Total Annihilation Lightning Weapon Thesis blog - Sarwajagat

Originally posted here, Tauniverse.com, this post explains the basic working principles of basic lightning weapons and stats for ARM Panther and Zeus lightning weapons.

The formidable lightning gun found on most ARM Zeus and Panthers is the result of evolution of ARM EMP Weaponry Program. The program was originally aimed to create a portable EMP weapon to stun CORE war machines as they are extremely vulnerable to EMP attacks. Although the program was deemed as a failure, the ARM instead has found a more useful weapon, a lightning weapon. The weapon generates a large EMP pulse as its lightning bolt hits the target.

The distinctive blue color of the discharged electrical current is due to formation of ionized oxygen gas in the surrounding atmosphere.The electrical discharge of the weapon sometimes is seen to have a glowing yellow color.The yellow color is caused by highly concentrated plasma sheath that enveloped the electrical discharge as the discharge travels inside the primary plasma channel to the target. Due to high current used to generate the large EMP pulse, the lightning gun has several rather useful (dangerous) side effects. As the current discharged in the primary plasma channel, the discharged current is enveloped in strongly ionized plasma immediately (some parts of the primary plasma channel is charged by the electrical discharge by means of induction) , inflicting thermal damage and a medium level of radiation if the bolt makes a contact with the target. The plasma sheath, when collided with the target amour produces a high energy reaction that releases a mix of X-rays and gamma-rays. Therefore, the lightning gun does not paralyze the target but also deliver a huge dosage of EMP, thermal damage and of a lesser degree, medium to lethal radiation. As the bolt also yields a varying medium to lethal radiation dosage, it is also proven lethal to ARM units, as the ARM clone soldiers are susceptible to DNA degeneration caused by radiation.If the target is not an electric conductor,the plasma sheath carried by the electrical discharge still do some considerable damage.The target will receive significant thermal and radiation dosage.If the plasma sheath is strong enough, the target can be vaporized by the plasma sheath intense heat.This explains why lightning weapon can damage stone-clad or non-electric conductor walls (or parts) of buildings and possibly induce fires on trees. The lightning weapon is known as directed- energy ray weapon because, lightning or current, is directed to the target akin similar to commonly known type of directed- energy ray weapon, laser.

The heart of each lightning guns are a powerful two terawatts ultraviolet electrolaser and a solid state step-up transformer. The lightning gun utilizes the laser to form an electrically conductive plasma channel. The laser achieved this effect by firing multiple burst of ultra-fast pulses in order to ionize the gas molecules of the surrounding atmosphere to create a stable but temporary plasma channel. This channel is further stabilized by a cylindrical electromagnetic field projected around the discharge part of the weapon. Then a high voltage current from the step-up transformer, can be conducted to the target using the newly-formed plasma channel. The effect is known as Laser-Induced Plasma Channel. In order for the current to flow to the target, a complete circuit is needed.ARM weapon designers overcome this problem by fitting secondary ring of auxiliary lasers (or electrolasers) on the weapon. The auxiliary lasers are arranged in circular shape. It also form a roughly cylindrical-shaped plasma channel. Both plasma channels are separated by a projected circular electromagnetic field. The secondary plasma channel is enveloped by a strong circular electromagnetic field to contain the plasma channel from reacting with the surrounding atmosphere. The energy requirement for creating a strong electromagnetic field is high, therefore it is projected for a short interval of time. The secondary plasma channel is connected to a high energy circuit that completed the circuit. When both plasma channels are directed at the target, the target armor provides a path for the electrical discharge to flow from the primary plasma channel to the secondary plasma channel. Since most of CORE armor is metal, the weapon is quite effective against them. The primary plasma channel is formed first then followed by the formation of the secondary plasma channel.The electrical discharge will be discharged in the primary plasma channel if both plasma channel provide a viable path for the electrical discharge to travel (sometimes the current do travel inside the primary plasma channel even when the circuit is not completed.) .The discharged current has a voltage around 50kv to 5Mv depending on the range it required to travel in the primary plasma channel to preserve the same potent effectiveness. So, by modulating the voltage of the current discharged, it is (barely) possible to determine amount of energy needed to be transferred to the target, saving energy for subsequent discharge therefore making the lightning weapon a bit more efficient. In order to obtain a high damage potential, the current is discharged around 40 to 50 times per second, striking the target 40 to 50 times per second.

The plasma channels can be sustained only for 3 to 5 seconds because the effect gradually wears off with range as the channels eventually disintegrates and diffuse into the surrounding atmosphere. This method also heats the surrounding atmosphere very quickly, creating a very distinguishable heat signature that attracts CORE heat-seeking missiles and thermal detectors. Mounting the weapon on an aerial platform is currently impractical as the weapon will attract natural lightning very quickly to strike it often and possibly burn the weapon systems.Unless proper lightning shielding is installed on the aerial platform,installing the weapon on it is nearly impossible. Lightning weapon can be installed on sea-borne units but installing the weapon risks the unit for possible electronic malfunction or electrocution if the weapon misfires.The weapon also will generate significant electronic or thermal noise that can interfere the delicate sonar system and anti-submarine weapon control. Since most of the sea contains water + salt,it provides a pretty good conductor for the electrical discharge to travel and electrocute any sea units in the weapon vicinity . Due to these design limitations, lightning gun can be only mounted on ground units, fired in short interval bursts and over a short distance for now.Depending on the energy supplied, the direction of the discharged current and its range can be controlled albeit in a very limited way by manipulating the strength and shape of the plasma channels. Manipulation of the plasma channels is roughly done by controlling the strength and shape of the projected electromagnetic fields. The use of plasma channels to conduct the electrical discharge needs an atmosphere in order for the channels to form properly. The discharged electrical current may hit target at least 180 meters away and have a variable velocity of 50k to 250k meter per second.

The weapon consumes a lot of energy to fire and plagued by troublesome target acquisition as the electrical discharge same as their natural counterpart, lightning is difficult to predict and controlled.More computing power is needed if to (barely) predict and control the electric discharge which requires mounting of delicate ,heavy supercomputers on a mobile chassis.Mounting of it will waste computing power substantially that is best used to provide more efficient battle group coordination and makes production and maintenance cost of the lightning weapon system substantially more expensive. More energy is needed to maintain the plasma channels and the electromagnetic fields if to increase the weapon’s range and effectiveness. To increase the weapon damage, more current and voltage needed. The lightning weapon overall damage also is limited by the environmental factor. The huge amount of electrical charge in the primary plasma channel causes the surrounding atmosphere to ionize further, posing a serious electrical hazard as the ionized atmosphere makes it easier for natural electrical charges in the atmosphere to form a lightning which can discharge into the secondary plasma channel and eventually, it will overload the unit reactor(s). This also restricts the weapon damage potential and makes it extremely risky to use in a long time. The weapon range, effectiveness and damage can be increased by using a larger reactor to generate the necessary power but it is overly complex and cumbersome to fit on a mobile chassis.For now,large-scale lightning weapons are impractical to produce, very expensive to make and very risky to use.
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Sorry,no proper table in place.All values are estimates.
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Features/Unitname :ARM Panther :ARM Zeus

Weight of the System (kg) :120 :240

Laser type :RFE-Double chamber crystal core Electrolaser :RFE-Single chamber crystal core Electrolaser

Laser output(terawatts) :4 :3.084

Laser charge up time :15 nanoseconds :25 nanoseconds

Reactor type :KMZ double core fusion reactor :KMZ compact core fusion reactor

Reactor output :12 mega joules :9.783 mega joules

Reactor weight (kg) :150 :110

Can overload reactors :Yes :Yes

Generator :Impulse 45 :Retro Flux

Generator efficiency (%) :86.259 :72.621

Generator output (terawatts) :12 :7

Capacitor :Weapon-grade DRE capacitor :Industrial-grade SAE capacitor

Capacitor charge up time :25 nanoseconds :35 nanoseconds

Discharge time :15 nanoseconds :25 nanoseconds

Capacitor capitance :0.5 farads :1.5 farads

Number of capacitors used :5 :4

Transformer type :Liquid state magnetic flux :Solid state magnetic flux

Transformer efficiency (%) :81.432 :75.901

Heat sink type: Gas:Liquid

Heat sink efficiency(%) :80.32:67.21

Discharged current value :7 to 34 kilo amperes :12 to 40 kilo amperes

Discharged volt value :25k to 1M :50k to 5M

Time taken for current to travel 180 meters :25 nanoseconds :12 nanoseconds

Strikes per seconds :32 to 48 :37 to 50

Current velocity (meter/seconds) :100k to 250k :70k to 190k

Plasma density (kg/meter) :0.0000129 :0.0000367

Plasma charge :Both are neutral

Time taken for plasma channel to form :15 nanoseconds :16 nanoseconds

Magnetic flux density :540 gauss :640 gauss

Charge density (kg/meter) :0.00000379 :0.00000401

Charge value :0.2 to 0.7 coulomb :0.4 to 0.821 coulomb

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Stats for lightning bolt if it makes contact with a metal target.
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Heat energy produced :1 mega joules :2 mega joules

Radiation dosage produced :1 to 4 sievert :2 to 6 sievert

Peak electric field produced: (volts/meter) :12k to 22k :14k to 32k

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