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Nosferatjew ago

Let's say that this is a "DEW", because whatever, I doubt it could be coming from a satellite. Unless the satellite is in geosynchronous orbit over that area of Oregon, which it wouldn't be, because all geosynchronous satellites are positioned above the equator, the origin of the beam, and thus the angle of the beam would be constantly changing as the satellite orbitted the Earth.

So, if this is indeed a "DEW" (I hate this acronym), then it would have to be either ground based, or on a stationary aircraft, such as a helicopter. But, to produce an infrared beam of this intensity, and capable of reaching a target hundreds of miles away, it would need a power source that no helicopter on Earth could possibly be equipped with.

So, IF this is a "DEW" (cringe), then I think it only makes sense that it would be ground based.

beefartist ago

There are too many variables for us to be likely to figure it out. My guess would be some kind of ground based HAARP type thing shoots the beam and it gets bounced/guided from a high flying plane or balloon

greydragon ago

Funny thing is I was going to qualify my initial answer with "assuming we are not on a flat Earth" because of the crazies. I finally said, "Fuck it." and took it out.

beefartist ago

That's a very big, very silly assumption. What is your elevator pitch for a curved earth? (Don't mention planes or light houses or extreme long distance shooting, because non of those would work)

greydragon ago

It's from Oregon to mid-California, ya daft bastard. Get a tennis ball or whatever ... pause.

Are you a flat-Earther? Let's clarify each of our positions.

allahead ago

GPS sats are geosync and they're not all above the equator.

un1ty ago

because all geosynchronous satellites are positioned above the equator

That's just not true - you're thinking of "geostationary" not "geosynch".

Nosferatjew ago

Hm.. perhaps.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit

A geostationary orbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO), is a circular geosynchronous orbit 35,786 kilometres (22,236 miles) above Earth's equator and following the direction of Earth's rotation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit

A geosynchronous orbit (sometimes abbreviated GSO) is an Earth-centered orbit with an orbital period that matches Earth's rotation on its axis, 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds (one sidereal day). The synchronization of rotation and orbital period means that, for an observer on Earth's surface, an object in geosynchronous orbit returns to exactly the same position in the sky after a period of one sidereal day. Over the course of a day, the object's position in the sky may remain still or trace out a path, typically in a figure-8 form, whose precise characteristics depend on the orbit's inclination and eccentricity.

A special case of geosynchronous orbit is the geostationary orbit, which is a circular geosynchronous orbit in Earth's equatorial plane. A satellite in a geostationary orbit remains in the same position in the sky to observers on the surface. Popularly or loosely, the term geosynchronous may be used interchangeably with geostationary.

Communications satellites are often given geostationary or close to geostationary orbits so that the satellite antennas that communicate with them do not have to move, but can be pointed permanently at the fixed location in the sky where the satellite appears.

Seems that for the potential satellite in question to remain in the same spot above Oregon for the entire duration of the beaming, it would need to be geostationary. It also appears however, that this may only be possible when the satellite is positioned directly over the equator. Maybe I'm not reading all this stuff correctly, but it sounds like geosynchronous satellites that are not positioned over the equator will move some throughout the course of the day, which would cause the angle of the beam as seen in the animation to change some over time.

Am I doing this right?

greydragon ago

So, IF this is a "DEW" (cringe), then I think it only makes sense that it would be ground based.

And if ground based, the curvature of the Earth would not allow it to go that far.

djaeveloplyse ago

The idea is that they use the upper atmosphere as a mirror. At the right wavelength, it is theoretically possible.

greydragon ago

Could you get something to bounce? Yes. Are you saying one can get a death beam to bounce perfectly down to the same spot consistently?!

I want an answer, if you don't mind.

djaeveloplyse ago

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've done very little experimentation with massive microwave death beams, so I don't really know if the theoretical translates to the realistic in this case. Apparently some pretty smart dudes in the 80s thought it could be done, and the military did build a base in Alaska that seems to just be a massive field of radio transmitters. Here's a random site searching for "harp death beam" on duckduckgo: http://www.viewzone.com/haarp11.html Here's the supposed original inventor's patent: https://patents.google.com/patent/US4686605A/en Take all of that for what you will.

greydragon ago

Thanks! Now my volcano death base will be completed soon. Mmm, one ... million ... dollars! Muhahahhaha.

Nosferatjew ago

Very true. However, can an infrared beam be bounced (refracted) off the ionosphere similar to radio waves?

beefartist ago

Radio waves may bounce but don't really get targeted I would think

greydragon ago

Infra-red is very low wavelength, and so I doubt it. Radio waves are very high wavelength and can bounce.

Look at the first chart on this site. The chart is a HUGE extreme even though it is compact: Link

bman0321 ago

No.