If I remember correctly, the reason a microwave oven works the way it does is because the microwaves are at a specfic frequency, which matches the vibration frequency of a water molecule. The microwaves excite the water molecules, which heats up everything around them. I would imagine a microwave transmission system would be designed to _not_ be at this frequency, in order to reduce the damage done to biological materials, and cut down on energy loss through the atmosphere. I don't know any specifics on the potential technology, though, so I can't give details or places to look. -Bill At 11:12 PM 1/27/2001 -0600, you wrote: > >likely someone wants to use it to cause havoc over an entire city; > >sweeping the "beam" over a major metro area will start fires, cause > >accidents and injury, knock out communications, and so forth. > >I can see focusing the beam on an airport or refinery causing severe damage, >but they lack the penetration to, say, barbeque the assembled United Nations >delegates. > >one interesting effect to note - water heated by microwaves doesn't boil as >well. When heated from outside, small steam bubbles form which increase >surface available for evaporation and thereby hold the water temperature at >boiling point. Because microwaves heat the entire volume of water it can >rise to a much higher temperature. People are burned from time to time when >they superheat a mug of water in a microwave and toss in their instant >coffee mix. The sudden influx of air particles sets the cup off in an >explosive boil of superhot water, very nasty. >---------------------------------------------------------------- >GMAST Home Page: http://www.phoenyx.net/gmast/ ---------------------------------------------------------------- GMAST Home Page: http://www.phoenyx.net/gmast/
