RESONANCE HEATING OF
ELECTRONS The core hypothesis underlying the
ARCO patents was to generate copious
amounts of MEV electrons along magnetic field lines above the earth's
surface as shown above. Resonance energy can be applied many ways to objects. Wind was the force that created a resonance effect and toppled the
Tacoma narrows bridge in 1940. See also HAARPASAT
A resonant heating
method of creating MEV electrons using RF waves was developed and exploited by
the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Subsequent plasma devices have
generated MEV electrons in the laboratory with resonant heating. A
figure from the "Large Helical Device" project depicts such electrons confined by a magnetic field.
The ARCO patents by
Dr. Eastlund, hypothesized a large phased array antenna located in Alaska with
its RF energy focused at altitudes 100km or more above the earth. The
system is illustrated at the top of the page. The frequency was t
chosen to be in the 1-3 MHz range to create an electron resonance heating that
would create MEV electrons along the magnetic field lines. The RF beam
is shown in yellow in the figure. The heating process is depicted as a
helix along a magnetic field line. The electrons spiral along the field line
with increasingly large orbits as their energy increases. MEV electrons
are formed and a magnetic mirror force pushes the electrons away from
the earth along the magnetic field lines. When such electrons impinge on a missile warhead or a satellite, they are buried in the material and heat
components. In the case of a missile warhead, this can lead to
destruction, in the case of a satellite, it can make the satellite
inoperative.
The first DOD contract regarding the ARCO patents by
Eastlund was from DARPA and was entitled "The Alaska North Slope
Electric Missile Shield", contract No. DAAHD1-86-C-0420. The objective was to
determine the feasibility of generating the MEV electrons and
determining the feasibility of the applications. A summary of the work
performed is available as a paper entitled "Applications of In Situ Generated
Relativistic Electrons in the Ionosphere", by Dr. Bernard J. Eastlund,
December 13, 1990. ESEC Technical Report 136. Distribution of this
paper was authorized by DARPA in 1990. See letter below.
Eastlund's Patent
5,038,664 estimated electron acceleration power requirement of 0.1 to 1 watt/cm2 at 250 KM.
This hypothesis was verified
theoretically by Menyuk et al, Phys. Rev. Letters, Vol. 58, Number 20, May 18, 1987 who were supported by the “Alaskan
North Slope Electric Missile Shield” contract. The paper concludes
that 0.5 watt/cm2 at 130 KM could accelerate ambient electrons to 5 MEV. Dr. Eastlund was the principal investigator on the
contract.
THE
HAARP RFP The request for proposal by the Joint
Services was issued in February, 1990. The bidders conference had
only 13 attendees, reflecting the closeness with which the project was
held by APTI. Eastlund was represented by 1 of the 13 attendees. On
page 5 of that document, In a section entitled, "Potential
Applications" it is stated that:
" Finally, the use of an HF
heater to accelerate electrons to Kev or MEV energy levels could be
used, in conjunction with satellite sensor measurements for controlled
investigation of the effects of high energy electrons on space
platforms. There already is indication that high power transmitters on
space-craft accelerate electrons in space to such high energy levels, and that those charged particles can impact on the space-craft with harmful effects. The processes which trigger such
phenomena and the development of techniques to avoid or mitigate them
could be investigated as part of the DOD program."