Re: Biefeld-Brown effect

On 2005-05-09 at 11:01 pm, Jerry (Cephalobus_alie...@xxxxxxxxxxx)
wrote:

<snip>

>The Biefeld-Brown effect is nothing more exotic than air movement
>induced by coronal discharge, and below the millitorr range, the
>strength of the effect seems linearly related to pressure.

>The linear relationship that my brother measured would be consistent
>with a tiny Biefeld-Brown effect being present even at interplanetary
>gas pressures.

Why no response to this reasonable suggestion, which responds to the
OP's suggestion without invoking crackpot physics? Has the
Biefled-Brown effect been measured down to pressures anticipated at
20-70 AU? Has the spacecraft been analyzed with respect to differential
photoelectric charging? How would the B-B effect interact with the
solar wind?

If Biefled-Brown is involved, one might postulate changes in the
"anomalous acceleration" with pressure, or with fluctuations in the
solar wind, or with travel beyond the heliopause.

Pioneer 11 was headed "upwind" in the galaxy, whereas Pioneer 10 was
headed "downwind", but unfortunately communication ceased before either
reached the heliopause.
http://spaceprojects.arc.nasa.gov/Space_Projects/pioneer/f23.gif

In NASA's report on its "Breakthrough Propulsion from Physics"
project at
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/bpp/TM-2004-213082.htm,
Marc G. Millis writes:

-- begin quote --

3.2.7. Biefeld-Brown and Variants. In 1928 a device was patented for
creating thrust using high-voltage capacitors [50]. Since then, a wide
variety of variants of this "Biefeld-Brown" effect, such as "Lifters"
and "Asymmetrical Capacitors" have claimed that such devices operate on
an "electrostatic antigravity" or "electrogravitic" effect. One of the
most recent variants was patented by NASA-MSFC [51]. To date, all
rigorous experimental tests indicate that the observed thrust is
attributable to ion wind [52-54].

Vacuum tests currently underway, sponsored through an additional
Congressional earmark to the West Virginia Institute for Scientific
Research, also indicate that this effect is not indicative of new
propulsion physics. These tests are now assessing the more conventional
performance of such devices [55].

These "Biefeld-Brown," "Lifter" and "Asymmetrical Capacitor Thrusters"
are not viable candidates for breakthrough physics propulsion.

<snip>

[52] Talley, R. L., "Twenty First Century Propulsion Concept",
PL-TR-91-3009, Final Report for the period Feb 89 to July 90, on
Contract FO4611-89-C-0023, Phillips Laboratory, Air Force Systems
Command, Edwards AFB, CA (1991).

[53] Tajmar, M., "Experimental Investigation of 5-D Divergent Currents
as a Gravity-Electromagnetism Coupling Concept", AIP Conference
Proceedings, 504, STAIF, Albuquerque, NM, (2000), pp. 998-1003.

[54] Tajmar, M., "The Biefeld-Brown Effect: Missinterpretation of
Corona Wind Phenomena", AIAA Journal, 42, (2004), pp. 315-318.

[55] Canning, F.X., Campbell, J., & Winet E., " The ISR Asymmetrical
Capacitor Thruster; Experimental Results and Improved Designs", Planned
for the 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and
Exhibit, Fort Lauderdale, FL (July 2004).

-- end quote --

Googling: pioneer anomalous acceleration biefeld-brown effect
turns up nothing relevant, IMO.

Tracy Hall
hthalljr'gmail'com

.