Massive electric current tested in US

Aljazeera

[Grendel9]

Thursday 28 July 2005, 12:01 Makka Time, 9:01 GMT

The test was part of an operation to test US nuclear capability

Scientists at the Nevada Test Site have said they generated a current equal to roughly four times all the electrical power on Earth.

The current, which created pressures in materials millions of times greater than normal, was part of an experiment to better understand nuclear weapons.

The experiment was conducted on Wednesday at the test site's Atlas Pulsed Power Facility by scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, along with staff from the test site and contractor Bechtel Nevada.

19 million amps

During the few millionths of a second that it operated, the 650-ton Atlas pulsed-power generator discharged nearly 19 million amps of current through an aluminum cylindrical shell about the size of a tuna can, the National Nuclear Security Administration said.

Atlas, which works as a giant power multiplier, was designed as part of an Energy Department programme to determine the readiness of the nation's nuclear stockpile without underground testing.

It was built at Los Alamos and recently moved to the Nevada Test Site, a proving ground just north of Las Vegas

[Grendel9]

And ANOTHER one I missed!

Now I know I've been preoccupied evenings re-reading Harry Potter, but I do read the news every morning and afternoon...at least that which catches my eye and interest. This one would have qualified in both areas!

Guess I'll have to start scanning Aljazeera earlier in the day! <>g

[kingu]

Do they have an extra one to go test down at Gitmo?

[BipolarBob]

AlJazeera had the scoop on troop withdrawal out of S Germany and now this. Why do we need the NY Slimes?

[el_texicano]

"Why do we need the NY Slimes?"

Couldn't be much worse could it? Both are anti-American. One's socialist/communist the other is Islamo-Fascist...

[spokeshave]

Grey Davis..........this one's for you

[randog]

I've got a buddy that works at the Site; gonna have to call him and ask if he worked this one (although I'm sure I'll get the standard answer: "I'm not at liberty to comment on that").

[cripplecreek]

This should feed rumors of a death ray being developed.

[Fitzcarraldo]

I wonder if this was actually an EMP test.

[Echo Talon]

Whoo hooo we are designing the LIGHTNING ZOT! :D YEE HAWW!

[Hegemony Cricket]

Nah, this is being developed to ZOT trolls who dare try to breach the hallowed halls of FR...

[E=MC²]

LOL...now if there were just a transmission line big enough to wheel it into kalifornia.

[Fzob]

19 million amps

Now that's a ZOT

[Rakkasan1]

[Onelifetogive]

Scientists at the Nevada Test Site have said they generated a current equal to roughly four times all the electrical power on Earth.

Current equal to power. I'd like to see them perform a "units analysis" on this equation...

[Hegemony Cricket]

Dang, ya beat me by nearly two minutes...

[birg]

Perhaps the assumed a "standard" voltage and based their
comment on the current voltage product.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

May it come as a great SHOCK to Muslimes around the world someday.

[E=MC²]

Again LOL. Yesterday, our local radio station announced that TECO energy had set an alltime summer demand record of (ta da) 9 megawatt hours. Seems endemic that the media confuses energy, power, voltage, current, etc.

[Onelifetogive]

Scientists at the Nevada Test Site have said they generated a current equal to roughly four times all the electrical power on Earth.

Given that Nevada is part of "the Earth," they generated power equal to roughly four times the power they generated plus all other power on the Earth. Right?

[poindexter]

Current equal to power. I'd like to see them perform a "units analysis" on this equation...

How about units in the title: "Massive Electric Current..."