U.S. Navy fries ship with a laser

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Growler

How do you figure? Temperature and pressure would seem to indicate that as the water temperature rose, so too would the local pressure. In an open environment, that higher pressure will move towards areas of lower pressure to equalize in nature. In this case, the area of lower pressure would be up. Steam - as does heat - is going to go up, not laterally - as the molecules evaporate (and thereby expand), they're going to move towards lower pressure - up. If the generation of mist is constant (as it would need to be if the ship is moving), you'd be replacing what was evaporating continually.

Understand, I'm not talking about a "layer" of mist a few inches think; think instead of a series of fire-fighting mist/fog nozzles siphoning seawater through pumps and continually projecting this cloud out for several feet, or more.

Further, the transmission of heat from the laser to the water mist will serve to scatter the laser's focus and dissipate the amount of delivered heat. I don't have to neutralize the weapon - I only have to diminish its capability to inflict irreparable/fatal damage/harm.

When a laser excites the water molecules they are converted in to kinetic energy, also photos do carry momentum.