Finally, in considering recruitment of personnel for the mission, there is human psychology to consider. If only one ship is used, the occurrence of a mishap that prevents completion of the trip would mean that all of them, crew and settlers alike, would be lost. But, the presence of the other ships of the flotilla, would offer the possibility of rescue for each member of the crew and the settlers. The psychological importance of having friendly spaceships in the vicinity cannot be over estimated.
Supplement C Date: October 10, 2009
Risk is defined as,”Possibility of loss or injury; exposure to hazard or danger; degree or probability of loss.” The mission conceived herein may be described as the riskiest of all ventures, for at least two reasons. First, faster than light travel has never been demonstrated convincingly, nor has it been shown to even be possible. Second, the failure of the present mission to settle humans on an extrasolar planet could well signify the end of humanity.
Therefore, a guiding principle that should be followed in any implementation of this salvation mission is that of reduction of risk. One way to reduce mission risk would be to use several spaceships, instead of the single spaceship discussed previously.
The several spaceships, which should be nearly identical to each other, should travel together, forming a flotilla. A flotilla of spaceships will significantly improve the probability of mission success. These ships will almost certainly be complicated transportation systems, systems that are not immune to breakdowns. The flight times will be long, of the order of years in duration, even if the superlight speed is successful. If only one spaceship is used, a malfunction that occurs aboard it would very likely be catastrophic. It would cause mission failure; the settlers would not be brought to the target planet. But, if other spaceships are nearby, the settlers and crew from the failed ship could be transferred to the other members of the flotilla, thereby saving the personnel and the mission.
The reusable space shuttles carried by each spaceship could be used to effect the transfer. Optimally, each member of the flotilla should be a little larger than required to accommodate only its crew and settlers. This increased size will allow for one or two malfunctions during the mission. The items to be transferred to the other ships should be approximately equal numbers of people, plus equal fractions of the cargo carried by the failed ship. To the maximum feasible extent, the failed ship should be cannibalized.
Finally, in considering recruitment of personnel for the mission, there is human psychology to consider. If only one ship is used, the occurrence of a mishap that prevents completion of the trip would mean that all of them, crew and settlers alike, would be lost. But, the presence of the other ships of the flotilla, would offer the possibility of rescue for each member of the crew and the settlers. The psychological importance of having friendly spaceships in the vicinity cannot be over estimated.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Mission Destination/Spaceship Cargo
SUPPLEMENT B
1. Selection of Settlement Sites
We expect that a planet that is Earth–like in its size and distance from its star, will likely be the best one for the settlement(s) if its star is like the Sun. Astronomers classify stars on the basis of their color and the composition of their visible surfaces. The Sun is classified as a G star. There are five other G stars within 20 light years distance from the Sun. Consider a spaceship that cruises at a speed equal to c as it travels amongst the stars. Neglecting the amounts of time needed to accelerate to, and decelerate from, the interstellar cruise portion of the mission, 20 years is roughly the duration of one human generation.
The five other G stars include the following: Tau Ceti, Delta Pav, Eta Cas, Procyon, and Alpha Cen A. The last–named star is part of Alpha Centauri, which is the star closest to the Sun. It is at a solar distance of 4.37 light years. But, when examined through a telescope, Alpha Cen is found to actually be a triple star. A dwarf star (called Proxima Cen) orbits distantly (i.e., at a distance of 2.2 degrees) about a binary pair of other, larger stars. The two other stars are called Alpha Cen A and Alpha Cen B, respectively. Planets around Alpha Cen A would seem to offer attractive possibilities for settlement(s), because of their relative closeness to the Sun and because A is a G star. However, the nearby presence of Alpha Cen B argues against the choice of selecting Alpha Cen A; not only would there be two “suns” in the sky of a hypothetical planet around star A, there would be a periodicity in the separation between A and B. The disruptive tidal effects on settlements(s) at the close approach of another massive star would be unlike anything experienced on Earth.
2. Mission parameters
It is vital to the success of the mission to obtain accurate intelligence about the planets being considered for human settlement. This intelligence must be obtained prior to committing to landing on a specific target. This almost certainly means that robotic scouting missions to each potential settlement must first be conducted. Probably the only valid reason for violating this principle would be lack of time. These first, autonomous missions should head for planets with oxygen important in their atmospheres, and map the planetary surface for continents and for any bodies of liquid water, such as oceans. They should also search for evidence of existing habitation, such as cities, lights and roadways. They should also search for modulation of electromagnetic emissions at all wavelengths. If a scout detects any interference with itself, it should immediately inform the spaceship of this interference attempt, and then self – destruct, to avoid unintentionally revealing anything about humanity to non - humans.
When the target planet is reached and target areas on it have been selected, the spaceship will enter into a parking orbit about the planet. After the settlers have gone down to the planet, the spaceship should remain in the parking orbit for some time, perhaps one month or more. If it should prove necessary for the settlers to re-embark the spaceship must stand ready to accept them. This would be the case if some unforeseen challenge to the settlers arises, a challenge that makes settlement impossible. It is possible that the spaceship will never leave the parking orbit, should it be found that the settlements are unable to support themselves without its support facilities (e.g., medical).
Re-usable shuttles will be needed for each settlement mission. Carried by the spaceship, they will be needed to transport settlers down to the planetary surface. Each shuttle must be capable of landing its complement of settlers and their cargo, then returning itself back up to the spaceship. Each shuttle must be capable of launching itself from the surface, fully loaded with settlers and their cargo, should need arise.
3. Cargo
Cargo for the mission will include consumables such as food and water for the settlement(s). Recycling must be practiced. Seeds of edible plants will also be cargo items, but experimentation will be needed before any planting in the target’s soils is attempted. If practical, fetuses of farm animals may also be carried, for supply to the settlement(s). The spaceship’s cargo must also include power supplies (nuclear as well as solar), tools and automated factories for use by the settlers, to help them in construction of shelters, and to assemble rovers to assist in exploration. Three complete libraries consisting of all the information that humanity possesses at the time of departure from Earth must also be carried, with easy to use readers for these memories. Finally, there must be medical support such as well equipped and staffed hospitals.
4. Mission Personnel
Two types of personnel will be aboard each spaceship. One group includes members of the crew; the other group consists of the settlers. The missions of the two types are different: members of the crew are to operate and maintain the spaceship during its flight to and around the selected planet. They also provide for the transport of the settlers to and from the planetary surface. Settlers complete their training during the space flight, and also choose the final landing sites for their settlements, during the landing and settlement phases of the mission. The quality of their training is critical for mission success; it is vital that they absorb as much as possible of the information provided, so that they react correctly to challenges that will arise. They will likely face challenges unlike those faced by any humans in all of history.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
THE SPEED OF LIGHT IN INTERSTELLAR SPACE
SUPPLEMENT A
Supplement date: 20 December 2008
Light is what we call radiant electromagnetic energy. It originates in the acceleration of charged particles. such as electrons. These parent particles may be either bound, as in an atom, or free, as in space. Once it exists, light propagates at a velocity that is controlled by the ambient medium. We routinely slow it down from its in-vacuum speed by causing it to pass through media such as glass. We are here concerned with its speed in the hard vacuum we know as interstellar space. When our spaceship exposes its antimatter core to interstellar space, the value of c is increased in the immediate vicinity of the spaceship. It is often said that the speed of light is given by a combination of atomic constants, such as the charge and mass of the electron. However, the question arises, what electrons? In interstellar space, there are very few electrons in the light years that yawn between most stars.
That speed (usually written as c) has a numerical value of approximately 300,000 km/sec (more precisely, its average value is 299,792.4562 kilometers per second. This speed is presently far greater than that of any spacecraft in existence. C is widely believed to be one of nature's physical constants. The reason for this belief goes back to a series of brilliant measurements made by Albert Michelson and Edward Morley that extended back to the year 1887. Others confirmed their result.
However, all of the universe is pervaded by gravity; no shield against gravity is known. This “gravity” controls the curvature of spacetime everywhere. (This is equivalent to saying that the force of gravity is given everywhere by the local curvature.) Each point in spacetime is the vector sum of all the gravitational fields of masses, both normal and antimatter masses, and both local and distant. In particular, our region of spacetime has a curvature determined practically completely by the mass of the Sun. The “solar neighborhood” referred to in this blog extends to huge distances. All of the system’s objects, even objects beyond Pluto, execute orbital motion about the Sun. This means that c is fixed in our neighborhood by the mass of the Sun. The principal reason that c is the 300,000 km/sec value that it is, is that the mass of the Sun is what it is. That is, the number of atoms in the Sun, together with their composition, determines c in the neighborhood of the Sun. The Sun is composed of normal matter; its occasional coronal mass ejections do not result in subsequent flares of annihilation gamma radiation at Earth, when the solar particles encounter Earth's atmosphere.
Secular Variability of c
As the Sun consumes its thermonuclear fuel in its core, energy is generated. This energy eventually makes its way out to the solar surface and then escapes into space as sunlight. Using Einstein’s relation of mass and energy, this means that the solar mass decreases with time, slowly decreasing the local curvature of spacetime and hence our value of c.
Neglecting the relatively small solar motions induced by the motions of the planets, the Sun is not motionless. Carrying Earth and all the other planets with it, the Sun is executing a gravitational orbit about the Galactic central region. As it does so, we approach and recede from other stars, stars that are also partaking of the general Galactic revolution. Therefore the gravity – induced curvature of spacetime changes, presumably causing the speed of light to change; c itself varies in time. Admittedly, this Galactic change is slow by human standards: about a quarter of a billion years is required in order to complete one full revolution.
WARNING: EXTREME DANGER
Supplement date: 20 December 2008
The Speed of Light in Interstellar Space
Light is what we call radiant electromagnetic energy. It originates in the acceleration of charged particles. such as electrons. These parent particles may be either bound, as in an atom, or free, as in space. Once it exists, light propagates at a velocity that is controlled by the ambient medium. We routinely slow it down from its in-vacuum speed by causing it to pass through media such as glass. We are here concerned with its speed in the hard vacuum we know as interstellar space. When our spaceship exposes its antimatter core to interstellar space, the value of c is increased in the immediate vicinity of the spaceship. It is often said that the speed of light is given by a combination of atomic constants, such as the charge and mass of the electron. However, the question arises, what electrons? In interstellar space, there are very few electrons in the light years that yawn between most stars.
That speed (usually written as c) has a numerical value of approximately 300,000 km/sec (more precisely, its average value is 299,792.4562 kilometers per second. This speed is presently far greater than that of any spacecraft in existence. C is widely believed to be one of nature's physical constants. The reason for this belief goes back to a series of brilliant measurements made by Albert Michelson and Edward Morley that extended back to the year 1887. Others confirmed their result.
However, all of the universe is pervaded by gravity; no shield against gravity is known. This “gravity” controls the curvature of spacetime everywhere. (This is equivalent to saying that the force of gravity is given everywhere by the local curvature.) Each point in spacetime is the vector sum of all the gravitational fields of masses, both normal and antimatter masses, and both local and distant. In particular, our region of spacetime has a curvature determined practically completely by the mass of the Sun. The “solar neighborhood” referred to in this blog extends to huge distances. All of the system’s objects, even objects beyond Pluto, execute orbital motion about the Sun. This means that c is fixed in our neighborhood by the mass of the Sun. The principal reason that c is the 300,000 km/sec value that it is, is that the mass of the Sun is what it is. That is, the number of atoms in the Sun, together with their composition, determines c in the neighborhood of the Sun. The Sun is composed of normal matter; its occasional coronal mass ejections do not result in subsequent flares of annihilation gamma radiation at Earth, when the solar particles encounter Earth's atmosphere.
Secular Variability of c
As the Sun consumes its thermonuclear fuel in its core, energy is generated. This energy eventually makes its way out to the solar surface and then escapes into space as sunlight. Using Einstein’s relation of mass and energy, this means that the solar mass decreases with time, slowly decreasing the local curvature of spacetime and hence our value of c.
Neglecting the relatively small solar motions induced by the motions of the planets, the Sun is not motionless. Carrying Earth and all the other planets with it, the Sun is executing a gravitational orbit about the Galactic central region. As it does so, we approach and recede from other stars, stars that are also partaking of the general Galactic revolution. Therefore the gravity – induced curvature of spacetime changes, presumably causing the speed of light to change; c itself varies in time. Admittedly, this Galactic change is slow by human standards: about a quarter of a billion years is required in order to complete one full revolution.
WARNING: EXTREME DANGER
In addition to offering humanity a possible means of salvation, antimatter is unquestionably the most dangerous substance that we have ever encountered. Antimatter must never be touched by human hands. Even worse, it must never touch any matter which had its origin on earth, or even anywhere in the solar system. If these conditions are violated, the antimatter will violently annihilate the normal matter; An incredibly great explosion will result, an explosion whose magnitude dwarfs, if not trivializes, the largest thermonuclear explosion ever planned. The precise energy yield will depend on the mass of the antimatter involved. The only way to handle antimatter is VERY CAREFULLY and remotely, through the use of magnetic fields. The magnetic fields will most likely require the use of superconducting coils. If coolant is required for the superconductors, its supply MUST never fail.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Faster Than Light
(image from http://www.astropix.com/. Taken by Jerry Lodriguss)
AUTHORS NOTE:
Presented below is a concept of how it might be possible to travel in space at speeds in excess of the speed of light in vacuum. It is presented now because of my firm conviction that immediate actions are necessary to Save Our Species; steadily increasing overpopulation of the planet Earth by humanity, coupled with a proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, signals that we may soon wipe the planet’s surface clear of civilization, if not of life itself. One mode of salvation would be to establish self-sustaining branches of humanity on other planets. It does not appear that any other habitable planets exist within our solar system. However the Milky Way Galaxy contains hundreds of billions of stars, many if not all of which have planets orbiting them. Some of those planets are most likely habitable. Astronomers generally believe that these stars are separated by distances averaging a few light years. To reach them in practical amounts of time will require faster than light travel.
I must warn the reader that the hypotheses contained herein are completely unproven. They could turn out to be completely wrong. It is my sincere hope this presentation will at least stimulate further work in this area.
A FASTER THAN LIGHT TRAVEL CONCEPT
Robert Haymes
Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy
Rice University
18 October 2008
GOAL:
AUTHORS NOTE:
Presented below is a concept of how it might be possible to travel in space at speeds in excess of the speed of light in vacuum. It is presented now because of my firm conviction that immediate actions are necessary to Save Our Species; steadily increasing overpopulation of the planet Earth by humanity, coupled with a proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, signals that we may soon wipe the planet’s surface clear of civilization, if not of life itself. One mode of salvation would be to establish self-sustaining branches of humanity on other planets. It does not appear that any other habitable planets exist within our solar system. However the Milky Way Galaxy contains hundreds of billions of stars, many if not all of which have planets orbiting them. Some of those planets are most likely habitable. Astronomers generally believe that these stars are separated by distances averaging a few light years. To reach them in practical amounts of time will require faster than light travel.
I must warn the reader that the hypotheses contained herein are completely unproven. They could turn out to be completely wrong. It is my sincere hope this presentation will at least stimulate further work in this area.
A FASTER THAN LIGHT TRAVEL CONCEPT
Robert Haymes
Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy
Rice University
18 October 2008
GOAL:
TO ENABLE TRAVEL TO DISTANCES COMPARABLE WITH THE DIAMETER OF THE GALAXY IN TIMES (AS MEASURED ON EARTH) THAT ARE MUCH SHORTER THAN ONE HUMAN GENERATION. One consequence of such superlight speeds would be that current astronomical ideas of interstellar distances could be tested for their accuracy.
OBJECTIVE:
TO PRESENT A CONCEPT OF HOW TO ACHIEVE FASTER THAN LIGHT SPEEDS. THE SPEED OF LIGHT IS HERE MEANT TO BE THE SPEED OF LIGHT IN VACUUM, OR C = 3 X 105 KM/SEC.
INTRODUCTION:
Central to the argument is the idea that the speed of light is constrained by the interactions of the light with gravitational fields encountered en route. It is believed that normal matter (e.g. the sun) warps the space time continuum with a curvature of one sign, but the presence of an equal mass of antimatter warps the continuum with opposite-sign curvature. The general approach is to increase the speed of light in vacuum for that region of space that includes the entire spaceship and its contents. If c is locally increased, the barriers imposed by the relativistic transformations on distance, mass and time will not be encountered at c.
By “spaceship”, we mean a vehicle that not only provides life support, but rocket engines that move the ship and its contents.
It is known that gravitational fields cause light traveling through them to change its direction of motion; we propose here to change its speed as well.
The required amount of antimatter mass equals the mass of the spaceship and its contents, plus the amount required by antimatter rocket engines. It is important that the positions of the center of mass of both the antimatter and the matter should coincide with each other.
ANTIMATTER SOURCES
Antimatter has two known origins, natural and artificial. It exists naturally in the direction of the central region of the Galaxy. It will likely prove impractical to mine this source for its antimatter. Artificially, it may be made by operating nucleon accelerators. Such accelerators exist on Earth; antimatter produced by them must be transported to the spaceship in evacuated, magnetized, ultraviolet-illuminated containers. It is likely that the artificial masses of antimatter, produced by accelerators carried on board the spaceship, will be found to be more convenient.
ANTIMATTER ROCKET ENGINES
The rocket engines referred to above may be fueled by antimatter annihilation; when antimatter is annihilated, gamma rays are produced. The gamma rays may form the exhaust speed from the rocket reaction chamber. If a port is provided on the spaceship, the port permits these gamma rays to escape. The spaceship recoils in the opposite direction to the exhaust. The exhaust speed is the greatest speed currently available, namely, c. Increasing the value of c suggests a spaceship speed c' greater than c. The speed in flight may be adjusted by controlling the rate of inflowing of normal matter to the antimatter fuel.
OBJECTIVE:
TO PRESENT A CONCEPT OF HOW TO ACHIEVE FASTER THAN LIGHT SPEEDS. THE SPEED OF LIGHT IS HERE MEANT TO BE THE SPEED OF LIGHT IN VACUUM, OR C = 3 X 105 KM/SEC.
INTRODUCTION:
Central to the argument is the idea that the speed of light is constrained by the interactions of the light with gravitational fields encountered en route. It is believed that normal matter (e.g. the sun) warps the space time continuum with a curvature of one sign, but the presence of an equal mass of antimatter warps the continuum with opposite-sign curvature. The general approach is to increase the speed of light in vacuum for that region of space that includes the entire spaceship and its contents. If c is locally increased, the barriers imposed by the relativistic transformations on distance, mass and time will not be encountered at c.
By “spaceship”, we mean a vehicle that not only provides life support, but rocket engines that move the ship and its contents.
It is known that gravitational fields cause light traveling through them to change its direction of motion; we propose here to change its speed as well.
The required amount of antimatter mass equals the mass of the spaceship and its contents, plus the amount required by antimatter rocket engines. It is important that the positions of the center of mass of both the antimatter and the matter should coincide with each other.
ANTIMATTER SOURCES
Antimatter has two known origins, natural and artificial. It exists naturally in the direction of the central region of the Galaxy. It will likely prove impractical to mine this source for its antimatter. Artificially, it may be made by operating nucleon accelerators. Such accelerators exist on Earth; antimatter produced by them must be transported to the spaceship in evacuated, magnetized, ultraviolet-illuminated containers. It is likely that the artificial masses of antimatter, produced by accelerators carried on board the spaceship, will be found to be more convenient.
ANTIMATTER ROCKET ENGINES
The rocket engines referred to above may be fueled by antimatter annihilation; when antimatter is annihilated, gamma rays are produced. The gamma rays may form the exhaust speed from the rocket reaction chamber. If a port is provided on the spaceship, the port permits these gamma rays to escape. The spaceship recoils in the opposite direction to the exhaust. The exhaust speed is the greatest speed currently available, namely, c. Increasing the value of c suggests a spaceship speed c' greater than c. The speed in flight may be adjusted by controlling the rate of inflowing of normal matter to the antimatter fuel.
CHEMICAL ROCKET ENGINES
Gamma radiation can be harmful to life; therefore it might be desirable to supplement the annihilation engines with chemical engines that burn fuel. These chemical engines would be operated only in the vicinity of living matter, such as found on Earth. When the spaceship moves sufficiently far from the planet, the chemical engines are turned off and operation of the antimatter engines commences.
THEORY:
One way of putting the hypothesis contained herein is to say matter “attracts” light passing by it, thereby slowing its speed to c. While antimatter, on the other hand, “repels” light passing by it, increasing the speed from c.
It may prove helpful to think of the spaceship volume as having the shape of a “hollow bubble,” a bubble whose surface encompasses the spaceship. The surface of the bubble is composed of matter. At the center of the bubble is a core of photo-ionized antimatter. Upon command, the matter shield is retracted exposing the antimatter core to interstellar space.
One way of putting the hypothesis contained herein is to say matter “attracts” light passing by it, thereby slowing its speed to c. While antimatter, on the other hand, “repels” light passing by it, increasing the speed from c.
It may prove helpful to think of the spaceship volume as having the shape of a “hollow bubble,” a bubble whose surface encompasses the spaceship. The surface of the bubble is composed of matter. At the center of the bubble is a core of photo-ionized antimatter. Upon command, the matter shield is retracted exposing the antimatter core to interstellar space.
THE SPEED OF LIGHT
The speed of light accelerated by the antimatter core rises toward a value c’ that is governed by the distribution of remote cosmic masses of matter and antimatter. The speed of light is considerable reduced by passage through the solar neighborhood. It will likely prove necessary to pass outside the solar influence in order to achieve superlight exhaust speed. This may mean commanding the shield removal at solar distances of no less than 100 astronomical units.
FUEL SUPPLY
Antimatter ions may be made through photoionization of the neutral antimatter by suitably placed sources of ultraviolet light that continually illuminate the antimatter. The wavelength of the w light depends on the atomic number of the antimatter. Antimatter requires storage in a hard vacuum whose particle density is at most then density of the interstellar medium. Since that density is not zero, the photoions will need to be continually replenished.
Antimatter ions may be made through photoionization of the neutral antimatter by suitably placed sources of ultraviolet light that continually illuminate the antimatter. The wavelength of the w light depends on the atomic number of the antimatter. Antimatter requires storage in a hard vacuum whose particle density is at most then density of the interstellar medium. Since that density is not zero, the photoions will need to be continually replenished.
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