Welcome to the forum, @nyx.
“Electromechanical device converts sunlight into microwave energy by direct process. Still in conceptual stage, device is expected to be lighter and more efficient (ninety percent conversion efficiency) than less-direct conversion systems that employ solar panels and magnetrons. Besides uses in satellites and spacecraft as microwave source, device has many terrestrial applications, including use in fuel-saving sun-powered microwave oven.”
Perhaps the electromechanical process conceived then (late '70’s) has evolved into a nanotechnology of the late 90’s. One consistent feature of the raging wildfires (those with black infrared signatures on NOAA imagery) has been how 90-plus percent of them die down after sunset and don’t flare back up (volcanically) until noon or so. Same goes for the daily fly-by (single) wildfires seen all over the country. Modern airborne nanoparticles may also be powered from less-efficient sources so as to maintain microwave beam transmission after dark (such as this morning Aug 16, 2023 in British Columbia).
Another feature of “black dot” fires is the presence of peculiar clouds: (1) low altitude, small puffy whites in the immediate vicinity; and/or (2) higher-altitude, long feathery clouds that are nearby or up to hundreds of miles away.
Sunlight is free fuel that powers not only microwave type DEWs for irradiating surface targets (e.g., Lahaina) to burn hotter, but also for worldwide weather manipulation. Modern “sunlight conversion” in the form of nanoparticles likely has some ability to store energy for nighttime operation as well, who knows.
I worked on airborne radar systems in the military decades ago and have some understanding of magnetrons, waveguides, wave propagation, and so on, but all of that was based on technologies developed as far back as WWII. Reading about the new sciency stuff as you say, makes my eyes gloss over.
Good find, thank you for posting.
