Finally, Something Fun To Talk About (The Omega Laser)

**Terasiel** · 05-17-2008, 04:07 PM

OMEGA stands 10 meters tall and is approximately 100 meters in length. This system delivers pulses of laser energy to targets in order to measure the resulting nuclear and fluid dynamic events. OMEGA's 60 laser beams focus up to 40,000 joules of energy onto a target that measures less than 1 millimeter in diameter in approximately one billionth of a second. At LLE scientists continue to research what will one day become a vast source of power using the ocean's ample storehouse of potential energy.

Omega EP

OMEGA EP (extended performance) is an addition to OMEGA and extends the performance and capabilities of the OMEGA Laser System. It will provide pulses having multikilojoule energies, picosecond pulse widths, petawatt powers, and ultrahigh intensities exceeding 1020 W/cm2 . These beams are delivered to targets within the OMEGA target chamber as well as an independent chamber within the OMEGA EP target area. The co-location of petawatt capability with the OMEGA compression facility provides a unique platform to experimentally verify laboratory ignition-relevant design models. The short-pulse and long-pulse systems operating jointly are able to interrogate high-temperature and high-density regimes well beyond those currently available. The new laser is adjacent to the OMEGA laser and supports a wide variety of target irradiation conditions when coupled to OMEGA or operated in stand alone mode.

The penny is just for perspective. That little ball is the target.

All of this, is for the sake of research. The research of what high energy is and how it behaves.

So, is this more interesting than politics? What does everyone think of such a massive level of power being created? What about the amount of energy it eats up every time it's powered up? ... How about how awesome it is?

**grandleo** · 05-17-2008, 04:51 PM

Only thing missing is Darth Vader.

**Evail691** · 05-18-2008, 08:36 AM

Speaking of Darth Vader, will this lead to the creation of the lightsaber?

**98abaile** · 05-18-2008, 08:44 AM

Shoop Da Woop.

**barny21** · 05-18-2008, 09:18 AM

10meters by 100 meters. Try holding that for a light saber. heh!

So, is this more interesting than politics? What does everyone think of such a massive level of power being created? What about the amount of energy it eats up every time it's powered up? ... How about how awesome it is?

Unless your in this field of research then this is nothing but nice to look at. Awesome price, I bet this isn't cheap

**Terasiel** · 05-19-2008, 03:40 PM

You people suck!

You complain about the spam, you complain about the blogging, you complain about the friggin news.

I give you lasers! 60 LASERS! Lasers that can obliterate everything you love! And what do you give me? Two Star Wars references, a 4Chan reference, and the claim that this is only interesting if you're in that field of research!

I'll show you! I'll show you all! If I ever find a ultra-dimensional "cube" that was once owned by beings far beyond us, FROM THE FUTURE, I wont tell anyone at all! No matter how much porn it will inevitably hold, as it is from the future!