Plasma weapon

Plasma rifles are theoretical weapons often used in science fiction. They are, in effect, a type of raygun. Plasma weapons use a small nuclear reactor or fuel cell or other type of advanced energy storage device to power an electromagnetic accelerator that fires a stream, pulse or toroid of plasma (i.e. very hot, very energetic excited matter).

As well as rifles, several science fiction universes also contain pistol-size or cannon-size plasma-firing weapons.

The primary damage mechanism of these fictional weapons is usually primarily thermal transfer; it typically causes serious burns, and often immediate death, on living creatures, and melts or evaporates other materials. In certain fiction, plasma weapons may also have a significant kinetic energy component, that is to say the ionized material is projected with sufficient momentum to cause some secondary impact damage in addition to causing high thermal damage.

The terminology "plasma rifle" is incorrect, as a rifle is a firearm with a rifled barrel. A rifled barrel would not be necessary to fire a beam or bolt of plasma.

Similar devices

Currently, there are several real tools that are somewhat related to fictional plasma rifles:

• Plasma torches, which have existed for some years, project plasma streams a foot at most, and are used to cut metal and concrete.
• The plasma gun as used in plasma physics.

Practicality of plasma rifles

At present, plasma rifles are merely theoretical, as currently they need more power than any handheld device could supply. If small portable fusion reactors are made (an extremely unlikely possibility in the near future), one potential source of weapons-grade plasma sources might be a direct tap on a fusion reactor, especially a dense plasma focus, since the natural yield of such a reactor is a hot high-speed plasma beam. Making real plasma weapons will need a major scientific breakthrough, as the concept of plasma-firing weapons is scientifically difficult, for various reasons:

• The technology to create plasma toroids and particle beams is presently far too bulky for anything man-portable. In such a high-performance design, the plasma would have to be stored and created in highly focused magnetic bottles, such as those used in NASA's VASIMR rocket: this design has been suggested as a potential weapon design for future real human-engineered plasma weapons. For simpler designs based on plasma cutting torches, a designer might be able to heat the plasma with an arcjet, if his power source is strong enough.
• Using current technology, if a plasma beam was fired in a planetary atmosphere, it would quickly be stopped by atmospheric resistance and would make a short hot flame like a blowtorch.
• The plasma shot out of a plasma rifle would tend to dissipate in the surrounding environment within about 50 centimeters from the gun, from thermal and/or electric pressure expansion, called blooming, unless:
  • The magnetic confinement bottle is extended all the way to the target. Modifications to this bottle could make the plasma home in on its target.
  • The plasma is somehow made self-sustaining over a much longer time period (as with ball lightning).
  • The particles are fired fast enough to reach a target before blooming occurs. This is then a particle beam more than a plasma shot (at least as much as any technical definition for such weapons exists). This would work for use outside atmosphere (i.e. in a space vacuum), but within an atmosphere would merely cause a hotter short flame from more violent collision between the flying particles and the atmosphere.
  • It might also be possible to generate a laser beam "tunnel". High-energy lasers ionize the air around the beam, heating the atmosphere and providing the plasma bolt with an easy passage to the target (see electrolaser).
  • Another laser-assisted plasma weapon approach for use in atmosphere is possible if the laser is powerful enough to blast the air out of the way, but having the plasma particles reach the target before the newly-created vacuum channel collapses in on itself is a problem unless the weapon possesses sufficient power to either sustain the channel or the aforementioned "plasma particle beam" approach is used.
  • It may also be possible to encase a bolt of plasma in a capsule of some material, possibly a polymer. This would allow the plasma to reach a medium distance before the capsule wears out. For an example see the Plasma Pistol from UFO: Alien Invasion.
• One common characteristic of plasma weaponry is its tendency to overheat, thus being sometimes impractical even within the context of science fiction. Two of the more well-known examples include the vulnerable cooling times for the plasma weapons in the Halo series, or the venting of built-up heat from powerful but unstable plasma weapons (capable of serously injuring or killing its user) designed by the Imperium of Man in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
• Another weakness present in some fictions is the tendency of the plasma blast to 'explode' the first time it touches anything, like a leaf, twig, or raindrop. This is the used to explain how a war in a forest environment with such powerful weapons can last more than a few seconds.
• A plasma round would glow very brightly due to blackbody radiation, leading to quick substantial energy loss. This might also represent a blinding hazard for the operator and bystanders. From basic maths, a 1cm ball of plasma at 10,000K would be equal to a 700kW bulb. 1000*K would equate to a 70W bulb. But...
• Many materials already exist that are highly resistant to plasma. RCC used on the shuttle nose cone for example; or the ceramic inserts used in bulletproof vests.

With a railgun a 'plasma/particle thrower' similar to a long range natural gas flamethrower could possibly be made. Most railguns throw a trail of plasma (of the rail material and projectile material) out after or with the projectile: this is very short lived but extends over 3 to 30 feet. This is because of arcing of the rails and projectile. The plasma conducts and so is subject to the working force of all railguns (Lorentz force). The plasma thrower would use a rapid-fire small projectile and very thick rails spring/actuator mounted that move inwards with wear. A tungsten-aluminium-chromium alloy for both the rails and projectile would yield good results but the projectiles would have to be very small so they are fully disintegrated into the plasma.

See Shiva Star for an attempt to make a real plasma-firing space weapon.

Fiction that includes plasma rifles & plasma cannons

• Armored Core series
• Artemis Fowl book series: Cannon-sized plasma weapons are featured, with Koboi Laboratory cannons set to kill, whereas those in Police Plaza are set to stun.
• Babylon 5
• Battletech has recently introduced two BattleMech-scale plasma weapons, the Clan Plasma Cannon, which only bathes the target in flaming gases, thus causing no damage in favor of massive waste heat to BattleMechs, though heavy damage to vehicles and infantry, and the Inner Sphere Plasma Rifle, which causes sizeable amount of damage in exchange for reduced waste heat. Both use lasers and a plastic foam which becomes a plasma when lased. In the MechWarrior series, the Clan Plasma Cannon and Inner Sphere Plasma Rifle are replaced with Plasma Projection Cannons
• In Command and Conquer Tiberian Sun and its expansion Firestorm the Brotherhood of Nod deployed an advanced aircraft known as the Banshee equipped with plasma cannons. Also Nod's Cyborg Commando was also equipped with a plasma gun.
• In Command and Conquer Tiberium Wars and its Expansion Kane's Wrath the Scrin make extensive use of plasma weapons.
• In Crusader : No Remorse and its sequel Crusader : No Regret such kind of weapons instantly desintegrate human targets.
• The Culture series by Iain Banks
• Darkman; a copy of it was used in Deus Ex
• Descent (computer game) and its sequels
• Deus Ex: see at Darkman
• Destroy All Humans! series (Called "Disintegrator Ray")
• The Doom series, including the BFG9000
• The computer games Dune II, Dune 2000, and Emperor: Battle for Dune. The Harkonnen Devastator Tank is equipped with dual plasma cannons, which fire plasma "shots" over a short distances. They are powered by a nuclear reactor, which can be pushed into a meltdown under certain circumstances.
• Earth 21X0 (Earth 2140, Earth 2150, Moon Project, Lost Souls, Earth 2160)
• Earthsiege 2 features a human developed plasma cannon, the blast of which can be powerful enough to destroy even a fully shielded HERC with a single shot though at the cost of leaving little salvagable material behind.
• Eve-Online MMORPG Large scale plasma cannons and plasma railguns are the favored weapon of the Gallente Civilisation.
• Fallout series
• F.E.A.R. series - The Type-7 Particle Weapon, a heavy handheld sniper weapon, which fires a high velocity purple beam that vaporizes a human except for bone material, and the Type-12 Laser Carbine, an assault weapon which fires a steady stream of burning plasma.
• Freelancer
• Half-Life 2: While never explicitly described as a "plasma rifle", the Overwatch Standard-Issue Pulse Rifle functions much like the plasma rifles of most FPS games. The main difference is that Pulse Rifles function by using containers filled with "dark energy plasma", essentially a form of exotic matter, as clips which expel this material in controlled bursts. They also can fire a compressed orb of dark energy plasma as a form of self-propelled projectile. Dark energy plasma has heat and kinetic damage, and due to the nature of this sort of exotic matter, it causes normal matter to vaporize and cease to exist. Similar weapons are found mounted on the game's enemy warships and vehicles.
• The Halo series - used by the Covenant
• The Hammer's Slammers series
• Honor Harrington – more precisely, plasma carbines.
• Homeworld includes many ships armed with plasma bomb launchers, notably the Attack Bomber and Assault Frigate
• Homeworld 2 features a few ships with plasma-based weaponry, the Bomber and Progenitor ships. Many mods feature the heavy use of plasma-based weapons.
• In the Infinity tabletop wargame the Combined Army uses plasma rifles as weapons
• Dan Simmons' Hyperion universe
• Jet Force Gemini includes a weapon called a plasma rifle, which can be charged to release a more powerful blast.
• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
• Lilo and Stitch
• March Upcountry and its sequels present a plasma squad-support weapon which takes advantage of thermal blooming.
• Master of Orion Often as a short range but powerful beam weapon.
• Metroid Prime - The Plasma Beam was a short range heat-based weapon, capable of rapid fire. It can also set enemies on fire, when charged. The Plasma Beam is also present in a few other Metroid titles. Metroid Prime Hunters features an extravagant weapon: The Judicator is said to be powered by cold-fusion synthesis and fires supercooled plasma, with temperatures close to absolute zero, and is capable of freezing the target at close ranges when used by Noxus.
• Megaman series: repliods (robots) use plasma weapons( or energy weapons)
• OGame – Described as firing a "bluish toroid (ball) of plasma", the plasma turret is the most powerful defensive structure in the game.
• Oni - the projectile inexplicably accelerates as it travels
• Operation: First Strike (short story)
• Out of This World (Sci-Fi E-book series)
• Pariah
• Perfect Dark Zero
• Phantasy Star Online - Has some guns with plasma rifle-like shots
• Phosphor – Pulse Gun functions like a plasma rifle of most FPS games
• In the Predator series, the Predators are armed with shoulder mounted plasma rifles.
• Quake series
  • Quake II
  • Quake III Arena
  • Quake 4
• Rage's Incoming and Incoming Forces vehicle-based shooters, most notably used by the alien fighter craft.
• Ratchet and Clank series
• Rifts
• In the Robotech and Macross animated series, the Zentraedi humanoid alien giants use plasma rifles.
• "Serious Sam" FPS series.
• Schlock Mercenary
• Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
• Star Fox
• Stargate SG-1
• Star Trek (Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise)
• Star Wars
• Steel Reign
• System Shock
• TAGAP: The Apocalyptic Game About Penguins. Also features a secondary fire mode which creates a small plasma shield.
• Terminator series:
  • Terminator: The T-800, while in a gun shop, asks the clerk for a plasma rifle, in addition to all his other weaponry.
  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Both the Human Resistance and Terminators used plasma rifles in the introductory scene of the movie.
  • T2 3-D: Battle Across Time: A T-800 endoskeleton Terminator is seen carrying one, with the protagonist Terminator commandeering it for the last third of the attraction.
  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines: T-X uses cannon-sized plasma-firing guns.
• The Timesplitters series has a wide arsenal of Plasma Weapons.
• Total Annihilation, and its unofficial 3D open-source variant Spring, both include plasma cannon in the place of most tank, infantry, ship and artillery guns.
• The Transformers Several characters use plasma weapons, most notably Optimus Prime and his plasma rifle.
• Tribes series
• Turok
• Unreal series
• Warhammer 40,000, Plasma rifles, pistols, guns, cannons, destructors (normal and titan size), annihilators (normal and titan size), and blastguns are used by the Imperium and Chaos. These weapons suffer from overheating, which can often prove fatal to the user. Plasma rifles and cannons are also used by the Tau Empire and the Eldar, though their plasma weapons sacrifice a measure of damaging capability in order to avoid this flaw.
• WALL-E: EVE is seen having a plasma firearm mounted to her (transforming) arm.
• Wing Commander
• X-COM: nearly all alien weapons are plasma pistols/rifles/heavy plasmas. They work by superheating atmospheric gases in a small lightning-powered reactor, thus creating plasma, then amplifying it with another Elerium crystal. After the projectile is ready, the gun fires it with an electromagnetic particle accelerator. This technology is reverse-engineered into the Gauss weapons in the Second Alien War, because plasma weapons explode when fired underwater (not to mention that Elerium-115 becomes inert upon prolonged contact with seawater).

Links to images

• A DIY Plasma Gun
• Starfleet heavy plasma rifle in Elitefarce scenario
• plasma rifle in Project Xenocide scenario
• civilian-issue plasma rifle as used by farmer Moore in Broken Bow (Enterprise episode) in the Star Trek scenario
• 20 Watt Phased Plasma Rifle seen in the opening battle scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
• Plasma weapon: see Electric Rain
• XL 808 Hydro Plasmatic Rifle: see Shacknews
• MACO Phased Plasma Pulse-Rifle in this page
• Plasma Rifles from Doom.