22 Apr
2005
22 Apr
'05
12:12 a.m.
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 09:39:09 -0700 (PDT)
Tom Jennings <tomj at wps.com> commented:
> Each "tube"
> consisted of an Americium cathode, the necessary grids (perforated
> plates),
> and a plate evaporated on the wall of the cavity.
.... But this is fairly amazing, and I've never
heard of it before.
Why Am for cathodes?! Alpha particles instead of electrons? (I'm
kidding there.)Or did they somehow come up with a nasty, toxic an
short-lived way to produce clouds of electrons? Or another way to
lob our toxic waste at our 'enemies' ala 'depleted' (sic)
uranium?!
Because of a head-fart. I've been disecting smoke detectors in the
recent past and I'm afraid the alpha radiation has left an imprint.
What was used was a soft beta emitter in place of a heated filament. If
interested, look up the HIBEX missile.
CRC