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An interesting concept... except that, for a laser to generate enough energy to change the electropotential state in the atmosphere such that it temporarily behaves as a conductive plasma (one with enough cohesion to allow sufficient charge to travel its path for the desired affect) it would have to be powerful enough to punch a small hole through the person in the first place. So, there would be little point to sending additional electric charge along the way, except to add insult to injury 


Actually, that's not true... at least not for the energy levels in consideration, and especially not for the plasma. Believe it or not, the projected electric charge dissipates much more rapidly than the laser.
In order of which has the least cohesion to which has the most, it's electricity-->laser-->
lasma. Plasmas tend to be relatively self-contained, as long as it's a natural neutral-state plasma.
In order of which has the least cohesion to which has the most, it's electricity-->laser-->


The charge doesn't disperse as quickly as it would normally because it has a path of least resistance to follow. It's the same principal that keeps a lightning bolt less than an inch wide all the way to the ground: it has a direct line to its target.
The main advantage of this weapon over lasers is efficiency: the same amount of power will usually do more damage than a pure laser weapon, and it avoids problems of interference and target shading.
The main advantage of this weapon over lasers is efficiency: the same amount of power will usually do more damage than a pure laser weapon, and it avoids problems of interference and target shading.

"It's the same principal that keeps a lightning bolt less than an inch wide all the way to the ground: it has a direct line to its target."
False. 1.) it goes from the ground up, 2.) its width varies, 3.) it never follows a straight line, 4.) on the note of not following a straight line, it's "path of least resistance" is a constantly shifting variant: it may appear to only strike the ground once, but it's actually an extremely rapid succession of pulses along constantly shifting field lines.
"The main advantage of this weapon over lasers is efficiency: the same amount of power will usually do more damage than a pure laser weapon, and it avoids problems of interference and target shading."
Meh, debatable. Which one is more "efficient" than the other depends heavily upon atmospheric settings, and the method being used to generate either one.
And you're failing to acknowledge what I mentioned about plasmas
False. 1.) it goes from the ground up, 2.) its width varies, 3.) it never follows a straight line, 4.) on the note of not following a straight line, it's "path of least resistance" is a constantly shifting variant: it may appear to only strike the ground once, but it's actually an extremely rapid succession of pulses along constantly shifting field lines.
"The main advantage of this weapon over lasers is efficiency: the same amount of power will usually do more damage than a pure laser weapon, and it avoids problems of interference and target shading."
Meh, debatable. Which one is more "efficient" than the other depends heavily upon atmospheric settings, and the method being used to generate either one.
And you're failing to acknowledge what I mentioned about plasmas


I didn't mean "straight" in a perfectly literal sense with my comparison to lightning; my point is that it has a path to follow in the form of a plasma channel. This prevents it from dispersing into the air as it would into other, more conductive materials. The difference is that lightning makes its own plasma channel, whereas the electrolaser creates one artificially, thus requiring a less powerful charge to reach the target.
I agree with you about the weapon's capabilities varying by the situation. It obviously would not work in vacuum, and a laser would probably be more effective at extreme range, provided it has a clear path. The problem with lasers is that their own disruption of the air can reduce their power; the electrolaser exploits this occurrence to carry the charge.
I didn't comment on the plasmas because I agree with you; in fact, the stability of the plasma channel is essential for an electrolaser to work.
I agree with you about the weapon's capabilities varying by the situation. It obviously would not work in vacuum, and a laser would probably be more effective at extreme range, provided it has a clear path. The problem with lasers is that their own disruption of the air can reduce their power; the electrolaser exploits this occurrence to carry the charge.
I didn't comment on the plasmas because I agree with you; in fact, the stability of the plasma channel is essential for an electrolaser to work.

Ah, I see. Well, plasmas are extremely conductive (super conductive at higher energy levels), so a plasma channel would make a very effective medium for guiding a condensed electromagnetic charge.
But my original point was that, in order for a laser to make the air into a plasma channel with enough energy density for said electromagnetic charge to travel down with little impedance (or resistance), then that laser would already be carrying enough energy to damage the target before the electrical charge arrives there.
On the other hand, that also depends on how the laser is being used. Is it being used to create a plasma channel all the way to the target, or is it only being used to create an INITIAL plasma charge, and then that charge is being projected forward, acting as a carrier channel for the electromagnetic charge package? There are other specifics which would change how this behaves... as either a beam or an energized non-solid projectile
But my original point was that, in order for a laser to make the air into a plasma channel with enough energy density for said electromagnetic charge to travel down with little impedance (or resistance), then that laser would already be carrying enough energy to damage the target before the electrical charge arrives there.
On the other hand, that also depends on how the laser is being used. Is it being used to create a plasma channel all the way to the target, or is it only being used to create an INITIAL plasma charge, and then that charge is being projected forward, acting as a carrier channel for the electromagnetic charge package? There are other specifics which would change how this behaves... as either a beam or an energized non-solid projectile

Consider, though, that the time such a laser would take to create a plasma channel is significantly less than it would take to damage the target. The electricity could be charged into the anode (or cathode; I can't remember which is which) beforehand, and the laser fired in a very brief pulse to send the charge to the target. The electricity could potentially sustain the channel until the current is switched off, or it could stop after the initial discharge. Think about a transistor, in which a relatively small input allows a much larger amount of power to flow through.
I think the problem with a self-projecting channel is that it could behave like lightning rather than staying on a straight path. As a result, the range of the weapon is probably limited to points that the discharge can reach before the initial plasma channel disintegrates.
I think the problem with a self-projecting channel is that it could behave like lightning rather than staying on a straight path. As a result, the range of the weapon is probably limited to points that the discharge can reach before the initial plasma channel disintegrates.
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