Dipolar force field propulsion system

A dipolar force field propulsion system having a alternating electric field source for producing electromotive lines of force which extend in a first direction and which vary at a selected frequency and having an electric field strength of a predetermined magnitude, a source of an alternating magnetic field having magnetic lines of force which extend in a second direction which is at a predetermined angle to the first direction of the electromotive lines of force and which cross and intercept the electromotive line of force at a predetermined location defining a force field region and wherein the frequency of the alternating magnetic field substantially equal to the frequency of the alternating electric field and at a selected in phase angle therewith and wherein the magnetic field has a flux density which when multiplied times the selected frequency is less than a known characteristic field ionization potential limit; a source of neutral particles of matter having a selected dipole characteristic and having a known characteristic field ionization potential limit which is greater than the magnitude of the electric field and wherein the dipoles of the particles of matter are capable of being driven into cyclic rotation at the selected frequency by the electric field to produce a reactive thrust, a vaporizing stage which vaporizes said particles of matter into a gaseous state at a selected temperature, and a transporting system for transporting the vaporized particles of matter into the force field defined by the crossing electromotive lines of force and the magnetic lines of force.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for 
producing a reactive force on an aerospace vehicle to cause rotation or 
vibration of dipoles of neutral particles having a selected electrical 
dipole characteristic and more particularly to a dipolar force field 
propulsion system for a aerospace vehicle utilizing a crossed electric E 
field and a magnetic B field for establishing a spatial force field region 
wherein a control means establishes a predetermined spatial and time 
relationship between the alternating electric field, alternating magnetic 
field and dipole rotation for a selected frequency to produce an reactive 
thrust. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In spacecraft propulsion systems, the use of chemical rocket engines which 
use combustion of chemical fuels to produce a large amount of thrust 
necessary to lift loads from the earth's surface is known. The term 
"thrust" is defined to mean the amount of propulsive force developed by a 
propulsion engine and is typically related to a rocket engine that is used 
for boosting a space vehicle from the earth's surface into orbit. The 
known space propulsion systems must have sufficient thrust to raise the 
spacecraft from the earth's surface and that thrust must be greater than 
the weight of the vehicle to be lifted from the earth's surface and placed 
into orbit. 
Once the spacecraft has been boosted into space or orbit, the required 
spacecraft thrust is minimal compared to the thrust required for lifting 
the vehicles from the earth's surface. 
When a spacecraft is in space or in orbit, it is desirable to have the 
ratio of thrust produced to the rate of consumption of the fuel to be high 
as possible and this is generally referred to as "specific impulse." In 
space or in orbit, a spacecraft propulsion system having a high "specific 
impulse" capability is highly desirable. 
Thus, it is known in the art of space propulsion systems that the chemical 
rocket engines are capable of providing the requisite thrust necessary to 
lift large payloads from the earth's surface into orbit. 
Once the spacecraft and its payload is in orbit, it is desirable for the 
spacecraft propulsion system to be able to change the orbit, speed and/or 
orbital position of the spacecraft with a "specific impulse" propulsive 
force. 
A number of propulsion systems have the capacility of providing "specific 
impulse" thrust for changing the orbit, speed and/or orbital position of a 
spacecraft. 
One such known propulsion engine is generally referred to as "electrostatic 
propulsion systems" wherein the thrust is created by electrostatic 
acceleration of ions created by an electron source in an electric field. 
Electrostatic propulsion systems have very high specific impulse but have 
limited thrust capacilities. Where an excessively large amount of thrust 
is required, the size and weight of the electrostatic propulsion systems 
become excessive. Examples of known electrostatic propulsion systems are 
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,414; U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,266 and U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,095,163. Electrostatic propulsion systems include electrostatic 
engines such as ion engines as evidenced by the above-described United 
States patents. 
Another type of known space propulsion systems are generally referred to as 
"electric arc" engines. Electric arc engines or propulsion systems use an 
electric arc to heat a propulsion gas which is then passed to a standard 
rocket nozzle to provide thrust. Electric arc propulsion systems are 
capable of generating considerable amounts of thrust and have specific 
impulse thrust greater than those of chemical engines. However, the 
specific impulse thrust levels of electric arc engines are lower than the 
specific impulse thrust of electrostatic propulsion systems. Typical 
electrothermal or electric arc propulsion systems are disclosed in a book 
by Robert Jahn entitled "Physics of Electric Propulsion" , McGraw Hill, 
1968. 
Another known type of spacecraft propulsion system is generally referred to 
as electromagnetic propulsion systems which includes magnetohydrodynamic 
(MHD) thruster or magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster. The MHD or MPD 
thrusters are capable of providing both high thrust density and high 
specific impulse. The MHD or MPD thrusters utilize a propellant gas which 
is ionized to form a plasma which is accelerated by magnetic and electric 
fields and is then passed through an expansion nozzle to provide thrust. 
In a MHD thruster or MPD thruster, the plasma is a body of gas which 
comprises a substantial number of free electrons and ions, but has an 
overall neutral electrical charge providing a plasma which is electrically 
conductive. The known MHD or MPD thrusters utilize the interaction of 
magnetic fields produced by electrical currents and conductors on the 
spacecraft with an electrically conductive environment to produce a 
reaction thrust. Several typical MHD thrusters or MPD thrusters are 
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,591; U.S. Pat. No. 3,662, 554; U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,535,586; U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,550; U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,490; U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,527,055; U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,022 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,322,374. 
It is also known in the art to combine a jet propulsion power plant with a 
magnetoplasmadynamic generator to produce a hybrid propulsion system. One 
such propulsion system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,306. 
The use of a controlled fusion device which generates electrical energy 
utilizing an ionized gas plasma in a space propulsion system is disclosed 
in U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,316. 
The design of plasma propulsion systems having special magnetic fields for 
controlling the specific impulse characteristics of the plasma propulsion 
device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,092. 
In addition to the above described space propulsion systems, the inventor 
of the present application published an article entitled "Electromagnetic 
Propulsion Without Ionization" which appeared in the AIAA/SAE/ASME 16th 
Joint Propulsion Conference which was held on June 13, 1980 to July 2, 
1980 in Hartford, Conn. The paper presented at the above-described 16th 
Joint Propulsion Conference disclosed the concept of electromagnetic 
propulsion without ionization. Specifically, the paper disclosed that when 
an alternating electric field is applied to a polarized or polarizable 
material, the dipole of the material can be made to rotate at high 
frequency. If an alternating and synchronized magnetic field is supplied 
at right angles to the electric field, a Lorentz force is generated which 
propels the dielectric fluid without the necessity for ionization and the 
consequential energy losses arising from the ionization process. The 
thrust so generated is proportional to the polarization, the frequency of 
the dipole rotation and the magnetic field strength. The propellant 
selected for use as the polarizable material is characterized by having a 
high permanent molecular dipole movement-to-mass ratio and is accelerated 
by Lorentz forces to useful exit velocities. A spacecraft having the 
induced dipole electromagnetic propulsion system is accelerated by 
Newton's Third Law of Motion, or the reactive thrust principal. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a novel, unique and improved dipolar force 
field propulsion system. In the prefered embodiment of the present 
invention, the dipolar force field propulsion system includes means for 
generating an alternating electric field having its electromotive lines of 
force extending in a selected direction. The alternating electric field 
varies at a selected frequency and has an electric field strength of a 
predetermined magnitude. A means for generating a rotating or alternating 
current magnetic field is provided with the electromagnetic lines of force 
extending in a direction which is at a selected angle relative to the 
selected direction of the electromotive lines of force. The 
electromagnetic lines of force cross and intercept the electromotive lines 
of force at a predetermined location to define a spatial force field 
region. The frequency of the alternating magnetic field is substantially 
equal to the selected frequency of the alternating electric field and has 
a predetermined phase angle therebetween. The magnetic field has 
relatively high flux densities in the order of a fraction of one tesla or 
more. The propellant material is a source of neutral particles of matter 
having stabilized, electrically induced or permanent dipoles having 
preselected internal breakdown characteristic which is greater than the 
magnitude of the applied electric field. The dipoles of the matter are 
capable of being driven into controlled rotation at the selected frequency 
by the alternating electric field and crossing the alternating 
electromagnetic field. A means for vaporizing the matter into a gaseous 
state yet below the thermal ionizational level thereof and for 
transporting the vaporized material in the gaseous state into the spatial 
force field region which is defined by the crossed electromotive lines of 
force and electromagnetic lines of force. The alternating cross field 
formed by the electromotive lines of force and the electromagnetic lines 
of force cause the dipoles to rotate at the selected frequency and to 
produce an acceleration force which is substantially normal to the plane 
of the electromotive and the electromagnetic lines of force to produce a 
reactive thrust. A control means which is operatively coupled to the means 
for generating the alternating electric field and to the means for 
generating an alternating magnetic field and which is responsive to the 
dielectric properties of the vaporized matter located in the spatial force 
field region having a well-defined relation between the electric field, 
electromagnetic field and dipole orientation for any selected frequency. 
The known prior art space propulsion systems have inherent limitations in 
terms of providing sufficient thrust based upon the mass and weight of a 
propulsion system on the earth's surface in order to lift a spacecraft 
from the earth's surface and to place the same into orbit or space. The 
primary limitation can be characterized specifically by the mass of 
propellant required, by weight, to the mass of payload to be placed into 
space. Known spacecraft propulsion systems utilizing a chemical engine 
generally require propellants wherein the aggregate weight of the 
propellant is twenty to thirty times the aggregate weight of payload to be 
lifted from the earth's surface and to be placed into orbit. 
The known electrostatic propulsion systems or ion propulsion systems and 
the electric arc propulsion systems are limited to operation in the vacuum 
of space and provide satisfactory high "specific impulse" thrust but are 
unsatisfactory for providing a substantial amount of thrust as required 
for liftoff of a spacecraft. In order to generate sufficient thrust for 
lifting of a payload from the earth's surface into orbit, the size, weight 
and complexity of the spacecraft propulsion systems limit the desirability 
of using the same in such a spacecraft and to provide the necessary 
"specific impulse" thrust required for changing orbital speed, direction 
and/or position. 
In the known MHD or MPD propulsion systems, it is necessary to provide 
sufficient energy in order to ionize the propellant. The energy required 
to ionize the propellant, which is typically easily ionizable gas, reduces 
the overall efficiency of the propulsion systems and requires substantial 
cooling systems in order to obtain the proper operating conditions to 
increase the reliability and lifetime of such propulsion systems. 
In the known MHD propulsion systems, it is necessary to include a seeding 
propellant which is injected into the hot gases wherein the seeding 
material is generally a low ionization potential compound such as, for 
example, potassium or cesium. 
The present invention overcomes the inherent limitations and problems 
associated with the known spacecraft propulsion systems. 
One advantage of the present invention is that a unique, novel and improved 
dipolar force field propulsion system utilizes a propellant in the form of 
a vaporized gaseous matter which is in an unionized state. The reactive 
thrust can be developed by controlling the operating characteristics of 
the crossed alternating electric field and alternating current magnetic 
field which defines the spatial force field region adapted to have the 
vaporized polarizable material, which is not ionized, transported thereto. 
Another advantage of the present invention is that the electronic 
excitation level of the polarizable dipole material can be increased 
either prior to or after the vaporization thereof into a gaseous state to 
improve the operating efficiency of the dipole force field propulsion 
system. 
A yet further advantage of the present invention is that a means are 
provided for generating a reactive thrust which is adapted for propelling 
a spacecraft from the earth's surface, into orbit and subsequently into 
space wherein the initial thrust and specific impulse can be provided 
which are equal to or greater than those provided by the known spacecraft 
propulsion systems. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that a unique and 
novel method for propelling a spacecraft with a reactive thrust derived 
from using a propellant comprising neutral particles of matter having an 
electric dipole characteristic and a breakdown characteristic which is 
greater than the magnitude of an applied electric field. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that the phase 
angle between the alternating electric field and the alternating magnetic 
field can be varied so as to control the magnitude of the reactive thrust 
produced by the rotation of the dipoles of material. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that a unique and 
novel spacecraft having a "X-wing" configuration which includes means for 
exciting the energy level of the polarizable or dipole material to an 
excited level wherein the excited atoms of material when used as a 
propellant is capable of rendering both thrust and specific impulses of 
thrust at controlled levels which is directly proportional to the excited 
state of the gaseous material. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that the 
propulsion efficiency of the inductive dipolar force field propulsion 
system increases as a function of mass ratio and can approach acceptable 
operating efficiencies. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that the 
excitation power can be a microwave source having a selected frequency 
which can be located either internal or external to the spacecraft. Under 
certain idealized conditions, the frequency of the microwave radiation 
source can be precisely selected relative to the frequency of rotation or 
absorption characteristics of the dipole material such that substantially 
all of the microwave radiation transmitted to the spacecraft from an 
external source can be fully absorbed without reflecting any part thereof. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that a MHD 
electric power generator can be utilized on board of the spacecraft to 
generate the electrical energy required to produce the electric and 
magnetic field which is utilized to establish the spatial force field area 
for producing the reactive thrust from the interaction of the crossed 
electric field and magnetic field on the induced dipole material occupying 
this region. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that cryogenic 
cooling of superconductive magnets can produce extremely high, dense 
magnetic fields in the order of one tesla or more. By controlling this 
field strength as well as the switching rate or frequency of the magnetic 
fields, both the efficiency of the dipole propulsion system and the amount 
of thrust produced can thereby be determined. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that a 
electromagnetic propulsion system utilizing the teachings of this 
invention can produce in the order of 10.sup.6 pounds of thrust level 
using known or anticipated power sources and known superconductive 
magnetic materials. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that a shuttle 
aircraft can be designed utilizing a hybrid propulsion system wherein the 
lift and thrust are accomplished by aerodynamic, electromagnetic and 
chemical rocket propulsion systems so as to exploit the characteristics of 
each system at an optimum time during trajectory of spacecraft travel. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that the 
spacecraft propulsion system disclosed herein is capable of utilizing the 
earth's atmosphere as a propellant having an appropriate excitation level 
required in order to initiate the polarization dipole reactive thrust 
generation for purposes of lifting a spacecraft from the earth's surface 
into orbit. Once the spacecraft has been propelled into orbit and then 
into deep space, the dipole force field propulsion system is capable of 
utilizing matter in interstellar space as a propellant without the 
necessity of ionizing the same in order to develop the reactive thrust 
necessary to propel a spacecraft into deep space. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that the dipolar 
force field propulsion system provides a method for accelerating neutral 
particles of matter without the creation of an ionized or plasma state. As 
a result, a force density can be established in a gas over a large 
distance without the restriction of skin depth or Debye lengths. This 
property, in addition to the recycling of excitation radiation and 
rebounding collision processes, offers the potential for the creation of a 
class of more efficient propulsion systems for aerospace vehicles. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that the dipolar 
force field propulsion system operates at lower jet velocities at large 
volumetric mass flow rates. Therefore, greatly reduced noise levels are 
possible. The field extends beyond the structure of the aerospace vehicle 
itself to move the mass and thereby permits operation in more rarified 
environments, such as higher altitudes, where pressures and temperatures 
are lower, permitting high Rydberg excitation states to exist. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that the 
aerospace vehicle's structure can be designed such that electronic control 
of thrust direction can be achieved which can be changed instantly with 
the flick of a switch. The use of electronic switching can provide 
increased maneuverability and faster response reaction times. Further, 
electric power can be provided to the aerospace vehicle by super 
conductive radio frequency generators or by the process of 
magnetohydrodynamics, or by beamed power from ground or orbiting power 
stations. The existance of an excited gas field around the vehicle can be 
used in absorbing offending external microwave beams as well. 
A still yet further advantage of the present invention is that it appears 
that the ejection of electromagnetic momentum will provide for some 
capability of producing a small thrust in the vacuum of space itself. 
A still yet further advantage is that the apparatus and method disclosed 
herein can be used for accelerating particles of matter and have wide 
potential applications for isotope separations, particle beam devices, 
chemical accelerators, nuclear devices, molecular beam devices and the 
like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Before commencing with a detailed description of the preferred embodiment 
and alternate embodiments, a brief description of the electrodynamics of 
moving media particularly with respect to a model of a dipolar fluid will 
be first considered. 
A description of the model of a dipolar fluid and the resulting equations 
developed by a force acting on the dipolar fluid is set forth in a book 
entitled Electrodynamics of Moving Media by Paul Penfield, Jr., and 
Hermann A. Haus which is published as Research Monograph Number 40 by the 
MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass. at pages 47 through 53. As stated in the 
description of the model of a dipolar fluid in the above-described 
Penfield and Haus reference, in a uniform field, the force density can be 
defined by the following formula: 
EQU f.sub.k =P.times.B (1) 
wherein 
f.sub.k =Force Density (Newtons/Cubic Meter) 
P=Polarization Current Density of Dipolar matter (in A/M.sup.2); and 
B=Magnetic Field Induction (Tesla) 
From the formula identified as equation (1) above, the force density is a 
function of the polarization current of the dipolar material times the 
magnetic field intensity. Polarization is defined, for purposes hereof, as 
the average electric dipole moment per unit volume. The derivative thereof 
with respect to time yields current density. 
Experiments have been conducted to verify that mechanical forces can be 
developed based upon the above-described formula and the results of such 
experiments were disclosed in an article entitled "Mechanical Forces of 
Electromagnetic Origin" by G. B. Walker and G. Walker of the Electrical 
Engineering Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, which was 
published in a periodical entitled "Nature" at Volume 23, Sept. 30, 1976. 
The experiments disclosed that the above-identified formula results in a 
reactive force being generated. 
Equation (1) above is a compact mathematical expression which represents 
the underlying microscopic physical forces taking place at the atomic 
level. This understanding is essential in order to appreciate and 
understand the teachings of the present invention. 
Referring to FIG. 1, a pair of electric dipoles 100 are shown consisting of 
oppositely charged ends, 102 and 104, end 102 being the positively charged 
end and end 104 being the negatively charged end. The two dipole ends 104 
and 106 are displaced a fixed distance "s" apart from each other and are 
free to rotate about an axis 106 which is the positively charged end 102. 
The dipoles are shown pictorially to be an elongated shaft terminating in 
a sphere at each end thereof with the charges concentrated at each end 
thereof. In fact, in an actual ground state atom, the electrons exist as a 
cloud shifted from the nucleus. 
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the dipoles are situated in a crossed electric 
field and magnetic field referred to in the art as a Lorentz field. The 
electric field can be generated by a means for generating an alternating 
electric field having its electromotive lines of force extending in a 
first or selected direction. The alternating electric field varies at a 
selected frequency and the electric field is selected to have an electric 
field strength of a predetermined magnitude. In the preferred embodiment, 
the magnitude of the electric field is less than the known characteristic 
field ionization of particle or particles of matter having the dipole 
formed therein. 
FIG. 1 includes a means for generating an alternating magnetic field having 
its magnetic lines of force extending in a second direction which is at a 
predetermined angle, which in the preferred embodiment, is at 90.degree., 
to the first or selected direction of the electromotive lines of force 
defining the electric field. The pole face of the magnet is shown as 122. 
The magnetic lines of force intercept the electromotive lines of force at 
a predetermined location to define a spatial force field region. The 
frequency of oscillation of the alternating magnetic field is 
substantially equal to the selected frequency of the alternating electric 
field. Also, the oscillation of the alternating magnetic field magnitude 
is at a selected phase angle with the alternating electric field. As will 
be developed further herein, the magnetic field has a flux density which 
when multiplied times the selected frequency produces a Tesla-Hertz level 
which is less than the selected field ionization limit of a particle 
placed into the field. 
In FIG. 1, the electric field shown by dashed lines 114, is generated by a 
pair of electrodes 116 and 118 with electrode 116 being the positively 
charged electrode and with electrode 118 being negatively charged at an 
instant of time. The voltage applied to the electrode cyclically varies as 
a cosine function, Cos (wt). The magnitude of the electric field is chosen 
so as not to cause electrical breakdown of the dipole, that is to cause 
separation of the opposite ends of the dipole from each other. If the 
magnitude of the electric field is less than the electrical breakdown of 
the dipole, the electrons remain bound to each other at a fixed distance 
"s" apart. Likewise, a magnetic field B, shown by vectors 112, is applied 
to the dipoles. Preferably, the magnetic field has a flux density which is 
as intense as is practically possible based upon the frequency of the 
alternating magnetic field and the Tesla-Hertz level thereof relative to 
the selected field ionization limits of the particle of matter subjected 
to the force field. The magnetic field applied to the dipoles varies as a 
sine function, Sin (wt). 
Both electrode pair 116 and 118 and the magnetic field 112 are controlled 
to establish a predetermined spatial and time relationship at the selected 
frequency of the alternating electric field, the alternating magnetic 
field and the ultimate dipole rotation orientation. 
When the electric field E is initially applied to dipoles 100, the dipoles 
100 will experience a torque that will twist them into an orientation such 
that they are parallel to the electric field lines 114 with the opposing 
charges facing each other at a given electrode. The dipole may rotate in 
either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending on its initial 
position. However, as will become apparent, the direction of rotation is 
immaterial to the translatory forces that are to be generated on the 
dipoles 100 as a whole. If an alternating electric field, E, is applied to 
the electrodes 114 and 116, the dipoles 100 can be made to rotate or 
oscillate about its center mass, which is generally the positively charged 
end of the dipole. The frequency of rotation is in the megacycle range and 
the dipoles' rotation follows the frequency of the electric field. Thus, 
the dipole is driven into cyclic motion, which may be rotational or 
vibrational, by the electric field. When the alternating magnetic field is 
imposed on the dipoles, forces are exerted on each charge of the dipole 
given by the following Lorentz equation: 
EQU F=qv.times.B (2) 
where 
q=charge on each end of dipole (coulombs); 
v=tangential velocity of each charge (m/s); and 
B=magnetic field in teslas. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the force acts in a direction perpendicular to the 
plane of the electric and magnetic fields, which is along the X axis in 
FIG. 2. For velocity components colinear with the magnetic field lines, 
which is along the Y axis in FIG. 2, no force is produced in the X plane 
since the cross-product of the velocity and magnetic field is equal to 0. 
Only velocity components perpendicular to the magnetic field generates 
forces in the X and Z plane. The forces that are generated as the dipole 
is rotated through each quadrant in FIG. 2 can be summarized by analyzing 
equation (2) at each quadrant location and a chart thereof as set forth 
hereinbelow. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Forces on Negative Charge 
(Clockwise Rotation) 
Quadrant 
Location 
Q B(Y) V(x) V(z) F(z) F(x) 
______________________________________ 
I -e 0 +wR 0 0 0 
II -e -MAX(Y) 0 +wR 0 +qVB 
III -e 0 -wR 0 0 0 
IV -e +MAX(Y) 0 -wR 0 +qVB 
______________________________________ 
As is apparent from the above chart, in respect to the negative end, at 
quadrant location I, the B field is 0 and the voltage in the z direction 
is 0 and the velocity in the x direction is equal to (+WR). Thus, applying 
the equation (2) to the above values, the force in the x direction and the 
z direction are both 0. 
At quadrant location II, the B field is at a maximum negative designated as 
-MAX(Y), the velocity in the z direction is equal to +wR and the velocity 
in the x direction Vx is equal to 0. Applying the force equation, a force 
equal to a +qVB is produced causing the dipole to be forced to the right. 
At quadrant location III, the same conditions exist as in quadrant I and 
the force is equal to 0, as both fields reverse direction. 
At quadrant IV, the B is equal to a +MAX(Y), Vz is equal to -wR and Vx is 
equal to 0. Thus, the force in the x direction is also equal to a +qVB. 
For the positive end of the dipole, the sign of charge is now positive, but 
its velocity is also reversed, since by Newton's third law, it moves 
opposite the direction of the negative end. Thus, the net force along the 
X-axis is the same. 
The same analysis would apply to the second dipole, being noted that the 
second dipole is shown rotating in an opposite direction but the Z 
velocity components are the same for each charge. The dipole rotation can 
be commenced in either direction based upon the probability of the 
location of the electron at the time of the application of the electric 
field thereto. 
The electric forces (E) for the negative charge on each dipole vary as a 
cosine function yielding a velocity which is its integral or sine 
function. Thus, the net force is vector sum of the forces on the negative 
and positive charges: 
##EQU1## 
Since 2qR is the dipole movement (p=qs), the net force on each dipole is 
shown in equation (3): 
EQU F=p B w Sin .sup.2 wt. (4) 
The average force is found by integrating equation (4) over a complete 
cycle and dividing by (2.pi.): 
EQU F=1/2 pBW. (5) 
For purposes of this invention, the term "particle" is intended to cover an 
atom of matter, a molecule of matter or a colloid of matter which can be 
defined as an aggregate of molecules stuck together. As an example, 
consider the case where the particle is water. A water molecule H.sub.2 O 
has the permanent dipole movement equal to 1.85 Debyes (a Debye is equal 
to 3.3.times.10.sup.-30 Coul-meter) due to the assymetry of the hydrogen 
bonds with the respect to the oxygen atom. In addition, an induced dipole 
movement P.sub.i can be created when an electric field is applied given by 
the following equation: 
EQU P.sub.i =.epsilon..sub.o .alpha. E (6) 
where 
.epsilon..sub.o is the permittivity constant; and 
.alpha. is the polarizability (m.sup.3). 
Polarizability has the dimensions of volume, and a value that approximately 
corresponds to the actual volume of the atom or molecule. The volume of a 
molecule can be increased significantly (and hence its polarizability) by 
exciting the particles' outer electrons to high energy levels. The radius 
of a quantum orbit in a simple Bohr atom increases with the square of the 
principal quantum number (n). Hence, the polarizability increases as the 
volume by the following equation (40): 
EQU .alpha.=4/3 .pi. n.sup.6 R.sub.o.sup.3 (7) 
In order to aid the explanation of the polarization of an atom, the subject 
shall be treated in a classical manner and should be based upon a 
reference to a simple Bohr atom (hydrogen) with a single proton at the 
core. The electron is assumed to have been excited to a higher energy 
state, and is in orbit about the nucleus as shown in FIG. 3. An energy 
level diagram thereof is shown in FIG. 4 and will now be described in 
detail. 
FIG. 3a is a graph showing the orbit traversed by an electron 128 of a 
hydrogen atom having a proton 130. The atom is in a highly excited state. 
The electron (128) traverses a path shown by arrows 132 and the distance 
between the electron 128 and the proton 130 is shown by "r." The shortest 
distance between the electron 128 and the proton 130 is shown by 
"r.sub.p," the lowest orbit point being the perihelion. The greatest 
distance between the electron 128 and the proton 130 is shown as "r.sub.a 
" (the highest orbit point being the aphelion). 
For large (n), the Rydberg electron moves in a nearly hydrogenic orbital 
around a core which consists of an atomic ion. This illustration shows a 
classical Bohr orbit. In reality, the electron is viewed as a cloud of 
charge. Hence, the charge in any region is equal to the volume of that 
region times the charge density. The average charge density is 
proportional to the time the electron spends in that region of its orbit. 
The faster the electron moves through a region, the less time it spends in 
that region and, therefore, the less average charge in that region. 
Classically, the charge density varies inversely as the speed of the 
electron. In FIG. 3a, as the electron moves further from the nucleus, the 
slower its speed, and hence a larger concentration of charge at a distance 
from the core. Hence, the Rydberg atom has an electric dipole moment, 
particularly when an external electric field is applied to the particle. 
In the simplest view, this moment is equal to the product of electron's 
charge times the distance from the ion core: 
EQU p=e n.sup.2 R.sub.o (8) 
where R.sub.o is the ground state radius of the electron. For n=20, in the 
case mentioned earlier, p=1.6.times.10.sup.-19 (400) 
(10.sup.-10)=6.4.times.10.sup.-27, coul-meters, more than 1939 Debyes, 
1048 times larger than H.sub.2 O! The dipole moment-to-mass ratio for a 
simple excited hydrogen atom is thus nearly equal to unity (one). Hence 
for a magnetic field of 1/2 Tesla, the acceleration corresponds to the 
value of the frequency, i.e., 10.sup.6 m/s.sup.2 at one megacycle, etc. 
However, the induced electric field may be sufficient to ionize the atom 
as the atom or molecule is excited to higher and higher energy levels, it 
becomes more easily ionized. The ionization potential decreases inversely 
with the square of the principle quantum number: 
EQU U=U.sub.i /n.sup.2 
The application of an external electric field E and magnetic field B 
distorts the path traversed by the electron 128 and pulls the electron to 
one side of the proton 130. The effect of the external electric field E is 
to apply a moment onto the dipole in accordance with Equation (6). 
FIG. 3b is a graph showing the charge density of the atom of hydrogen 
illustrated in FIG. 3a as a function of the distance of the electron 128 
from the proton 130 in Bohr radii (R.sub.o). As shown in FIG. 3b, when the 
electron is at distance "r.sub.p " the charge density is high due to the 
close proximity of the electron 128 to proton 130, even though the dwell 
time is short the charge density decreases as the distance "r" increases 
until the distance "r.sub.a " is reached. At that point, the electron 
essentially reverses direction and the variance in speed results in a 
momentary increase in charge density. 
As noted in Equation (8), the dipole moment p increases as the square of 
the dipoles energy level "n," wherein "n" is the quantum number of the 
energy level. 
FIG. 4 is a graph of the effect of exciting hydrogen gas to various quantum 
levels "n" plotted as a function of electron volts (eV). The energy level 
of the hydrogen gas can be increased by means of a laser source or other 
energy source which is capable of raising the excitation level to a high 
quantum level. The Bohr radii increases as a square of the quantum number 
"n." For example, if n=2, the radius is four (4) times larger. The volume 
of the atom increases as a function of r.sup.3, or N to the sixth (6th) 
power. 
Thus from a theoretical aspect, one significant and important part of this 
invention is the increased operating efficiency and increased thrust that 
is obtained by exciting the atoms of the gaseous material to a high level 
of electronic excitation (sometimes referred to as a Rydberg atom). The 
relationship between the acceleration of dipolar particles in both a 
ground state and in an excited state and the effect thereof on the dipolar 
force field propulsion system can now be assessed. The ideal operational 
conditions of an inductive dipolar force field propulsion system can be 
developed as follows: 
The particle acceleration has been derived earlier [equation (5)]: 
##EQU2## 
The dipole moment (P.sub.e) is that induced due to an applied electric 
field (E), to an excited atom: 
EQU P.sub.e =.epsilon..sub.o K.sub.1 n.sup.6 R.sub.o.sup.3 E (10) 
where (n.sup.6 R.sub.o.sup.3) is the polarizability in cubic meters, 
incorporating the recent evidence that the polarizability scales as 
n.sup.7 for excited atoms. Here R.sub.o is the Rydberg electron orbit 
radius for the ground state (n=1 for light elements), and K.sub.1 is a 
correction factor of the actual ground state polarizability versus the 
actual atomic volume. If the electric field is too high, field ionization 
of the atom will occur; this limiting field (E.sub.f) is given by the 
Coulomb equation: 
##EQU3## 
where (R) is the electron orbit radius, equal to: 
EQU R=n.sup.2 R.sub.o (12) 
and (Z) is the atomic number, and K has the value 9.times.10.sup.9. 
For any simple atom, the number of protons equals the number of neutrons in 
the nucleus, and thus the atomic mass is approximately: 
EQU m.sub.o =2Z M.sub.p (13) 
where (M.sub.p) is the proton rest mass. The maximum dipole moment-to-mass 
ratio is thus (combining equations (10), (11), (12) and (13): 
##EQU4## 
Note that (r) is apparently independent of (Z). We can evaluate this 
result by letting: 
EQU .epsilon..sub.o =8.85.times.10.sup.-12 
EQU K=9.times.10.sup.9 
EQU K.sub.1 =1 
EQU R.sub.o =0.5.times.10.sup.-10 M 
EQU M.sub.p =1.67.times.10.sup.-27 kg 
EQU e=1.6.times.10.sup.-19 Coul 
The result is: 
EQU r=2.times.10.sup.-4 n.sup.3 (15) 
Consider the following examples: 
For: 
EQU n=17, r=1 
EQU n=36, r=10 
EQU n=79, r=100 
In order to obtain high Rydberg states (n&gt;10), the gas should be cooled to 
reduce the chances of collisional quenching: 
##EQU5## 
where (U.sub.i) is the ground state ionization potential, and here (k) is 
Boltzman's constant and (T) is the temperature in degrees Kelvin. High n's 
are possible in thruster applications where selected propellants are 
utilized. A cryogenic gas such as, for example, the boil-off of liquid 
helium at about 5.degree. K. may be used, thus a possible maximum (n) 
value is: 
##EQU6## 
In an inductive dipolar accelerator, described later in reference to FIG. 
36, the acceleration is given by: 
##EQU7## 
where R.sub.c =the coil radius or field gap used in the magnet. We can 
calculate the limiting B-field frequency product before ionization is 
induced: 
##EQU8## 
Combining equations (16) and (17): 
##EQU9## 
Evaluating this with k.sub.1 =1, and assuming R.sub.c =1 cm, we obtain: 
##EQU10## 
For n=100, the acceleration is X=10.sup.9 m/s.sup.2, comparable to 
conventional electric and plasma thrusters. This is achieved at a 
field-frequency product of: 
EQU B.nu.=X/2.pi.r=0.8 MHz-T (19) 
Thus, assuming we can have high Rydbergs, at a magnetic field-frequency 
product of less than 1 MHz-T, the particle acceleration is comparable to 
conventional thrusters. The lifetime (.tau..sub.e) of the excited Rydberg 
atom is greatly increased at large values of n, in fact it scales as: 
EQU .tau..sub.e .about.n.sup.3 (20) 
(neglecting collisions and field effects). Hence, the lifetime can be long 
enough to be accelerated over the channel distance before deactivation: 
EQU .tau..sub.e &gt;L/V.sub.g (21) 
where (L) is channel length and (V.sub.g) is gas velocity. The Lorentz 
forces exerted on the excited Rydberg electron by the external B-field 
becomes comparable to the Coulomb forces holding the electron captive to 
the nucleus: 
##EQU11## 
This can be made into a squeezing force to be used to minimize the chances 
of ionization at the cyclotron frequency (w.sub.c =eB/M.sub.e). Operation 
at lower pressures would also be desireable to reduce again the effects of 
collision frequency and increase the mean free path comparable to the size 
of the accelerator channel. In any event, any collisions that do take 
place should satisfy the following condition: 
EQU 3/2KT.noteq.n(.nu..sub.n -.nu..sub.n-1) (23) 
That is, the collision energy should not correspond to any transition of 
either particle (vibrational, rotational or electronic). Finally, the 
conductivity (6) of the gas (degree of ionization) must be not so high 
that the skin depth (8) gets too low and the field does not penetrate the 
gas: 
##EQU12## 
We can thus summarize the operation (ideal) conditions of the dipolar 
thruster: 
##EQU13## 
Finally, with respect to equation (28), high "Q" circuits are required to 
reduce electrical losses, which increase the selectivity or narrows the 
bandwidth of the circuit. 
These conditions, as mentioned, may be achievable only in applications 
where the propellant can be optimumly selected. In other areas, such as 
coupling with the atmospheric gases, the properties are dictated by the 
ambient temperature and pressure conditions. This will be more fully 
appreciated as the following embodiments are described. 
NATURE OF EXCITED STATES 
A general discussion of excited states in particles such as atoms and 
molecules and their electric dipolar properties is deemed essential for 
proper understanding of the present invention. The physical description of 
the invention has been viewed in a strictly classical manner, i.e., the 
quantum mechanical aspects of the propulsion concept have not been 
directly considered. The May, 1981 issue of Scientific American contained 
an article entitled "Highly Excited Atoms" providing a review of excited 
levels of atoms. An atom or a molecule can be excited by the absorption of 
a quanta of energy equal to its first transition energy level, around 10 
ev. The method of excitation can be from a source of ultraviolet radiation 
as from a lamp or laser having a photon energy equal to Planck's constant 
(h) times the frequency, or by the impact of an ion or electron having a 
translational kinetic energy of approximately 10 ev. A review of electron 
impact excitation can be found in National Bureau of Standards report 
NSRDS-NBS 25, dated August, 1968, entitled "Electron Impact Excitation of 
Atoms." Photons offer the advantage of narrow energy spread and resonant 
excitation. Electron impact generally gives much less selectivity but 
creates a more intense population of excited states. In electron impact 
excitation, intense electron beams or discharges can be obtained and 
electron impact cross sections tend to be larger than photon cross 
sections. Both techniques are invisioned as being utilizable with the 
present invention, depending on the application, one technique may be 
preferred over another. 
Excitation of an isolated molecule may lead to ionization, autoionization, 
dissociation, predissociation, or reradiation of the excitation energy. 
Each of the energy excitation processes, can in principle, occur and 
compete with each other. However, since the rates may differ by many 
orders of magnitude, usually one process dominates the excitation process. 
The primary mechanism is currently viewed as being dissociation, 
especially of oxygen in the air which has the lowest dissociation energy 
of around 5 ev., nearly half that of nitrogen. At sufficiently high 
electron impact energies, above 25 ev., the oxygen molecule breaks into 
two atomic fragments, one being a high Rydberg state and the other a low 
metastable Rydberg (3s.sup.5 S.sup.o) at 9.13 ev. Because it is the lowest 
quintet state, it is metastable with a radiative lifetime of about one 
millisecond. Rydberg states that have atoms of large principle quantum 
numbers (n), although not metastable by any selection rules, have long 
enough lifetimes to be observed in the laboratory. The energy required to 
remove an electron from a simple atom is given by: 
EQU E=13.6/n.sup.2 eV (30) 
The mean value of the orbital radius is 
EQU r=0.26(3n.sup.2 -a(1+1) A.sup.o (31) 
where 1 is the orbital angular momentum integer. For an s electron with 
n=20, this radius is 156 A.sup.o ; this radius is huge. The radiative 
lifetime of a Rydberg state is proportional to n.sup.3 and can therefore 
reach values between 10 to 100 microseconds for a state with n=20, but 
with an ionization potential of 0.034 eV, it is readily ionized by ambient 
thermal collisions. Hence, an n value this high represents an upper limit 
for the present invention which seeks acceleration of an unionized 
atmospheric gases. 
The atoms of a diatomic molecule can rotate about the molecule's center of 
mass and vibrate along the interatomic axis. The energies of both 
molecular rotation and of vibration are quantized, and this leads to 
distinctive molecular rotational and vibrational spectra. The present 
invention is only concerned with rotation since these represent lower 
frequencies (RF) whereas vibrational energies usually lie in the infrared. 
The angular momentum L associated with the molecular rotation of a 
diatomic molecule is quantized according to the rule: 
EQU L=J(J+1) h (32) 
where J is the rotational momentum, (I) quantum number with possible values 
0, 1, 2, . . . n-1. This quantization implies that the energy of molecular 
rotation is quantized, and the respective absorption frequency is given 
by: 
EQU f=J(J+1)h/2I (33) 
where (I) is the moment of inertia of the molecule. The moment of inertia 
is given by: 
EQU I=m.sub.o n.sup.4 r.sub.o 2 (34) 
where r.sub.o is the separation distance between the two nuclei of the 
diatomic molecule. Transitions between the quantized molecular rotational 
energy states of a polar molecule gives rise to the molecule's pure 
rotational spectrum. The selection rule governing allowed transitions is 
J=+-1. The rotational spectrum consists of equally spaced lines typically 
found in the far infrared and microwave regions of the electromagnetic 
spectrum for ground states. For excited states, the moment of inertia 
increases as n.sup.4 and the rotation frequencies may be lowered to radio 
frequencies. Thus, it is clear that the rotation of water vapor molecules 
which are polar, to create thrust in the atmosphere in a high frequency 
Lorentz field, is quantized and selected frequencies are most effective 
for resonant absorption of energy. 
It is also possible to have "superexcited molecules," that is, there is 
high probability of a molecule receiving energy in excess of its lowest 
ionization potential without immediate ejection an electron, as such, 
superexcited molecules form electrically neutral excited molecules 
possessing energy greater than the ionization potential. Such a 
superexcited molecule, may, like molecules excited to states below the 
ionization potential, undergo dissociation to form smaller fragments, one 
or both of which may be electronically excited. 
An electronically excited molecule is thermodynamically unstable, and can 
lose energy rapidly by several competitive pathways. The actual lifetime 
of a superexcited molecule depends on its nature, on the complexity of the 
molecule, and the possible alternative degradation processes. The 
magnitude of such lifetimes are generally in the very wide range from 
10.sup.10 to 10.sup.-3 second. One such process is molecular dissociation 
of the excited state leading to the formation of atoms or smaller 
molecules, which, in turn, may be excited. In contrast, the most likely 
processes leading to energy degradation without reaction are radiation 
conversion (fluorescence), or nonradiative conversion (internal 
conversion) to the ground state. The latter is generally less probable 
than internal conversion to the lowest excited state followed by 
fluorescence to the ground state. Internal conversion is a rapid process 
(10.sup.-10 sec), and may include intersystem crossing which involves a 
change of multiplicity, i.e., transition from a low lying singlet state to 
a lower lying triplet excited state. Triplet states are potentially very 
important in the present invention since light emission with a change of 
multiplicity (phosphoresence) is a slow process (&gt;10.sup.- 4 sec), and the 
electronic energy is available for comparatively long times to provide 
longer periods of acceleration. Triplet states may also be formed by 
direct excitation by slow electrons and in the recombination reaction of a 
positive ion and electron. 
It is clear that fluorescent energy emitted by one molecule could be 
absorbed by another. However, energy transfer can also occur from excited 
molecules by a nonradiative resonance process. This is formally equivalent 
to the emission of a photon by the excited molecule and its absorption by 
another molecule whose absorption spectrum overlaps the emission spectrum 
of the emissive molecule. This process is not restricted to situations 
involving collisions between molecules, but can occur when the distance 
separating the molecules is less than the wavelength of the emitted photon 
and can take place efficiently over distances of 50-100 A.sup.o. 
In the case of collisions between neighboring particles, a pressure 
dependence of the excitation process involves the following major factors: 
(1) imprisonment of resonance radiation; and (2) collision transfer of 
excitation. Reabsorption of photons by atoms in the ground state 
effectively lengthens the life of the excited state, and spreads the 
excited state population over a larger volume. The longer effective 
lifetime of the upper state results in an increased probability for 
intervention of collisional processes, and for conversion through 
radiative transitions to lower levels other than the ground state. In 
collisional transfer, an excited atom is de-excited in a collision with a 
ground state atom with a transfer of excitation energy and possibly 
changes in the values of angular momentum and spin associated with the 
excitation energy. With the addition of gases of different species, 
"optical pumping" may occur in which the foreign atoms act as buffer atoms 
such that collisions between the excited atom and the buffer atom will not 
undo the excited state but because of the shapes of the electron orbits of 
the two particles, the buffer atoms prevent the magnetic interaction of 
their electrons. It is by this process that a population of excited or 
pumped atoms leak back to an unpumped, low ground state. The existence of 
such processes serves to diminish the excitation power required to 
accelerate a given amount of gas. The creation of a "population inversion" 
state is obtained. Thus, laser action may be used for practicing the 
present invention. 
A discussion of an excited state of a single atom versus the ionization 
state energy will now be considered. The energy required to excite an atom 
to a given P.Q.N. is given by: 
##EQU14## 
Where U.sub.i is the ground state ionization potential. The ratio of the 
maximum possible dipole moment-to-mass ratio (52) per unit of excitation 
energy is as follows: 
##EQU15## 
For large values of (n), this ratio increases as a function of n.sup.3. 
Hence, it appears that the most effective use of the excitation energy 
occurs at the highest possible (n) value, and just below the threshold of 
ionization. The absorption frequency, however, becomes smaller as higher 
states of (n) are reached as shown as follows: 
##EQU16## 
where: n.sup.u =upper Principal Quantum Number 
c=velocity of light 
n.sub.l =lower 
R=Rydberg Constant 
At values of (n) greater than about 40, the electronic absorption frequency 
lies in the microwave region, compared to the ultraviolet region at near 
ground state values of (n). 
In typical laboratory experiments with excited states, high values of (n) 
are achieved by using a gas laser and a tunable dye laser which provides 
some control over the frequency range. Thus, the process can be controlled 
from the ultraviolet to the microwave frequencies. Experiments in the 
laboratory have been performed with molecular beams of sodium in a high 
vacuum. A magnetic field is used to extract any ions that are present 
after excitation. The levels of excitation are then measured by applying a 
known field ionization voltage between a set of electrodes around the 
beam. The cutoff voltage will ionize all particles of a specific (n) and 
higher, providing an ionization current, whose magnitude determines the 
population of these excited states. Electron impact as well as laser 
excitation have been used. A discussion of the former, with reference to 
atmospheric oxygen, can be found in the Journal of Chemical Physics, page 
3125 by R. Freund, Apr. 1, 1971. 
MECHANISMS OF DIPOLAR COUPLING 
There are at least five different basic methods of creating dipolar type 
interactions with an external Lorentz field. These various mechanisms are 
briefly reviewed as follows: 
(a) Electronic dipole--at any instant of time, an electron in its orbit 
about the nucleus constitutes a dipole, and, as the electron orbits, the 
system can be viewed as a dipole rotating at the orbital frequency of the 
electron about the nucleus. This frequency is given by: 
EQU f=(1/2.pi.) [ke.sup.2 /mn.sup.6 r.sub.o.sup.3 ] 1/2 (38) 
Hence, for excited states the frequency decreases inversely as the cube of 
the principle quantum number. For ground states, this frequency lies in 
the ultraviolet region, and for excited states, the frequencies involved 
lie well into the microwave region. 
(b) Precessing Atomic Orbital Dipoles--The velocity of the electron reaches 
a low at the perhilion of its electrically stressed orbit which is the 
region of high space charge concentration. Hence, the flip-flopping of 
this orbit results in an oscillating dipole that establishes the 
polarization current density. To create this condition using atmospheric 
gases, the diatomic molecules must first be dissociated. The dipole moment 
is the major axis of the elliptical orbit from the more massive ion core 
to the electron at the perhilion, times the electronic charge. 
(c) Precessing Molecular Orbital Dipoles--Here, the particle remains a 
molecule and the energy of dissociation is avoided. The molecule is 
excited, and the orbital perhilion is established by the alternating 
electric field. The dipole motion readily follows the applied electric 
field. This, together with method (b) represents the most common methods 
of dipolar coupling for atmospheric gases. 
(d) Permanent Assymetric Dipolar Molecules--Some molecules, such as water 
(H.sub.2 0), possess a permanent dipole moment (1.85 Debyes) due to the 
assymetry of the covalent chemical bonds between the constituent atoms. 
Other common dipoles of this type are NH.sub.3. The rotation of these 
molecules is quantized, but clearly no energy of excitation is required to 
attain moderate dipole moments. 
(e) Heteropolar Molecules--Some molecules which have ionic bonds, possess 
permanent electric dipole moments. For example, sodium chloride NaC1, has 
a dissociation energy of 4.24 eV, and an equilibrium separation distance 
of 2.36 A.sup.o. Since the molecule is held together by ionic binding, the 
end containing the Na nucleus represents a region of positive electric 
charge. The end containing the C1 nucleus represents a region of negative 
charge. Hence, it has a dipole moment of 9.0 Debyes, more than four times 
larger than the water molecule. Such molecules, while not existing in the 
atmosphere, could be used in more conventional thruster applications. 
Before proceeding with a further discussion of the dipolar force field 
propulsion system, certain of the well known matter particles which may be 
useful as a source of neutral particles of matter having selected electric 
dipole moment or polarizability characteristics with known breakdown 
characteristics for practicing this invention are set forth hereinbelow. 
The below list are examples of possible ground state propellants for the 
dipolar force field propulsion system. 
TABLE 2 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
PROPERTIES OF DIPOLAR SUBSTANCES IN GROUND STATE 
Permanent Ionization 
Dissassociation 
Boiling 
Molecular 
Dipole Polarizabil- 
Potential 
Energy Point 
Specie Weight 
Moment (D)* 
ity (A.sup.3) 
(eV) (eV) (.degree.K.) 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
Helium (He) 
4 -- 2.5 24.48 -- 4.95 
Water (H.sub.2 O) 
18 1.85 18.6 12.6 2.5 
Sodium (Na) 
23 23.6 5.138 
-- 
Ammonia (NH.sub.3) 
17 1.47 27.8 239.8 
Lithium 26 6.33 
Floride (LiF) 
Nitrogen (N.sub.2) 
28 -- 22.1 15.576 
9.75 77.35 
Oxygen (O.sub.2) 
32 2 B.M.** 12.063 
5.0 90.18 
Hydrogen 36.45 1.08 
Cloride (HCl) 
Salt (NaCl) 
58.45 9.00 4.24 
Xenon (Xe) 
131.30 
-- 27.3 12.127 
-- 166.05 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
*D = Debye = 3.3 .times. 10.sup.-30 Coulmeter 
**B.M. = Bohr Magnetron 
FIG. 5 is a graph showing the polarizability and ionization potential 
versus the energy level of the atom. However, the field ionization limit 
of the particle cannot be exceeded, otherwise, ionization will occur, 
which is undesirable. The ionization potential decreases rapidly as the 
P.Q.N. increases. Also shown is the electronic absorption frequencies as 
the P.Q.N. is increased. 
The thermal energy of ambient gas molecules is of the order 0.04 eV, hence 
P.Q.N. of up to 15 to 20 are possible without causing ionization of the 
excited atom. It is evident that polarizabilities up to 10-24m.sup.3 may 
be possible at ambient temperatures. Quantatively, the following condition 
must be satisfied: 
##EQU17## 
where R is the coil radius. 
The coulomb electric field experienced by the electron in its orbit equals 
the induced electric field at a distance R.sub.c from the coil. In other 
words, the orbital radius of the Rydberg electron is restricted to the 
value indicated to prevent ionization of the atom. For the condition just 
mentioned, (n=20, B=1/2 Tesla and R=1/2 meter), the P.Q.N. is limited to 
17; hence the Rydberg atom will not ionize for P.Q.N.'s equal to or less 
than this value. Combining equation (30) with (28) and (24) and solving 
for the maximum possible atmospheric acceleration "x," for a given n. 
R.sub.c and molecular weight, we obtain: 
##EQU18## 
where R.sub.c is the radius from the center of the coil to the point of 
interest. This equation gives the approximate limit in particle 
acceleration that is possible without causing ionization to take place in 
the atmosphere. The equation further implies that for larger and larger 
diameter field coils, it is desirable to have lower excited states in 
order to avoid ionization. 
FIG. 6 is a graph showing the possible particle acceleration attainable as 
a function of the product of the magnetic field and the applied frequency 
which must be less than the field ionization potential limit. The field 
ionization limit is not a specific boundary layer condition, but is a 
range where ionization occurs and is dependent on a number of variables 
including the strength of the magnetic field, frequency and properties of 
the dielectric substance. The graph of FIG. 6 is based upon the use of 
nitrogen (N2), the primary constituent of air for various principle 
quantum numbers. Also, shown is the acceleration of water vapor molecules 
which are assumed to remain in a ground state. From the graph in FIG. 6, 
particle accelerations of 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.6 m/s.sup.2 may be possible. 
These types of accelerations are typical of the gas accelerations found in 
rocket and jet engine thrust chambers. Hence, this invention has utility 
in propulsion applications. 
LINEAR DIPOLE FIELD ACCELERATOR 
Referring now to FIG. 7, a simple LCR circuit is shown consisting of an 
electrode pair 140 and 142 having a capacitance C and which contains a 
polarizable gas 160 therebetween as a dielectric. The capacitor C defined 
by the electrode pairs 140 and 142 and the polarizable gas 160 as a 
dielectric is series connected to an inductance coil 146 having an 
inductance L. The inductance coil 146 provides a crossed magnetic field 
which crosses and intercepts the electric field extending between the 
electrodes 140 and 142. The inductance coil 146 is shown in greater detail 
in FIG. 9. The LCR circuit illustrated in FIG. 7 provides an electric and 
magnetic field which vary, in time, as a cosine and sine function, 
respectively. The circuit has a resistance R, shown by element 150, which 
should be minimized to reduce joule heat losses. The circuit is supplied 
with electrical power from a voltage source E, shown as 152, by closing a 
switch 154. The gas molecules 160, which are to be accelerated, are 
located between electrode 140 and 142 and are excited by a vacuum 
ultraviolet radiation source 170 having a reflector 172. The radiation 
from the radiation source 170 is shown by arrow 174 which is directed into 
the gas molecules 160. The gas molecules 160, when in a ground state, 
normally have a relative dielectric constant (K.sub.r) near unity. 
However, when the gas is excited, the dielectric constant, and hence the 
capacitance, increases significantly as given by the following equation: 
EQU P=(K.sub.R -1).epsilon..sub.o E (41) 
where P=.rho.N, the polarization or average dipole moment per unit volume 
For gases excited to PQN=10, the dielectric constant is near 10,000, at 10 
KV/M field strength. Therefore, even with small electrodes, significant 
electrical energy can be stored in the excited gases. In the perferred 
embodiment, the electrodes 140 and 142 are sized to store the energy 
cycled between the coil 146 and capacitor C having the excited gas as a 
dielectric. The entire circuit is tuned for operation at substantially the 
resonant frequency. This configuration establishes the requisite spatial 
and time force field region to generate a dipolar propulsive effect on the 
gas. 
Referring now to FIG. 8, a linear accelerator 200 is shown using the 
construction and elements of the simple LCR circuit shown in FIGS. 7, 8 
and 9. The linear accelerator 200 consists of a number of 
electroconductive plates 202 which act capacitively and are arranged to 
form two sides of a linear rectangular channel 206. The other two sides of 
the linear rectangular channel 206 are the pole faces 212 and 214 of a 
series of U-shaped electromagnets which are arranged along the channel 
length. The electromagnets have energizing coils 216 situated externally 
to the linear rectangular channel 206. The alternating current power 
source is applied to a conductor 220 across plate 202, which plates are 
connected in series with the windings 216 of the coils 212. The other side 
of the windings 216 of coil 212 is connected to conductor 222 which, in 
turn, is connected across the alternating current source. The windings 216 
of coil 212 and the capacitive electrode 202 are electrically connected in 
series as shown in FIG. 10. The connector 220 and 222 are responsive to an 
alternating current power source to provide a crossed electric and 
magnetic fields across the electrodes 202 and the windings 216 which vary 
as a cosine and sine function, respectively. Each stage of the elements 
which define the linear rectangular channel 206 are connected in parallel 
to each other to reduce the equivalent reactance to permit high frequency 
(HF) operation. The circuits are driven from an external high frequency 
power source which is applied via a control means 250 such that the 
frequency of the alternating current power supply is adjusted to operate 
at the resonant frequency of the circuit. 
The gas molecules, which is to form the dielectric gas to be accelerated, 
is stored in a cryogenic Dewar of gas which maintains the dielectric gas 
at a extremely cold temperature. The cryogenic Dewar of gas is illustrated 
as 252 in FIG. 10. The gas is stored in a pressurized vessel 254. The 
dielectric gas passes from the pressurized container 254 through a 
regulator 256 to a control valve 258. The control valve is operatively 
coupled to a "U" shaped cooling member 260 which passes along each stage 
of the linear accelerator and which is located under each of the windings 
216 of the coils 212 to provide cooling of the magnets 212 to increase the 
conductivity thereof. The "U" cooling core 260 has its other end 
terminating in a flowmeter 262. The other side of the flowmeter 262 is 
adapted to feed the gas to a plenum 280 which, in turn, distributes the 
extremely cold dielectric gas into the linear rectangular channel 206. The 
flow meter 262 is utilized to control the flow of the dielectric gas into 
the longitudinal rectangular channel 206. Any suitable cold gas may be 
used, such as an inert gas which is chemically inert and, as such, avoids 
causing corrosion to the electrodes. Preferably, the gas pressure in the 
longitudinal rectangular channel 206 is as low as possible to reduce 
collisional quenching of the gas. 
The dielectric gas located in the longitudinal rectangular chamber 206 is 
excited by an external excitation source such as for example a beam of 
vacuum ultraviolet radiation from a source such as a lasar 270. The lasar 
270 is bounded at one end of the longitudinal rectangular channel 206 and 
is positioned with respect thereto such that the lasar beam tranverses the 
entire inside length of the longitudinal rectangular channel 206 so that 
the dielectric gas contained therein is constantly exposed to this 
ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The dielectric gas is excited by the UV 
radiation and is strongly coupled to the alternating cross field from the 
electromagnets 212 and accellerated as described hereinbefore. The 
electric field utilized in this embodiment appears across the capacitors 
defined by the plates 202 having the dielectric gas therebetween. The 
magnitude of the electric field utilized in this embodiment is determined 
by the voltage that appears across the capacitors defined by the plates 
202 along with the dielectric gas stored therebetween. 
As stated hereinabove, the dielectric gas is preferably supplied from a 
Dewar 252 which preserves the fluid as a cryogenic fluid (such as helium 
at 4.4 degree K). The dielectric gas supplied is preferably as cold as 
possible to reduce the collisional thermoquenching of the excited states 
which is controlled by the following formula: 
EQU 3/2kt=ui/n.sup.2 (42) 
With a cryogenic dielectric gas, the P.Q.N.s over 100 might be possible. 
Thus, such a dielectric gas may have a very large electric dipole moment 
in high particle accelerations at low field frequency products. The 
possible P.Q.N. is determined by the following equation: 
##EQU19## 
The electric field utilized inthis embodiment is that across the 
capacitors ("Q" times the supply voltage V.sub.s) as it alternates its 
stored energy with the magnet coils according to: 
EQU 1/2cu.sup.2 =1/2Li.sup.2 
where: C is the capacitance 
V is the voltage across electrodes 
L is the coil inductance 
i is the coil current 
Hence, 
##EQU20## 
The induced electric field (E.sub.i) due to the time varying magnetic 
field which has a direction at right angles to the magnetic field is not 
utilized. This capacitive electric field is more useful at lower 
frequencies when: 
EQU E.sub.e &gt;&gt;E.sub.i (45) 
Whereas E.sub.i is useful at higher frequencies and magnetic fields as 
described in other embodiments later. 
FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a linear dipole field accelerator 
which can be used for practice in the invention. The accelerator includes 
electrodes 312 and 314 which are adapted to establish electromotive lines 
of force thereacross to establish electric field as illustrated by the 
arrows 318. Electrode 312 is adapted to be connected via conductor 320 to 
an alternating electric field source. The other electrode 314 is connected 
via conductor 330 to windings 332 of a coil 334. The other end of the 
windings 332 of coil 334 terminates in a conductor 340 which is adapted to 
be connected across the other side of the alternating electric field 
source. A highly permeable magnetic conductive member, 360, (such as 
ferrite) generates the necessary magnetic lines of force which are shown 
in FIG. 9 by arrows 362. The magnetic lines of force extend in a direction 
which is at a predetermined angle to selected or first direction of the 
electromotive lines of force and the magnetic lines of force 362 cross and 
intercept the electromotive lines of force 318 at a predetermined location 
to define a spatial force field region which is located between the 
electrodes 212 and 214. The alternating electric source which is applied 
between conductors 320 and 340 generate both electromotive and magnetic 
lines of force as a function of the magnitude of the alternating source 
which varies as a function of a selected frequency. Thus, since the 
electroplates 312 and 314 are connected in series with the coil 334, the 
rate of frequency change of the alternating source will determine the 
frequency of the electric field applied across the electrodes 312 and 314 
and the frequency of the alternating magnetic field developed by windings 
332 and applied via the magnetic coupler 360 across the spatial force 
field region. 
FIG. 10 is the schematic diagram which shows a schematic for a multistage 
linear dipolar field accelerator having five stages shown by stages 364 
through 372, inclusive. The stages are all connected in parallel across a 
pair of conductors 374 and 376 which energize from a source 380. Stage 372 
illustrates a capacitor 386 which is formed of electrode plates in a 
manner similar to that described with respect to FIG. 7 wherein the 
polarizable gas molecules are located between the plates of the capacitors 
and wherein the gas molecules has a predetermined dielectric 
characteristic. The inductor, shown by inductor 388, is formed of 
high-flux density magnetic coil. 
FIG. 11 illustrates the potential specific impulses that appear to be 
possible, using the principles of this invention, as the operating 
parameter of the device. The operating parameters are the product of the 
channel length and the frequency and magnetic field. The graph of FIG. 11 
shows the Isp for various dipole moment-to-mass ratios, such as water, and 
excited gases. The later can have ratios equal to or greater than unity, 
if the gas is properly cooled to minimize thermal quenching. 
ELECTRICAL POWER REQUIREMENTS 
The generation of thrust utilizing the principles disclosed in this 
Application requires the absorbtion of power by the dipoles in the gas. 
Generally, this energy absorption can be grouped into five different 
categories: 
(1) Excitation Energy--energy in the form of a quanta of photon (hv) or 
electron impact energy is absorbed to create an excited state having a 
high polarizability or induced dipole moment. 
(2) Orientational Energy--thermal molecular collisions in the gas tend to 
disorient the dipoles in the external applied electric field; consequently 
a restoring torque equal to pXE must be applied. 
(3) Polarizability Energy--once the atom is excited, the electronic cloud 
must be stressed or distorted to create an induced dipole, with energy 
given by 1/2.alpha.E.sup.2. 
(4) Rotational Energy--finally, the dipole must be rotated by an 
alternating electric field, and since it has a finite moment of inertia, 
it has a rotational energy 1/2 I W.sup.2 which must be maintained 
regardless of molecular collisions. 
(5) Translational Energy--the kinetic energy of the particles (1/2 
mV.sup.2). 
In general, most of these energies are very small compared to the 
excitation energy required, which energy cannot exceed the ionization 
potential of the gas, around 14-15 ev for atmospheric gases. In addition 
to these energies, which are absorbed by the dipoles, there are various 
losses that the system will incur: 
(1) Radiation Losses: Once an excited state has been accelerated and is 
quenched or deactivated, it will flourese or emit a photon of radiation 
which may be aborbed by another neighboring atom or lost to the system. If 
the emitted radiation excites another atom, then this improves efficiency 
as the energy of excitation is reused. Finally, the coil itself is a RF 
antenna that broadcasts radio frequency energy which can be reduced by 
correct design or shielding. 
(2) Thermal Losses: The coil has a resistance which generates a joule 
heating loss (I.sup.2 R) which must be minimized or reduced by cooling to 
prevent overheating the coil. The use of cryogenic cooling or 
superconductivity is exploited in this respect. 
Further, dielectric losses in dielectric gas are reduced. A circuit diagram 
of the power source and electrically coupled load was sown in FIGS. 7 and 
10. In order to achieve sufficient thrust density at lower frequencies, 
high magnetic fields in the vicinity of 0.1 to 1 Teslas are desired. The 
stored magnetic field energy in the working volume times the cycle 
frequency represents the circulating electrical power. The actual power 
discipation is the circulating power divided by the circuit "Q", or figure 
of merit which is the ratio of inductive reactance to the resistance. The 
ratio of the body force to the body power discipation thus simplifies to: 
EQU F.sub.b /P.sub.dis =K.sub.1 .lambda..sub.e .omega..sup.2 /R (46) 
Thus, for a given condition of excited gas or electric susceptability, the 
ratio of the frequency to resistance (Q) should be optimized. The coils 
shown in FIG. 10 thus consist of elements of large cross-sectional area 
with minimal length and are cooled to very low temperatures to minimize 
the resistivity. For example, in a rocket driven MHD power generator, the 
liquid hydrogen (-400.degree. F.) for the fuel can be circulated through 
the coil before combustion takes place. 
The present invention has utility as a new and innovative propulsion system 
in which the thrust-to-power-ratio is potentially very high compared to 
conventional systems. The thrust-to-power ratio (.gamma.) is given by: 
##EQU21## 
where: m is the total mass flow rate (kg/s) 
U.sub.e is the excitation (photon) energy absorbed 
N.sub.e is the number flow rate of excited particles 
V.sub.g is the net change in velocity of the gas 
If (.beta.) equals the population fraction of excited states in the total 
gas flow, this equation becomes: 
##EQU22## 
Where M.sub.o is the mass of the atom or molecule. Differenting this 
equation and setting equal to zero, we find the optimum velocity for 
maximum (.gamma.): 
##EQU23## 
As an illustrative example, assume an excitation photon energy of 10 ev 
and a population fraction of 1% or 0.01 using diatomic nitrogen with a 
mass m.sub.o =28.multidot.1.67.times.10.sup.-27 Kg, the velocity is 840 
m/s and the power/thrust ratio is about 800 watts/newton. This compares to 
the performance of the SSME rocket engine on the space shuttle which 
requires 4540 watts/newton of thrust. Even better performance may be 
possible depending upon the number of rebounding collisions and collision 
cross-section of the excited atoms, which are generally much larger than 
ground state atoms. 
FIG. 12 is graph showing the power/thrust ratio for atomic hydrogen gas 
assuming no photon recycling the ratio decreases inversly with the square 
root of the molecular weight, thus Xenon gas would have a power thrust 
ratio more than 10 times smaller than hydrogen. Moreover, the ionization 
limit is moved further up so that higher induced electric fields are 
possible without field ionization. In fact, the field ionization limit 
(E.sub.i) increases as follows: 
##EQU24## 
It increases with atomic number for an atom of given radius (R). As 
illustrated in connection with FIG. 7, no effort was made to capture "lost 
radiation." It was simply assumed that the gas completely absorbed the UV 
radiation as it traversed the length of the acceleration channel 306. 
As shown in FIG. 13, the input gas 400 located between plates 402 absorbs 
the photons from an excitation source 406. The gas 400 is excited for a 
lifetime .tau..sub.e and then is de-excited. Meanwhile, the gas has 
traveled a length (V.sub.g.tau.e), where V.sub.g is the gas velocity. The 
de-excitation involves the emission of a photon, with a frequency 
generally less than the original frequency, but still greater than that 
required for the first transition state above ground and thus, can be 
usefully "recaptured." Thus, FIG. 13 shows the emitted photon 412 being 
reflected (arrow 414) and returned upstream to the source gas where 
reaborption takes place. In practice, the input radiation may be 
introduced at right angles to the gas flow, and bounce repeatedly off the 
walls of the channel, which are approximately made into reflecting 
surfaces. 
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the feature of reflecting 
trapped radiation in a optical cavity is utilized. In this embodiment, a 
torroidal coil is used to establish the alternating magnetic field between 
a cylindrical capacitive electrode arrangement. The torroid coil has the 
advantage of having no external field (for the ideal case) and, 
consequently radiation losses are minimal. 
Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15 therein is shown this particular embodiment 
consisting of flat rectangular plate conducting elements 450 arranged 
around a pair of cylindrical electrodes 452 and 454. The plate conducting 
elements 450 are insulated from the cylindrical electrodes 452 and are 
held to the core conductor by a collet arrangement with spindle chuck 
assembly 458 which locks them into position. A source of UV radiation 470 
enters through holes 472 such as from an exciter laser source 474. The UV 
beam is tilted slightly off a radius vector to allow the beam 470 to be 
reflected off the inner reflective surfaces of the cylindrical electrodes 
which also act as an optical cavity to trap the radiation. The air or 
dielectric gas, shown by arrow 420, enters from the left through the 
conducting elements 450 and is immediately excited by the radiation and 
electromagnetically accelerated. As mentioned earlier, an alternate method 
of excitation involves electric discharges which should also be considered 
in this application. In this embodiment, the plate conducting element 450 
are connected in series with the cylindrical electrodes 452 which define 
the capacitors. 
METHODS OF EXCITATION 
As mentioned previously, there are two basic methods of excitation involing 
(1) electron impact and (2) radiative or photon interaction. Each approach 
has its advantages and disadvantages and which one or both should be 
utilized depends upon the application. 
Methods employing electron impact are: 
Electron Beam Excitation--in this a cathode is heated in an evacuated 
chamber and when a voltage is applied, electrons are emitted which can be 
focused and directed into the gas. The beam tends to be rapidly 
attentuated in the atomosphere and diverges with distance due to mutual 
repulsion between the electrons. This technique might be used directly in 
propulsion applications of small dimensions, comparable to the 
attentuation path length. 
High Voltage AC or DC Electric Discharge--this technique is perhaps the 
easiest to implement, can be lightweight and may provide good efficiency. 
Using the AC approach, the voltage may be readily stepped up to high 
voltages, e.g., by using a Tesla coil. The breakdown voltage causes 
ionization to take place, and the ions and electrons, in turn are 
accelerated by the field to impact ground state atoms to cause excitation. 
The DC approach is more complex insomuch as HV rectifiers are required, 
and it's not clear what is gained by doing it this way. 
Radio Frequency or Microwave Discharge--in this technique, a high power 
microwave is applied to the gas, which, by heating the gas leads to 
thermal ionization and excitation. Once some ions are generated, they are 
further accelerated by the fields to cause more excitation and ionization. 
This method may not be the most efficient since thermalization and 
ionization may dominate the process with only incidental excitation to 
take place. However, if it can be made efficient, it promises to be 
operative over larger volumes. If done at lower megahertz frequencies, the 
field coil of the propulsion system itself may be used to achieve 
self-excitation. 
Methods employing photon interactions are: 
Flashtube or Flashlamp Excitation--in this technique a Xenon flashlamp is 
fired with a high voltage pulse which emits a spectrum of light of varied 
frequencies. The efficiency is low, and, moreover, there exist many 
frequencies not useful, i.e., that do not conform to an energy transition 
in the atom or molecule to be excited. Even so, the radiation can be 
directed, reflected in an optical cavity, and can penetrate the gas over 
large distances. 
Laser Beam Excitation--This technique offers the advantage of a single 
monochromatic beam of intense, coherent electromagnetic radiation. A wide 
variety of types of lasers exist, e.g., water vapor lasers, nitrogen 
(pulsed) are rare gas excimer lasers than emit in the ultraviolet range, 
with photon energies that overlap the transitions in the atoms to be 
excited (about 10 eV), or around 1300 A wavelength. The required resonance 
transition levels may be 1300 A wavelength. The required resonance 
transition levels may be easily excited by a low pressure electrodeless 
discharge sustained in a microwave generator, and the resultant photons 
transmitted into the reaction chamber or channel through lithium floride 
sapphire, or calcium flouride windows. The exciting wavelengths provided 
by such sources include xenon (1295 A at 9.6 eV); argon (1048 A at 11.8 eV 
and 1067 A at 11.6 eV). When the photon energy is less than the ionization 
potential, the invention can function in the absence of ionization. Above 
the ionization potential, superexcited molecules may occur, with the added 
possibility of ionization. The efficiency of these lasers is generally 
only a few percent, but efficiencies of up to 10% for chemical lasers has 
been reported. 
Synchrotron Radiation Sources--These utilize the acceleration of 
relativistic electron beams to produce radiation. The possibility of 
FEL's, or Free Electron Lasers may mean electron beams interacting with 
"wigler" magnetic fields to generate coherent radiation, may provide up to 
50% efficiency. 
FIG. 16 illustrates the mechanical efficiency of energy conversion into 
vehicle kinetic energy by reacting against gas of large mass via a force 
field extending over space. 
FIG. 17 illustrates the range of required force field (R.sub.e) plotted as 
a function of decreasing medium density. As illustrated in FIG. 17, the 
medium density decreases, that is the density of the atmosphere from sea 
level to interstellar space. Thus, the range of the force field (R.sub.e) 
increases inversely to the medium density. A family of curves are plotted 
for various mass ratios (M.R.). 
FIG. 18 is another embodiment showing the construction of a wing structure 
which functions as a capacitor. The wing structure includes an exterior 
metal surface 500 having a plurality of cell members joined by conductors 
502 which are wound in a circular pattern therearound. The center of the 
wing member is insulated with an insulating material shown as 504. The 
wings have the voltage applied thereto to generate an E field which 
extends perpendicular from the surface thereof illustrated by arrows 506. 
The magnetic lines of force illustrated by arrows 508 establish a B field 
which crosses with the E field as illustrated in FIG. 18. 
FIG. 19 shows the construction of the wing member illustrated in FIG. 18 in 
a top view. The wing is divided into a plurality of sectors designated as 
512 through 526. Sector 520 has a first electrode 530 which is 
electrically connected to a spiral shape conductive member 532 which 
extends through the various sectors as illustrated by the dash line in 
FIG. 19. An electrode 534 that is located in sector 518 is adapted to be 
connected to a spiral connector 532. In a similar manner, sector 516 has 
electrode 536 and sector 514 has electrode 538 which is, likewise, 
electrically connected to the spiral conductor 532. 
Also, sectors 522, 524, 526 and 512 have wiping contacts 540, 542, 544 and 
546, respectively, extending from the opposite side thereof and toward the 
center opening defined by the sectors. The wiping contact 540, 542, 544 
and 546 are adapted to be contacted by a wiping member 550 which is in 
turn connected via a bus connector 552 to the spiral winding 532. The 
wiping member 550 functions as a switch which is adapted to connect any 
one of the sectors 522, 524, 526 or 512 to the electrical sprial connector 
532. Any one or more of the other sectors 514, 516, 518 and 520 can be 
electrically connected to a source by appropriate section of the 
electrodes 538, 536, 534 and 530, respectively. The B field is generated 
by appropriate magnetic means located in a central opening 554 and the B 
field is shown emanating from the central core 554 by means of the vector 
dots 556. 
FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating the electrical connections of 
the conductive and capacive elements illustrated in FIG. 19. The 
corresponding plates forming each side of the capacitors are illustrated 
by the same numbers in FIG. 20 as are pictorially represented in FIG. 19. 
For example, sector plates 522 and 524, which are physically located in 
opposite positions to each other in the sector circle, define one 
capacitor. The switching member 550 is illustrated as being equal to any 
one or more of the capacitive elements so as to control the thrust 
direction. By appropriate switching of the wiping number 550, the thrust 
can be controlled so that the spacecraft moves ahead along the arrow 
designated as "N" in FIG. 19, or in an alternate direction indicated by 
the term "NE" in "NW". In FIG. 20, a reversing switch shown as element 560 
can be utilized to reverse thrust of the aerospace vehicle illustrated by 
FIG. 19. The alternating source and the inductor coupling means are 
illustrated generally as 562. 
FIGS. 21, 22 and 23 show an embodiment of the present invention in which a 
single wing disc shaped vehicle is presented. This vehicle has the feature 
of VTOL takeoff as well as conventional horizontal aerodynamic takeoff. 
The wing electrodes 600 are so contoured that they act to provide 
aerodynamic lift, as seen more clearly in the side view of FIG. 22. Fhe 
craft is powered by a rotating bed nuclear reactor 602 driven by a motor 
604, which is selected to be capable of generating 1 thermal gigawatt of 
power in a relatively small (nearly 1 ton) device. The air, shown by 
arrows 610, enters the inlet 612 and is heated to about 3000.degree. F. by 
the rotating nuclear bed reactor 602. The hot working gas turbine engine 
616, which, in turn, drives a high frequency generator (620) via a clutch 
plate 622. Other methods, such as magnetohydrodymic (MHD) power generation 
are also possible as described with respect to FIG. 50. The high frequency 
generator 620 power output is inductively coupled by a transformer to a 
wing coil (632) via primary winding 624. The wing coil conductor elements 
626 also act as airfoil shaped struts that form the rigid structure of the 
wing. This is to reduce weight as well as spread the force field over a 
larger area and couple with more gas. This is shown more clearly in FIG. 
27 which shows a frontal sectional view of the vehicle. The wing conductor 
struts 626 are connected to a common rim bus-bar 630 that ties the coil to 
the wing electrodes as shown in the electrical schematic as shown in FIG. 
23, formed into struts 632 separated by insulation 634 so as to reduce 
eddy current losses induced by the alternating field from the wing coil 
below the electrodes. Flashtubes 640 enclosed in reflectors 642 are 
provided along the fuselage or hull of the vehicle above and below the 
wing. As illustrated in FIG. 24a, an internal capacitor 642 is provided 
for internal tuning for "vertical thrust." As described earlier, other 
methods of excitation are possible, but flashtubes are easiest to 
illustrate, although low in efficiency. FIG. 23 shows a frontal view of 
the vehicle with air intake 612. This view more clearly shows the 
radiation field emanating from the flashtubes, which fall in 4-90 egree 
sectors or quadrants. 
Referring to FIG. 24a and 24b, simplified electrical schematic are 
provided. The circuit of FIG. 24a contains the wing coil inductance Lw, 
shown as 650 and two capacitance electrodes, one internal to the vehicle 
C.sub.i, shown as 630 and the other the exterior wing electrode 
capacitance, C.sub.e, shown as 652. A switch 654 is provided to permit 
tuning the coil 650 by either one of these capacitors. If the wing 
electrode pair A and B is switched in, the exterior electric field 
produced interacts with the magnetic field to generate a horizonial thrust 
component. Whereas, if only the internal capacitor 652 is switched in, the 
induced electric field from the time varying magnetic field of the coil 
generates a vertical thrust component. If the relative two capacitors can 
be intermediately contacted in a manner familiar to those skilled in the 
art, any thrust component intermediate to the horizontal and vertical can 
be generated for directional control as required. 
FIG. 24b is a schematic diagram of the coils (660) forming the inductor on 
wing electrode 600 shown in FIG. 24a for generating the magnetic field for 
the spacecraft. 
FIG. 25 illustrates the mechanism of momentum exchange between an excited 
molecule (electronic) and a field of ground state molecules. By this 
process of rebounding collisions, additional impulse is provided with 
little added energy. The process begins by the absorption of a photon of 
energy by the particle which becomes more electromagnetic responsive and 
is thereby accelerated downward by the high frequency Lorentz force field. 
Only the momentum component in the Z-direction (thrust) is shown. The 
excited molecule or atom has an increased collision cross section which 
effectively increases the collision frequency. Because the mass of the 
excited particle is equal to the ground state molecular mass, the momenta 
is simply exchanged upon collision. If the energy of collision does not 
correspond to a transitional energy gap (rotational, vibrational or 
electronic), of either molecule, the collision will be perfectly elastic. 
The graph shows the reference line (horizonal) translated back to the top 
of the graph after each collision to keep the motion depicted within the 
boundaries of the graph. During the collision process, the excited 
molecule may gradually decay with the emission of a photon. As a 
consequence, the dipole moment may decrease, with a resultant diminishment 
in the momentum imparted by the force field. However, the radiation 
emitted may be absorbed by another adjacent excited or ground state 
molecule, so that the photon energy is repeatedly utilized until the gas 
eventually thermalizes (by which time the gas has already been fully 
accelerated). 
The attainment of high thrust for the least amount of power requires few as 
possible excited states with large collision cross sections transferring 
their momentum to the greatest number of ground state atoms. Thus, the 
graph of FIG. 25 shows the momentum or impulse exchanged versus the number 
of collisions experienced by an excited atom before it is quenched. The 
rebounded excited atom is turned each time by the force field and collides 
with additional ground states. If the dissipation of energy is minimal, 
the excited state can undergo many collisions in this way before it is 
extinguished by quenching or radiative decay (deactivation). For example, 
the sea level collision frequency is 10.sup.9 Hz in air; if the lifetime 
is 10 microseconds, the total number of collisions possible is 10.sup.9 
.times.1.0.times.10.sup.--5 =10.sup.4 collisions. Accordingly, the 
momentum induced in the excited Rydberg particle is transferred to 
thousands of ground state atoms. In this arrangement a very low B field is 
possible while securing high performance. This is further realized when 
one considers the large collision cross section of an excited particle 
relative to a ground state atom; it can be millions of times larger since 
it increases with the fourth power of the P.Q.N., (n.sup.4). The effect of 
the larger collision cross section is to increase the collision frequency, 
which is directly proportional to the cross section. 
The propulsion efficiency (thrust power divided by rate of propellant 
energy release) shown in the graph of FIG. 26 is for three different 
classes of propulsion systems: rockets, conventional air breathing ramjets 
or jet engines and a force field propelled system as disclosed herein. The 
propulsion efficiency equations for the rocket and airbreather 
respectively are: 
##EQU25## 
where .nu.=ratio of Vehicle Velocity to exhaust and 
.beta.=ratio of delta velocity of air to exhaust of a 
rocket. 
The present force field propulsion system is an air breather in which very 
low delta velocities are possible due to the interaction with a very large 
volume or mass of air with dimensions comparable to the size of the 
vehicle itself. An external force field arrangement could be used in the 
arrangement. As illustrated in FIG. 24, rockets gradually reach peak 
propulsion efficiency as their vehicle velocity approaches their exhaust 
velocity. Thereafter, the efficiency thereof gradually tapers off. In a 
ramjet or jet engine, the efficiency gradually increases in a slow and 
steady fashion. However, when the spacecraft reaches high altitude where 
the atmosphere density becomes too rarified, the jet engine must be shut 
down. This occurs at about 100,000 feet. In a force field, air breathing 
system, operating at low delta velocities over large volumes, the 
efficiency more rapidly increases at lower vehicle velocities and 
maintains nearly 90%+ efficiency as velocity increases. Such engines can 
continue operation at nearly twice the altitude of conventional air 
breathing engines, with electrical power being supplied by some internal 
primary energy source such as a nuclear reactor. 
FIG. 27 illustrates the possible body force plotted as a function of 
magnetic field frequency in Tesla-Hertz for a fully excited nitrogen gas 
at the quantum level of n =10. he plot is for different altitudes 
commencing at sea level, 50 kilometers and 100 kilometers. When the 
magnetic field frequency approaches approximately 10.sup.8, field 
ionization limit is reached which is illustrated by dashed line 680. The 
field ionization limit is that point where the gas commences to ionize 
which reduces the efficiency of the dipolar force field propulsion system. 
FIG. 28 is a plot of the body force for various levels or fractions of 
excitation plotted as a function of the magnetic field frequency in 
Tesla-Hertz for gas excited at the quantum level of n=10. When the product 
of the magnetic field times the frequency approaches 10.sup.8 and the 
population fraction of excited states approaches 100%, the body force is 
extremely high. A field ionization limit occurs at about 10.sup.8 Tesla 
Hertz as is illustrated by dashed line 682 in FIG. 28. 
FIGS. 29, 30, 31 and 32 show the construction details of a spacecraft 
generally referred to as a "X-wing" aerospace vehicle which is adapted to 
utilize the teachings of the present invention. 
The spacecraft includes a lower set of wings 700 and an upper set of wings 
702. If desired, the angle between the upper and lower wings can be 
variable for efficiency optimization purposes. The aircraft utilizes a 
verticle tail 204 and horizontal stabilizing fins 706. A source of 
electromagnetic radiation, such as an elongated flash tube 708 is located 
on the lower wing 700 and positioned to direct the electromagnetic 
radiation generated thereby toward the undersurface of the upper wing 702. 
The upper wing 702 includes prismal reflecting member 716 which are 
adapted to reflect the ultraviolet radiation designated by arrow 714 
between the upper and lower reflective surfaces of the wing 700 and 702. 
The final radiation is return reflected by reflector 718 located at the 
extremity of the upper wing. At the terminus of each wing is located a 
pressurized liquid hydrogen storage tank 720. The front plan view of FIG. 
29 shows that the aerospace vehicle includes air intakes 706, has a 
fuselage 722, landing wheels 726 and, if desired, auxiliary airbreathing 
jet engines 724. 
The details of the construction of the wings is illustrated in greater 
detail in FIGS. 30, 31 and 32. The inductive coils are formed by strut 
numbers 730 which are adapted to be a plurality of spaced aligned members 
and which are adapted to carry a current therein as illustrated by the 
current flow arrow. The strut members 730 are covered by a conductive 
surface 734 which function as the conductor plates for confining the 
dielectric gas therebetween. In the preferred embodiment, the main power 
plant for generating the alternating current power may be a rotating 
nuclear bed reactor which is similar to that illustrated in connection 
with FIG. 21. The blades of the turbine are illustrated as 740, the high 
frequency generator illustrated at 744 which is coupled to the rotating 
nuclear bed reactor by the clutch 742. The strut number 746 of wing 702 
function as part of the secondary winding of the transformer type coupling 
member which is operatively coupled to the high frequency generator 744. 
FIG. 31 illustrates in greater detail the construction of the upper and 
lower wings and the means for generating the electromagnetic field and the 
electromotive lines of force to establish the E field. The excitation 
source 708 generates the electromagnetic radiation 714 which is reflected 
from the optical surfaces of the wing 702 which functions to excite the 
atoms of nitrogen gas in the atmosphere to a higher quantum level. The 
gases are confined between the upper wing 702 and the lower wing 700 which 
establishes the E field shown by lines 752 which pass between the wings 
and from the pointed ends of members 716 and the B field which emanates 
from the fuselage, as line 754. Thus, the area between the wing 700 and 
702 function as a spatial force field region which has the excited 
nitrogen gas particles located therebetween and which, in the presence of 
the crossed magnetic field and electric field, cause the dipoles thereof 
to rotate and cause the reactive thrust. 
The details of the wing construction disclose that the upper surface of 
wing 700 is conductive while the lower surface 756 is an insulator. 
Internal struts 730 are insulated from the upper surface of wing 700 by 
insulator spacers 750. Also, each of the struts 730 contain passageways 
758 which is adapted to permit hydrogen liquid 760 to pass therebetween. 
The hydrogen gas acts as a coolant in addition to being used as a fuel and 
can be utilized to cool the superconducting magnets which generate the 
magnetic field indicated by arrows 754. 
FIG. 32 illustrates, by means of a cross section, the relationship between 
the upper wing 702 and the lower wing 700 and the specific construction of 
the various wing struts. The upper wing 702 is insulated from a center 
support 762 by an insulator 764. 
In a similar manner, the lower wing 700 has the center strut 720 insulated 
from the conductive upper surface 774 by means of insulators 750. Wing 
struts 730 have the lower outer surface which is formed of insulating 
materials 756 affixed thereto. The airflow between the wings is 
illustrated by arrows 778. The direction of the B field is illustrated by 
vectors 754 which are extending outward from the fuselage toward the end 
of the wings. The electromotive lines of force of the electric field as 
shown by lines 752 and extend between the lower wing 700 and the upper 
wing 702. 
FIG. 33 is a schematic representation of the inductance coils and 
electrodes forming the same 786 which are located in each of the wings. 
The inductors are driven from a high frequency alternating current source 
through a transformer coupler illustrated as 788. 
The power source which is adapted for use in the "X-wing" aircraft is 
illustrated in FIG. 34. In operation, a power source, such as a turbine 
790, drives a high frequency generator at the selected frequency. The high 
frequency output is coupled through a transformer coupler 794 to the wing 
and to the inductors 796 which are connected in series with the capacitors 
800 formed between the upper and lower wings. 
The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 35 and 36 utilizes the 
inductive electric field due to the motional magnetic field as given by 
Faraday's Law: 
EQU E.multidot.dl=-(d0/dt) (53) 
For a solenoidal coil, the Azimutha L electric field produced is given by 
the following equation: 
##EQU26## 
Combining with equations (1), (6) and (54), we obtain: 
##EQU27## 
which is the body force produced in a dielectric gas subjected to an 
inductive high frequency magnetic field. The force increases with the 
square of the magnetic field and frequency. An upper limit is reached when 
the induced electric field becomes so intense that electrical breakdown 
and ionization of the gas takes place. The invention is preferably 
operated at such a frequency and magnetic field condition so as to avoid 
ionization and the problems which would thereby ensue. It should be 
pointed out that in the presence of a transverse magnetic field, the 
breakdown voltage of a gas is increased significantly. FIG. 21 is a graph 
of the potential body force established in the atmosphere for various 
altitudes for an assumed excited state gas having a P.Q.N. of 10. The 
upper limit where ionzation will approximately start to take place is also 
shown in this Figure. 
For sea level, the field ionization limit is reached where the product of 
the magnetic field times the frequency reaches 10.sup.7 -10.sup.8 volts 
per meter. At higher altitudes, this number decreases as the ambient 
conductivity increases. Even so, body forces of 10.sup.3 -10.sup.4 
NT/m.sup.3 are possible at megacycle frequency at sea level. This has been 
discussed in detail with respect to FIGS. 27 and 28 hereinbefore. 
As shown in FIG. 35 and 36, the magnetic field is generated inside of a 
conical shaped spiral coil 810 consisting of a number of turns each 
parallel connected to minimize the inductance to permit resonant operation 
in a series tuned circuit at megacycle frequencies. The coil is preferably 
made of lightweight material such as aluminum alloy and housed in a 
structure 812 designed to handle the mechanical stress of the magnetic 
field pressures. The coil is cryogenically cooled via input flanges 820, 
and hollow conductors, with an exit plenum 822. If the coolant is water 
(which is a dipole), it may be injected as a fine spray via conduit 224 
into the acceleration cavity 826 to enhance the thrust and reduce the 
levels of excitation required. The water vapor may also be the combustion 
products of a liquid hydrogen and oxygen rocket driven MHD generator. 
The dipolar propulsion unit has an entrance or intake manifold or shroud 
canapy 830 through which the working fluid such as air enters and is 
directed into the Lorentz propulsion chamber cavity. The coil elements 810 
consist of flat strips through which air is free to pass and are held in 
rigid position by the insulator attenuator fins 814 which also act to 
attentuate the exterior unwanted upstream electric field. A source of 
ultraviolet excitation radiation such as an excimer laser 832 is provided 
which directs its beam into an optical cavity 834 consisting of a 
reflecting fresnel surfaces 880 on the conductor strips which bounces the 
beam 850 back and forth between the surfaces hundreds of times to increase 
the absorption pathlength and permit more efficient utilization of the 
radiant energy. The wavelength of the excitation source is choosen such 
that the photon energy (hv) lies just below the ionization potential of 
the atoms of the gas, e.g. 1300 Angstroms wavelength. The radiation is 
thus readily absorbed by the gas and converts the ground state neutral 
atoms or molecules into highly excited Rydberg or metastable states that 
more readily electromagnetically coupled to the high frequency magnetic 
field. It is particularly important that this excitation source have a 
high energy transformation efficiency to minimize overall power 
consumption. Electron impact may also be used as described earlier, using 
the output, e.g. of a Tesla coil. For low velocity, high volume 
applications, only a small fraction of the total ground state number 
flowrate into the unit need be converted into an excited state. 
Additionally, electrodes may be added to provide directional control of 
forces. 
In summary, the device operates as follows: Air enters the upstream 
entrance 830. No electric field is experienced because the insulating fins 
or struts attenuate the field on the upstream side. The air moves through 
the passages between the conducting strips 810 and is immediately excited 
at the same time high frequency polarization currents are induced in the 
gas. The gas is thereby accelerated to a moderate exit velocity at a very 
large mass flow rate. The residence time during which the gas is 
accelerated is at least equal to or less than the lifetime of the excited 
states in the gas, such as metastable oxygen. An alternate method of 
excitation involves the applications of a attentuating current high 
voltage to ionize some of the air and excite atoms by electron impact. 
The dipolar force field propulsion system has wide application, 
particularly as a propulsion means for aerospace vehicles such as 
spacecraft. The aerospace vehicle utilizing the dipolar force field 
propulsion system can be propelled in the atmosphere of earth or vacuum of 
space. The propellant gas can be cryogenically cooled and be used for 
cooling superconducting magnets and can be boiled off and used as a 
propellant. 
Also, the dipolar force field propulsion system of this invention can be 
combined with other known propulsion systems, such as a plasma propulsion 
system using hot ionized gases. By controlling the spatial angle between 
the E field and B field, the thrust of the dipolar force field propulsion 
system can be controlled. 
In FIG. 36, the alternating current high voltage is applied to the 
propulsion unit through a coil excitation transformer 850. The coil 
excitation transformer establishes the B field in the conductive strips 
(810) in order to energize the embodiment described in connection with 
FIG. 35 and 36. 
The block diagram of FIG. 37 shows the alternating current power source for 
applying the alternating current power to the propulsion system. A high 
frequency oscillator 860 drives an amplifier 864 which has as an 
additional input thereto an alternating current power supply 862. The 
amplifier applies the high voltage alternating current signal through the 
coil excitation transformer coupler 850 to drive the propulsion unit with 
the inductance and capacitance thereof shown as 866 and 868, respectively. 
FIGS. 38 and 39 show another embodiment for practicing the invention in the 
form of an VTOL vehicle. FIGS. 38 and 39 show an embodiment designed for 
VTOL utilizing a radio frequency inductive magnetic field. The field 
generates an azimuthal electric field which, in turn, generates a 
polarization current body force which acts vertically. The capacitance 
element for tuning the coil is incorporated into the vehicle's structure 
itself covering the full diameter of the vehicle and stores electrical 
energy which is cyclically converted into magnetic field energy of the 
coil as described in connection with the simple LCR tank circuit 
illustrated in FIG. 7. The coil is a spiral winding which is formed by 
elements 900 which is supported in a vertical extending position as 
illustrated in FIG. 38 by an insulating strip 902. The oapacitive surface 
is formed by upper outer surface 904 and inner surface 906 which is 
separated by an insulator 908. The coil defined by elements 900 can be in 
the form of a spiral winding consisting of a number of turns, such as 
eight, which is parallel connected at both ends so as to reduce the 
equivalent inductance of the coil defined thereby. The coil is terminated 
at one end thereof by electrically connecting the same to one of the 
electrodes defining the capacitor, such as for example, electrode 904, and 
the other end of the coil is connected to the other capacitor electrode 
such as inner capacitor electrode 906. The coil is excited by an excitor 
coil 910 which is located in the center and driven by a high frequency 
generator 912 which is powered by a gas turbine engine 914 through a 
coupling clutch 916. The generator 912 can be a superconductive generator 
which can generator ten kilowatts per kilogram of generator mass. A 
superconductor generator which is capable of generating this level of 
power is presently offered for sale by General Electric. 
The exhaust from the turbine is exhausted through ports 920 which are 
defined by a shroud cover 922. 
The generator 912 also supplies electrical power to flashlamps 930 which 
are located beneath the vehicle and surrounded by a reflective surface 
932. The flashlamps 930 generate vacuum ultraviolet radiation in a 
controllable manner to excite the gas in selected regions underneath the 
field coil defined by windings 900. 
FIG. 39 is a top view, partially in section, which illustrates the spiral 
coil windings 900. The coil consists of a flat ribbon conductors, 
preferably constructed as light as possible and formed of material such as 
aluminum alloy. The coil is electrically isolated via standoffs 942 from 
the high voltage plates formed by surfaces 904 and 906 which define the 
plates of the capacitor. The capacitor defined by the upper plate 904 and 
lower plate 906 is preferrably regularly slotted with slots 940 to prevent 
the formation of any eddy current losses due to the alternating magnetic 
field. The capacitor defined by the upper plate 904 and lower plate 906 
provides structural support for the windings of the coils 900 through the 
insulating standoffs 942. Thus, large magnetic pressures can be developed 
between the upper and lower surfaces 904 and 906 defining the capacitor, 
the insulating standoffs struts 942 and the windings 900. 
As illustrated in FIG. 39, the air flows over the outer rim as well as 
through the central core which is indicated by arrows 960. The air flow 
aids in collectively cooling the coil windings 900. 
FIGS. 40 and 41 illustrate a method of directional thrust control based 
upon an adjustable reflector 960. The principle is illustrated 
diagramatically in FIGS. 42a, 42b and 42c. As long as the excitation 
source 962 radiation (here assumed to be flashtube) is symetrically 
distributed below and around the vertical axis of the vehicle 970 as shown 
in FIG. 42a, the thrust is vertical through the center of gravity of the 
vehicle. However, in FIG. 42b, if the field of radiation is shifted to one 
side, an increase or asymetry of excited states on that side of the 
vehicle exists resulting in increased thrust, which tilts the vehicle 
producing a horizonal thrust component moving the vehicle to the right. 
Moreover, the reflector 963 can be rotated through 360.degree. in a plane 
parallel to the vehicle structure. Horizonal thrust component can be 
directed accordingly, as shown in FIG. 42c, where the reflector 962 has 
been rotated through 180.degree. . 
The construction of the directional control reflector 962 and ultraviolet 
radiation source 960 are more clearly understood by referring to FIG. 46 
and 47. Two flashtubes rotatably mounted about an axis 1000 below a 
platform 1002 supported by bearings 1004. A gear wheel 1006 fixed to the 
vehicle structure. The flashtubes 960, surrounded by reflectors 962 are 
adjustably mounted for rotation via a linear gear rack actuator 1012 
acting upper semi-gear wheel 1014. The power to the flashtubes is supplied 
via a pair of commutator rings 1016, and connecting arm 1018. The 
reflector 962 is rotatably mounted to the axis of the flashtube via spoke 
structure 1020. The component effect is that the radiation field from the 
curved reflector 962 can be varied through 90 degrees of rotation about a 
horizonal axis from a horizonal plane to a verticle plane, as well as 
through 360 degrees about a vertical axis. 
The vehicle VTOL dipolar propulsion system shown in FIG. 43 consists of a 
number of magnets arranged with their axis radially directed, with each 
alternate magnet of opposite polarity. The top field above the centerline 
of the magnets is shunted into the vehicle structure, without however 
effecting the external field below used to accelerate the ambient gas. 
This top field can now be used to bend a relativistic beam of electrons to 
produce ultraviolet (1000 A.sup.o) synchrotron radiation in the direction 
target to the beam, and, via an appropriate window and optical reflectors, 
direct the UV radiation into the gas for excitation of said gas. 
The method of generating an alternating magnetic field is shown using D.C. 
superconductive magnets 1020 or permanent magnets. Use of the D.C. 
superconductive magnets with rotating ferrite shunts eliminates the A.C. 
current losses in the superconductive magnet arising therefrom due to 
resistence thereof, if the superconductive magents were operated in an 
A.C. mode to generate the same alternating magnetic field. The magent 
coils are arranged in a circle with alternate magnets in reversed field 
direction. A slotted ferrite disc 1040 rotating at high speed shunts the 
field of all magnets in one direction as shown in FIG. 44 leaving the 
unshunted field of the others expelled into the surrounding dielectric 
gas. The device is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 45 which graphically 
illustrates the magnitude and direction of the external field as the 
ferrite rotor 1040 is rotated by motor 1042 through several different 
angular positions. In 46a, the outward (north) positive fields of magnets 
1030 are shunted through the ferrite leaving the inward (south) negative 
field unshunted and exposed to interact with the dielectric gas. As the 
ferrite rotor moves 22.5.degree. to the position shown in FIG. 42B, a 
neutral position is reached where the external field is approximately 
zero, as averaged, over the 45.degree. of rotation. When the rotor 1040 
reaches position shown as 42c, the ferrite shunts the onward (south) 
negative field, leaving the outward positive field exposed to the gas. 
Thus, through 90.degree. of rotation the field has gone through a complete 
cycle of outward and then inward reversed field. The frequency of the 
alternating field is given by 
EQU f.sub.r =N.sub.r (R.P.S.) (56) 
where N.sub.r is the number of magnet pairs of opposite polarity, and 
(R.P.S.) the frequency of rotation in revolutions per second (R.P.S.). The 
speed of rotation has been found by Beams to be limited to the rim 
velocity reaching the speed of sound of the material; where the 
centrifugal forces induce stresses sufficient to tear the rotor apart. 
Preferably, the ferrite rotor is reenforced with high strength material 
such as glass filaments. For example, a 1 meter diameter ferrite rotor 
spinning at 500 R.P.S. with 100 coil pairs mounted on a nonrotating frame 
could generate an intense field alternating at 50 kilocycles. For a fully 
excited gas (air at sea level), the thrust generated is sufficient to lift 
the vehicle even using rare earth magnets. The 500 R.P.S. or 30,000 R.P.M. 
could be generated by a gas turbine engine. Positive torque is required to 
break the magnetic field, but negative torque is obtained as the ferrite 
is attracted to the next coil. Hence, the average torque due to magnetic 
attraction is zero. The power is absorbed to reverse the field through the 
ferrite which has small losses since it is an insulator. Some heating is 
expected so air circulation is desirable to keep the rotors cool and 
prevent the superconductive magnets from heating up and going resistive. 
FIGS. 47 and 48 illustrate a VTOL version of this method of field 
generation. The ferrite rotor rotates in a horizontal plane beneath the 
magnet coils arranged in a circle near the rim. A top row of ferrite 
plates fixed over the coils is used to shunt the field over the top of the 
vehicle which could produce an adverse downward force. The air gap between 
these plates and the coils is adjusted for this purpose. The radiation 
field used to excite the gas is derived from a free electron laser (FEL) 
1050 using the same coils as the propulsion magnets 1052. Electron guns 
are arranged near the rim of the top edge of the superconductive magnets 
1052 and direct their electron beams 1054 in a circular path. The fields 
bend and accelerate the beam, 1054. The acceleration produces synchrotron 
radiation in the far ultraviolet region which is directed to reflector 
1060 which reflect the radiation 1062 downwards beneath the vehicle to 
excite the air. The excited air then interacts with the azimuthal electric 
fields produced by the alternated fields, is repelled downward, setting up 
a flow pattern around the vehicle as shown which generates the vertical 
thrust. 
FIG. 48 illustrates pictorially the physical arrangement between the 
magnets 1052, the shading magnets 1070 and the radiation 1062 traversing 
the magnets 1052 onto the reflector 1060. 
FIG. 49 is a pictorial representation of an aerospace vehicle using the 
dipolar force field propulsion system in combination with a rotating shunt 
plate 1092 and superconducting magnets 1090. An appropriate energy source 
100 is used for the aerospace vehicle. The radiation for exciting the 
particles 1104 is directed by reflectors 1102 to excite the gaseous atoms 
in the atmosphere under the spaceship. The electrical energy developed by 
the generator 1100 is rotatably coupled to the magnets through an 
electromagnetic coupling means 1108. 
HIGH ALTITUDE OPERATION 
At high altitudes, the artificial excitation source can be deactivated and 
the natural ultraviolet radiation from the sun used to excite the air. 
Such phenomena is known in geophysics as "airglow," dayglow, nightglow and 
"aura borealis." 
In addition to carrying power on board the vehicle for the purpose of 
exciting the gas around the vehicle, the gas may, to some extent, be 
excited from external sources such as a ground station or geosychronous 
power satellite. This has the distinct advantage of reducing weight. 
However, the frequencies are restricted to those which will propagate 
through the atmosphere with little attentuation, such as the visible and 
down to the microwave region; ultraviolet being highly absorbed. Thus the 
vehicle carries its own ultraviolet radiation source, such as from a 
syncrotron radiation source which can be varied to provide any desired 
distribution of wavelengths, e.g. by changing the energy of an electron 
beam. The absorbing frequency of the excited gas is given by the following 
equation for simple hydrogenic atoms: 
##EQU28## 
where (n1) is the P.Q.N. of the lower state of interest and (n.sub.u) is 
the upper state of interest. For excited states with n=40, and higher, the 
gas will absorb microwaves and increase the polarization, especially at 
higher altitudes where gas temperature and pressure is reduced. Thus, a 
ground station microwave source could enhance the polarization around a 
high flying electromagnetic aerospace vehicle. 
In addition to absorption by electronic states, which enhances polarization 
for thrust augmentation purposes, other vibrational or rotational states 
may be created to absorb wavelengths of a specific nature to avoid 
reflection and consequent detection. This could be done automatically, by 
sensing the offending frequency, and adjusting the energy of the electron 
beam to control the spectral distribution of the synchroton radiation so 
as to excite the gases around the vehicle and absorb completely the 
offending frequency. If the frequency changes, the electron beam is 
likewise changed to again permit absorption of the offending frequency. 
It is envisioned that the spacecraft illustrated in FIG. 49 could be 
operated in a vacuum, such as in interstellar space. It has been found by 
recent experiments that a momentum reaction force can be generated by the 
field itself due to the EXB vectors. This phenomenon is described in an 
article by G.M. Graham and D.G. Lahoz entitled "Observation of Static 
Electromagnetic Angular Momentum in Vacuum," Nature, Volume 285, May 15, 
1980. 
In FIG. 50, a method of cyclically pumping an LCR tank circuit by 
magnetohydrodynamics so as to sustain the oscillations against the 
transfer of energy into the primary propulsion tank circuit is shown. The 
device consists of a rocket engine (1160) injected with fuel, oxygen and 
seed material to produce an electrically conducting plasma which passes 
through channel at velocity Vg with electrodes 1162 and field coils 1164 
and ferrite core 1166 to increase magnetic permeability in the channel. 
The coils 1164 generate a varying current in series with the coils 
perpendicular to the plane of the paper, according to the equation: 
##EQU29## 
The current charges up the capacitor element C.sub.s which discharges its 
current back into the coils at the resonant frequency that matches the 
primary circuit to the left. 
The teachings of the invention have wide application. In its most generic 
application, the teachings can be utilized as a means for controllably 
accelerating a particle of matter having a selected dipole characteristic. 
Also, the invention teaches a method for controllably accelerating such a 
particle of matter. 
The dipole force field propulsion system has utility for propelling an 
aerospace vehicle in the earth's atmosphere or in interstellar space. The 
propellant in the form of a cryogenic gas can be carried aboard the 
aerospace vehicle or the propellants can be external to but contiguous to 
the aerospace craft such as air or particles of matter or plasma in 
interstellar space. The energy sources likewise can be carried aboard the 
aerospace vehicle or can be external such as solar, microwave or laser 
excitation source.