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Light isn't electrons, protons, or neutrons. It is not ionizing until you get up into X rays and gamma rays. Microwaves are not ionizing.
The big problem if one decides to beam power to Earth using microwaves is simply one of the EM wave affect of any nearby electronics. Such a strong radio wave will tend to act like an EM pulse from a nuclear detonation. Like a microwave oven, a wandering beam will cook anything it touches.
Communications use low power microwaves on very tight beams and keep those beams above the normal level people or animals are located. I have known some microwave comm techs cooking their lunches by simply holding them in front of the transmitting dish on a stick.
Solar power transmission by microwaves would be far more dangerous.
The beam energy densities would presumably be below the threshold deemed harmful to humans but would require huge receiving antennas and vast tracts of land. Microwaves are non-ionising that's true but some parts of the UV spectrum are ionising. Maybe the antennae would have to be at sea like oil production platforms only much bigger?
Last edited by cancel2 2022; 11-14-2019 at 10:16 PM.
The frequencies possible to use would have to be within the very narrow range of radio frequencies that can make it into space or back to Earth from a satellite. This range of frequencies, called the 'space window' are used for all spacecraft communications. It's a very narrow range. Sending power down on these frequencies mean that much less available for communications. None of them are ionizing frequencies.
The only exception is when the frequencies get high enough to reach that of infrared or even visible light. Ow. Again, all it would take is for a single control failure to allow such a high powered beam to wander across the planet. Put the antenna at sea? That means you have to transmit power from that platform to land, where it could be used.
The beam power is directly proportional to the amount of power deliverable by the system. It must be greater than what is delivered, due to losses. Yes, that means power at the RECEIVING antenna. The power at the transmitter must be even higher.
Last edited by Into the Night; 11-14-2019 at 11:45 PM.
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