Apple Disk ][ X-Ray

At 02:20 PM 1/3/2007, you wrote: Actually, you aren't too far off if you consider out of this world tests... A linear accelerator emitting electrons, not x-rays, can put a charge in plastic and cause it to glow. Here is some text from a neat test at a lab... (they have a lot of fun) I have all the pictures from these tests if you guys are interested. These guys also make diamonds turn blue. : ) The answer(s): Using electrons with much higher ionizing/charging ability than x-rays, (the "ozone" (O3) was very apparent in the shelter by the way!) the damage ("tree/branch" appearance) is done by the electrons leaping out/suddenly discharging through the Plexiglas. As a lightning strike parts the air, it will also part Plexiglas in an obviously similar fashion. What we are doing is pushing a bunch of electrons (electron 'charge', as if it were a capacitor) into the Plexiglas from one side. Unlike X-Rays which easily pass through >3" of carbon steel at this energy level, these electrons only penetrate 4mm for every 1 MeV (Million Electron Volts) of energy. The penetration in this 'experiment' was about 1/2" or 12 mm. We were running 60 mA (Milliamperes) each pulse at 50 PPS (Pulses per second) with a 4.5 microsecond pulse width. That's about 12 Microamperes average. We ran for 1.5 minutes max for a charge of 1 Millicoulomb.(A unit of electrical charge equal to the amount of charge transferred by a current of 1 ampere in 1 second) At 3 MeV (Million Electron Volts) (the system I was using here) that's 3.24kj or Kilojoules. (Joules: A unit of electrical energy equal to the work done when a current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second With the Plexiglas thus full of electrons, ("charged" as would be a capacitor just before it conducts) we pick it up and put it on a board, and whack the edge with a pointed object. After first making sure that the point is grounded. It can also be done using a drill press, with a sharpened nail in the chuck. This causes a stress crack in the Plexiglas, which encourages some of the electrons to exit. This tears a track in the Plexiglas, which permits more of the electrons to come out. The electrons coming out tear/rip a path in the Plexiglas just as lightning tears a path in the air leaving behind a witness path, such as you see in the pictures. And like lightning the process is accompanied by a loud bang and a flash. The Plexiglas continues to 'sparkle' with bright blue 'sprits' running along the small branches for several minutes. It is truly a beautiful appearance.....at least in MY opinion! This plus the final pattern (which is obviously different every time) is great at entertaining the multitude.