Related papers: Radiation conditions in relativistic interstellar …
Particle acceleration in relativistic jets to very high energies occurs at the expense of the dissipation of magnetic or kinetic energy. Therefore, understanding the processes that can trigger this dissipation is key to the characterization…
Current spacecraft mass are mostly fuel, this is dictated by the lack of fueling stations in space and also by the Tsiolkovsky rocket equation which defines the mass ratio needed to escape earths gravity. The Tsiolkovsky rocket equation…
We examine the use of the interplanetary substance as a possible fuel for spacecraft plasma thrusters for interplanetary flights. The solar radiation is considered as an energy source for the ionization and the acceleration of particles of…
It has long been known that dissipation is a crucial ingredient in the superradiant amplification of wavepackets off rotating objects. We show that, once appropriate dissipation mechanisms are included, stars are also prone to superradiance…
Elementary concepts from general physics and thermodynamics have been used to analyze rocket propulsion. Making some reasonable assumptions, an expression for the exit velocity of the gases is found. From that expression one can conclude…
In this work linear stability analysis of a four-fluid optically thin plasma consisting of electrons, ions, neutral atoms, and charged dust particles is performed with respect to the radiation-condensation (RC) instability. The energy…
As part of the NASA Starlight collaboration, we look at the implications of radiation effects from impacts with the interstellar medium (ISM) on a directed energy driven relativistic spacecraft. The spacecraft experiences a stream of…
We study the efficiency of radiation in driving jets around black holes. Including general relativity for the radiation driving, we also show that the radiation field is affected by strong gravitational field in non linear manner, making…
We investigate obstacles of superluminal "warp drive" travels from interactions with interstellar matter and from curvature effects. The effect of collision of interstellar dust particles and photons with the spacecraft will all lead to a…
A relativistic spacecraft of the type envisioned by the Breakthrough Starshot initiative will inevitably get charged through collisions with interstellar particles and UV photons. Interstellar magnetic fields would, therefore, deflect the…
The collimation and evolution of relativistic outflows in $\gamma$-ray bursts (GRBs) are determined by their interaction with the stellar envelope through which they travel before reaching the much larger distance where the energy is…
The problems of hazardous radiation and collisions with matter on a warp driven ship pose considerable obstacles to this possibility for interstellar travel. A solution to these problems lies in the Broeck metric. It is demonstrated that…
Extragalactic relativistic jets are engines able to carry out to large distances a huge amount of power, not only in the form of radiation, but especially in the form of kinetic energy of matter and fields. As such, they can be thought as…
Consuming long-range interplanetary medium with fuel for driving plasma thrust is vital. Methods of capturing the space environment depending on its density and the ship velocity are indispensable issues to extract the space environment as…
Laser propulsion has been proposed for relativistic interstellar flights, but it faces the significant challenge of requiring extremely powerful laser radiation due to the inherently low momentum transfer between the beam and the sail. The…
Powerful radio sources and quasars emit relativistic jets of plasma and magnetic fields that travel hundreds of kilo-parsecs, ultimately depositing energy into the intra- or inter-cluster medium. In the rest frame of the jet, the energy…
Gamma rays trace accelerated particles, and the observed flux of extragalactic gamma rays therefore constrains the global efficiency for particle acceleration. Extragalactic jets in active galactic nuclei can account for the gamma ray…
The interaction of a space system with its orbital environment is a major consideration in the design of any space system, since a variety of hazards are associated with the operation of spacecraft in the harsh space environment. In this…
Despite years of research, understanding of the space radiation environment and the risk it poses to long-duration astronauts remains limited. There is a disparity between research results and observed empirical effects seen in human…
Relativistic jets carry a significant fraction of the total energy budget of a radio source, rivaling the power that is extracted through accretion. A minor part of this bulk kinetic power is transformed to radiation, possibly through…