Science Behind Shields?

[Avago-Earo]

After reading a couple of threads discussing aerodynamics in space and in ship sound simulation and all the ideas floating around it got me thinking.

What is the stance on shields? How do they work? I remember as a kid in the seventies TV sci-fi programmes with 'Force Fields' in them but no explanation. Maybe it is similar to the magnetic poles on Earth deflecting some of the Solar energy (ship shield deflections do look a bit like the Northern/Southern Lights), and lasers (I WILL be corrected on this I'm sure) being photon energy would explain this a bit but what about 'solid' weapons? Surely they would go straight through unhampered with maybe electrical homing circuits scrambled but already so close to the target to make no difference.

I don't know anything on these sort of things, BBC documentaries aside, so spare the flame thrower

Cheers!

I have also opened this on the ED Forum here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=144905

[Flip]

Well, I'm no specialist either, but AFAIK there is no such thing as aerodynamics in space, simply because there is no air. Aerodynamics is the part of the fluid and gaz dynamics that describes the motion of air and its interaction with solid objects (like hydrodynamics does for liquids), and the density of gaz outside of atmospheres is too small to have much of an effect at our time scale.

As for the shields, I don't think real science can explain them at the moment. AFAIK electro magnetic fields cannot deflect lasers. Only gravity can. The Earth magnetic field deflects charged protons and electrons from the solar winds and cosmic radiation, but not light. The auroras are caused by those particules interacting with the upper atmosphere and if the Earth magnetic field wasn't there, they would still occur, but not just at the poles.

[Walter]

You have to remember Arthur C Clarke's third law of prediction: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Just as in fantasy stories you don't question the existence of magic, it doesn't always do to question long-established motifs in science fiction.
We just have to acknowledge that the key word in 'science fiction' is 'fiction' and that nothing is beyond our imagination.

[Avago-Earo]

Well, I'm no specialist either, but AFAIK there is no such thing as aerodynamics in space, simply because there is no air. Aerodynamics is the part of the fluid and gaz dynamics that describes the motion of air and its interaction with solid objects (like hydrodynamics does for liquids), and the density of gaz outside of atmospheres is too small to have much of an effect at our time scale.

As for the shields, I don't think real science can explain them at the moment. AFAIK electro magnetic fields cannot deflect lasers. Only gravity can. The Earth magnetic field deflects charged protons and electrons from the solar winds and cosmic radiation, but not light. The auroras are caused by those particules interacting with the upper atmosphere and if the Earth magnetic field wasn't there, they would still occur, but not just at the poles.

Ye sthat's what I thought. (The aerodynamics bit was to do with other conversations on the other forums).

[Flip]

You have to remember Arthur C Clarke's third law of prediction: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Yes, which is why I said "at the moment".

[Walter]

Yes, which is why I said "at the moment".

Of course, I was supporting your comments from a different angle. The 'force field' can only be speculation - it's highly unlikely we will come anywhere near close in our lifetimes.
On the other hand, my grandparents (and I knew them all) were born before powered flight, when the British queen was Victoria. Now look at us.

[Flip]

My grand parents were born in 1900, so I know exactly what you mean. And it keeps going quicker and quicker.

[Zedar]

Not a lot of use as the theory stands but ...

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/181773-physics-students-figure-out-how-to-make-star-wars-deflector-shields-in-real-life

[Flip]

Interesting article. But the conclusion raises a good point: if nothing enters the shield, nothing exists it either. And super-hot plasma wouldn't help. The shield would not only keep the ship's heat inside, it would also increase it. Looks like a perfect solution for an instant cooker.

[Walter]

It's also the reverse of the E:D shields: your ship's shields protect against projectiles and can be broken down by lasers, whereas the suggestion in this thought experiment would struggle to stave off damage by a kid with a catapult.
If I've understood it correctly.