>> The inverse square law also applies to the amount of energy you have to apply to deflect an object... so as you say, the nearer the deflection point is, the amount of energy increases as the square. At some point the required energy exceeds the objects structural integrity, at which point it's basically cosmic buckshot.<<
That makes sense. And breaking it up like that is only desirable in the sense of changing a planet-wrecking cannonball into a hail of smaller city-wrecking chunks.
>> Hm.. why do I get the feeling that band between where we can't deflect it, and where we can't calculate how to deflect it, is a lot more narrow than anyone realises... <<
That's probably true. I mean, in theory, the band is "from fracture threshold outward" but the effective range is limited by our current technology. We can spot things quite far away, but that's not necessarily the same as "can calculate the force required for deflection, build and launch a ship with it, make contact and complete the blast successfully."
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dancing_serpent
Re: Well ...
Date: 2021-12-01 02:58 am (UTC)That makes sense. And breaking it up like that is only desirable in the sense of changing a planet-wrecking cannonball into a hail of smaller city-wrecking chunks.
>> Hm.. why do I get the feeling that band between where we can't deflect it, and where we can't calculate how to deflect it, is a lot more narrow than anyone realises... <<
That's probably true. I mean, in theory, the band is "from fracture threshold outward" but the effective range is limited by our current technology. We can spot things quite far away, but that's not necessarily the same as "can calculate the force required for deflection, build and launch a ship with it, make contact and complete the blast successfully."