Ghostbusters Mark Elliott Ghostbusters Mark Elliott

Ghostbusters Ecto 1C Hits the Streets !

June 2024 our Ecto 1 C is now complete with P.K.E Meter, Ghost Trap, Portable Containment unit, Proton Packs, emergency lighting, and siren just ready for the 40th anniversary of Ghostbusters !

Ready for some Ghostbustin action ?

We are so please to announce the completion of our very own Ecto 1 C Ghostbusters Car

Ghostbusters Ecto 1C Experience

Our meticulously crafted modern replica of Ecto 1C is a testament and dedication to the Ghostbusters franchise and its enduring legacy.

“Our inspiration for building this Ecto 1C came from many different places, firstly from already building a DeLorean Time Machine. This gave me the inspiration to look at another one of my favourite film franchises Ghostbusters.

Consulting the option of fellow Ghostbusters who asked the question :

What car would the Ghostbusters Drive today…..?

Everyone in the States pointed to the Dodge Magnum (here in the U.K it would be the Chrysler 300c). As this platform of vehicle has been used for police cars and other emegency vehicles due to the size and larger engines.

So work set out to find one….. Many years rolled past, and working progess was delayed by working out how to power up and make the equipment operational. Also here in the U.K 300c’s in white were not sold, which meant it needed to be completely resprayed.

Fast forward to June 2024 and Ecto 1 C was finished complete with P.K.E Meter, Ghost Trap, Portable Containment unit, Proton Packs, emergency lighting, and siren just ready for the 40th anniversary of Ghostbusters !

Why ?

Knowing there’s so many Ghostbusters fans out there (and now driving our Ecto 1C around the streets I’ve found there are many more people that love the Ghostbsusters) I wanted to bring the enjoyment of the Ghostbusters to all the Fans.

Being able to actually provide this amazing experience of having an Ecto 1 for real on their drive, or out in patrol in one, and seeing that smile makes this a fantastic experience.

Ecto 1C is available for Weddings, Partys, conferences, events, special occasions, Birthdays and much more !

Read More
Mark Elliott Mark Elliott

Ghostbusters - Ghostbusting Equipment

ECTO-GOGGLES

Ecto Goggles

Ecto Goggles

GHOSTBUSTER EQUIPMENT EXPLAINED

he Ecto-Goggles, resembling Spook Eyes in appearance are one of the smallest but equally effective pieces of equipment. Essentially a wearable P.K.E. Meter, the goggles slip over the wearer's eyes, allowing them to be able to track an entity while also being able to study its readings. The Ecto-Goggles also prove useful in locating invisible entities. As the goggles can locate P.K.E. they can create a virtual image of the entity. The Ecto-Goggles have seen several incarnations, most notably the original design, and then a unusual design created by Dr. Egon Spengler to help locate several poltergeists who had the ability to become invisible. Polarised lenses that could detect P.K.E detected them.

Ecto Goggles

Ecto Goggles

Ecto Goggles

Ecto Goggles

Safety Precautions: None Recorded.

F/N Adapted from information gathered from The Proton Lab.

ECTO-SCOPE

"Egon..."

A stethoscope connected to stereo earphones, worn by Dr. Egon Spengler.

ECTO CONTAINMENT UNIT

Screenshot 2021-04-24 at 13.22.48.png
Containment Unit

"This is a high voltage laser containment system..."

The Ecto Containment Unit is a bleak repository for souls of many species. Strange lights, mists, and spectral shapes waft about aimlessly. Human-like figures lean against the walls in despairing convict poses. Others flit and hang on the ceiling. It is a sad and frightening limbo and a most unholy makeshift asylum.

Like it's smaller counterpart, the Containment Unit utilizes a revolutionary laser containment system. Up until recently the exact way the lasers contained the ghosts had been a mystery, however thanks to Sinister of GBN the physics of the Containment Unit were laid bare and the way the ghosts were contained explained.

The large Containment Unit as seen in The Real Ghostbusters is the second incarnation of the machine, the first incarnation having been destroyed due to a failure in the Unit's Protection Grid.

If we think of ghosts as a magnet block (Such as those used in science lessons at school.), the ghosts are the South (Negative) end, and the Proton Packs are the North (Positive) end. As we know when you put North and South together they attract. The same thing happens with the packs and ghosts, the two charges attract each other and they merge.

If the laser grid around the inside of the ECU (Which is a large trap.) were positive like the Proton streams, the ghosts would merge with the stream, and possibly be able to escape in the same way they occasionally escape the streams. However, if the grid lasers were negatively charged (Electrons) a South on south effect would happen. As the ghost approached the edge of the ECU it would be propelled backwards due to the shared charge, just as it would should you put two south magnets together.

So in conclusion the ECU has a box laser grid inside it with a negative charge that makes sure the ghosts are kept inside due to the fact that they can't break through it.

F/N Above description provided by Sinister.

C/N Thanks for the great info Iain!

Safety Precautions: There is only one warning about the Ecto Containment Unit that should be taken very seriously:

Do not, I repeat, do not shut it off: The break in power supply is identical to a trap overload/power drain, however on a somewhat larger scale, as stated by Dr. Egon Spengler, "It would be like dropping a bomb on the city." The ghosts, in their eagerness to escape cause the metal shell of the Ecto Containment Unit to rupture. As soon as this happens the build up of P.K.E. causes an explosion that decimates the structure containing the ECU. There has only been one recorded incident of the ECU being shut off against the Ghostbusters will by another human (Walter Peck, of course.). This was during the infamous Gozer incident. The resulting explosion gutted the Ghostbusters' headquarters and released all contained entities into the Greater New York Area.

UNIFORM

According to Louis Tully, the Ghostbusters take great pride in their service and their brand image on a whole. They strive to present a professional and courteous appearance on the job, and they feel that the uniform is the best was to accomplish that. The standard Ghostbusters uniform consists of several parts:

Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters Uniform


1.) Flightsuit: CWU-27/P* Flight Suit made by FlightSuits.com.
2.) Black T-shirt: A black t-shirt worn under the flightsuit.
3.) GB logo patch: A patch of the GB logo on the right shoulder.
4.) Nametag: A black, rectangular-shaped nametag, with the wearer�s surname spelt out in capital red letters.
5.) Elbow Pads: Made by Markwort. They are gray and bubble-shaped.
6.) Pistol Belt: The belt holds the Neutrona Wand holder, Circuit Board Pouch, Rear Belt Circuit Board, Coil Cable with clips, Leg Tube W/ fitting and belt attachment.
7.) Boots: Black Zipper Paratrooper Boots. The zipper is on the side for quick attachment and removal.
8.) Chemical Gloves: Black gloves.

TRIPOD TRAP

Tripod Trap

Essentially the Tripod Trap is identical to the standard Ghost Trap in operation. The main difference is the design, which allows for a larger containment area and also allows for elevated entrapment. The trap takes up less space then a standard trap and so can be used in areas of limited space. The device is still in the test stages as it hasn't been used in many busts. The Tripod Trap, when activated creates a grid-like confinement area, but tests have ranged in success.

Safety Precautions: There is only one warning about the Tripod Trap that should be taken very seriously:

Don't stare directly at the Laser: It can blind you if you aren't careful enough.

C/N Information above derived from further information provided to The Proton Lab by Matt Emery.

GIGA-METER

Ghostbusters Tripod Trap
Giga-meter

"I'm getting 2.5 G.E.V.s on the Giga-Meter."

G.E.V.s or Giga Electron Volts is an experimental alternate to the P.K.E. Meter. It's main purpose to measure the Psychomagnetheric energy in G.E.V.s. The meter has performed only limited use, and is most notably known for its use in the detection of the river of slime beneath First Avenue in New York.

Giga-Meter

SLIME BLOWER

Slime Blower

Slime Blower

Slime Blower

Slime Blower

"It's Slime Time."

The Slime Blower is one of the least used pieces of equipment due to the scarcity of the weapon's ammunition, positively charged Psychomagnetheric Ectoplasm. The Pyschomagnetheric Ectoplasm was first discovered in 1988 after an incident involving the Ghostbusters' first customer Dana Barrett. An examination of a street where she lived revealed a large quantity of the unusual Ectoplasm. Further exploration revealed the large quantity of slime flowed along the abandoned tunnels of the NYPRR. The New York Pneumatic Railroad, a system that had been an experimental subway system. After collecting a sample it was discovered that the slime reacted to negative vibes, having built up from all of the bad feelings and negative things said by every New Yorker to each other. After a complex series of tests it was discovered that the slime, like Proton streams, can be changed from negative to positive, and so positively charged slime was implemented in the Ghostbusters' arsenal. The slime was playing a part in the 300-year-old plan of a 17th Century Moldavian Tyrant known as Vigo the Carpathian. Utilizing the negative feelings of some "three million completely miserable assholes" Vigo was able to amass a huge amount of slime, which he used to coat the Manhattan Museum of Art, trapping Dana Barrett and her son Oscar who was to play an important part in Vigo's plan, to be the living embodiment of Vigo the Carpathian. However Vigo was eventually defeated through the use of his own slime being used against him.

Slime Blower

Slime Blower

The Slime Blower works essentially like a fire extinguisher, projecting its ammunition at a specific target selected by the operator. The slime tanks are mounted onto an A.L.I.C.E. Pack Frame with bigger Straps and more padding and protection than the Proton Pack's A.L.I.C.E. Pack Frame. There are also two small but bright lights attached on top of the two small green air tanks. The Slime Blower works on an air pressure system. The central tank contains the mood slime, which is powered by positive human emotions. The two smaller green tanks on either side of the main tank are the air tanks. The Slime Blower's cannon features a switch trigger, which works similar to a tap with an air pressure system. When the switch is pulled, it makes the high-pressured air in the air tanks push the mood slime through the hose and into the large canister-like gun. The Slime fires at a fast and furious rate. The Slime Blower has also been used in possessions, forcing an entity to evacuate the host body due to the positive charge of the slime. The slime's positive charge was put to an unusual test when the Ghostbusters needed to create a large amount of positive vibes to crack the negative slime shell on the Manhattan Museum of Art, after animating a toaster they were able to animate the Statue of Liberty and walk her to the Manhattan Museum of Art.

Safety Precautions: None Recorded.

SLIME COLLECTOR

This is almost like a fishing rod. It has a small lamp on the end to provide light, in dark areas that are difficult to view. On the main section, a motor is activated and it extends an arm out (The maximum length is 3 ft.). When it reaches the full length, a sphere at the tip of the arm opens. The user then puts the sphere into the area that they�re gathering the sample from. The Slime Collector is mainly used to get samples of Ectoplasm. Once the sample is taken, the sphere closes and the user cranks it back into the locked position.

AURA SENSOR

Aura Sensor

Aura Sensor

This is a small device that functions almost the same as a Giga-Meter (It�s much smaller, and doesn�t look anything like it.). It detects emotional activity and rapidly beeps. Egon used it to detect the emotions of the couple that thought they were waiting for marriage counseling. He also secretly used it to detect Dana Barrett�s emotions.

www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Also known as the "Ghost Sniffer", this piece of equipment was used by Dr. Peter Venkman in Dana Barrett�s apartment to detect Ectoplasmic vapor trails. It tests ionized traces left by P.K.E. activity, and can be used to date the occurrences of paranormal activity. It was created by Bacharach/United Technologies.

Copied from the Bacharach Website:

Bacharch Sniffer 300 Series

Ghostbusters Sniffer 300

Ghostbusters Sniffer 300

Sniffer 300 Series gas indicators are lightweight, portable instruments designed for intermittent measurements of combustible gas and oxygen deficiency.

Rugged and rain resistant, these instruments represent a departure from traditional design. Each has a slender, high-impact thermoplastic case with a built-in handle and trigger switch. They each use easily-replaceable, field-proven sensors and internal sampling pumps for reliable service. The internal pump allows sampling up to 100 feet away.

Ghostbusters Sniffer 300

Ghostbusters Sniffer 300

Ghostbusters 300 Sniffer

Ghostbusters 300 Sniffer

Designed for intrinsic safety, the Sniffer 300 Series instruments meet various approval agency requirements for use in Class I, Divisions 1 and 2, Groups A, B, C and D hazardous areas.

F/N Adapted from information gathered at GB.Props.com and the Bacharach website.

SPECTRONALIZER

Most of the time, a paranormal entity (Mainly ghosts and any other creatures that don't have reflections.) doesn�t appear on film. However, it is still there. This Xerox-sized device lifts the spirit from the cover inside the photo revealing its form.

To find out more fun Future Facts by clicking our Blogs below……….!!! Please Share …..

Ghostbuster - Ecto 1

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/3/31/ghostbusters-ecto-1

Cars of Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/the-cars-of-back-to-the-future-55-

Back to the Future Fashion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Ariel Leader

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/17/ariel-leader

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history-jxrr4

Back to the Future Gadgets and Trends we have in 2021

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/34-back-to-the-future-gadgets-and-trends

Doc Browns Biography and the History of his DeLorean Time Machine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/26/doc-browns-biography-amp-history-of-the-time-machine

Marty McFly Biography also featuring Biff, George, Jennifer, Loranine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/biography-marty-mcfly-michael-j-fox-biff-george-jennifer-loranine

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history

Back to the Future - Detailed storyline

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/24/back-to-the-future-detailed-storyline-

Back to the Future - How to generate 1.21 Giggawatts / Jiggawatts with Mr Fusion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/25/great-scott-how-to-generate-121-giggawatts-jiggawatts-mr-fusion-

What is a Fat Bike ? And where did the idea of Fat Bikes come from ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/10/fat-bike-what-is-a-fat-bike-history

The Time Paradox explained - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/16/time-paradox-explained-back-to-the-future

The Sinclair C5

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/9/sinclair-c5-

Mini Jeep Mini Review

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/minicoolsterjeepreview

Hoverboards - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/12/13/hoverboards-

How does the Time Machine work - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/how-does-the-time-machine-work

The DeLorean Motor Company - What did it fail ? Or did it ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/whydiddeloreanmotorcompanyfail

The DeLorean Motor Company - History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/deloreanmotorcompany

The Flux Capacitor - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/fluxcapacitor

Is Time Travel Possible ? And what would it take ? Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/istimetravelpossible

Read More
Mark Elliott Mark Elliott

Ghostbusters Afterlife - The Proton Pack

The Main piece of equipment for any real Ghostbusters is the famous Proton Pack ! as featured in Ghostbusters Afterlife

But what is it ? And how does it work ? ….. It features in all the Ghostbusters films, Ghostbusters 1, Ghostbusters II, and Ghostbusters Afterlife

So buckle up for this Blog to the Future feature on the science behind Ghost catching !

How does the Ghostbusters Proton Pack work ?

Ghosbusters Proton Packs

The Proton Pack is the most powerful tool that the Ghostbusters carry on a daily basis, equipped with a power source that has a half life of 5000 years, it’s not prone to running out of power. In Ghostbusters II However, it must be recharged at times.

The Proton Pack is an ‘Unlicensed Nuclear Accelerator Backpack’ that consists of raw nuclear energy and Protons.

The Proton Pack is mounted onto an Army issue A.L.I.C.E. Pack Frame with adjustable shoulder and kidney straps and belt, the Proton Pack consists of two parts:

The Nuclear Accelerator Backpack (Proton Pack, Positron Collider, Cyclotron.) and Particle Thrower (Proton Gun, Ion Wand, Ion Cannon, Neutrona Wand.).

Once you turn the Proton Pack on, you can also switch on the Particle Thrower. The Accelerator accelerates the Protons from the Cyclotron on the pack into the Particle Thrower, and you get an extremely powerful but destructive particle stream that consists of Protons and raw nuclear energy.

This is capable of entangling a ghost against its will (An excellent way to think of the particle stream would be as a lasso for ghosts.).

"The Proton Pack is not a toy." …Egon Spengler

Proton Pack

Ghostbusters Proton Pack

All ghosts are made up of Psychokinetic Energy (Which consists of Electrons, Neutrons, and the infamous substance known as "Ectoplasm".).

The Electron is one of three elements in an Atom (The other two being the Proton and the Neutron.). Electrons carry a negative charge (As does Ectoplasm.), whereas a Neutron has no charge and a Proton has a positive charge.

Negative energy is no match for positive energy. When a person fires the particle stream at a ghost, the ghost will become entangled in the stream and will become trapped (Unless the spirit is more powerful and so the power in the stream will have to be increased accordingly.).

The Particle Thrower also features a control for stream length. This proves invaluable when tracking a ghost that floats.

The Proton Pack can disintegrate a paper cup, cut through steel, chop down big trees, and blast a dam.

The particle stream is harmless to humans on low power. It was later discovered that particle streams could be adjusted to simulate sunlight, in order to vaporize Vampires, and temporarily transform werewolves back into their human form until the next full moon; To permanently cure a werewolf, Wolfsbane Soup is needed. 

The Proton Pack has two settings:

Setting 1: Attack. Generates the most energetic stream of particles, expressly designed to weaken an entity's psychokinetic energy and it's connection to our time-space continuum (referred to officially as "Ectopresence")

The GBI pack is set to still emit a weak Confinement field even in Attack mode--GBI Case File GBNY-1986-4/405 (code name "RoboBuster") demonstrates the necessity of not using a "pure" Attack mode.

Setting 2: Confinement. Generates a positively charged "cage" around the entity being confined; however, the Confinement is only effective if the entity's Ectopresence has been reduced to a valence of zero--otherwise it can easily break the Confinement stream.

Once Confined, standard procedure is to capture the entity in a Ghost Trap.

Safety Precautions: 

There are two warnings about the Proton Pack that should be taken very seriously: 

1) Do not cross the streams:

This process is extremely dangerous as it causes Total Protonic Reversal, which results in the molecules of any nearby person to explode at the speed of light. Information on this situation is sketchy due to the rarity of it ever happening, it has only occurred once where those participating have survived.

Please refer to the case where the Ghostbusters fought Gozer for more details.

2) Do not allow the pack to overheat:

This in some ways is similar to Total Protonic Reversal, however on a more limited scale. It is however still extremely dangerous and it is rare for a person in the vicinity to survive a blast caused by overheating.

A standard radius of destruction from four Proton Packs has been estimated as a quarter of a mile. There are twenty seconds at maximum boost before the Proton Packs overload.

Optional Extras: Rifle Scope. 

F/N Adapted from information gathered from The Proton Lab.; some fan fictions have speculated additional settings on later models


The Science of The Ghostbuster's Upgraded Proton Pack

In practical terms, the Proton Pack is a miniature particle accelerator that ensnares negatively charged ectoplasmic entities inside a positively-charged proton beam.

The term "Proton Pack" is not used in the original movie at all — it was originally described as a Positron Collider.

It was not until the subway tunnel scene in the second movie that the word is actually used. So, let's take a look at the physics behind the Proton Pack and see whether it is possible to build one.

Overview of the Proton Pack

Proton Pack Parts

Easter Egg in the new film Trailer …..

·         The Ghostbusters trailer contains an Easter egg hidden in the whiteboard filled with physics equations. This Easter egg goes by quickly but if you pause at just the right moment, you will see one "equation" on top is a URL that spells paranormalstudieslab.com.

Fans will recognize this is a nod to the original movie as The Paranormal Studies Lab was the name of the laboratory run by Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) at Columbia University.

·         Eagle-eye fans who managed to pick up on this and visit the URL will come across a hidden web page on the physics of the Proton Pack, as explained by MIT particle physicist, James Maxwell.

James curiously shares a name with James Clerk Maxwell, the Scottish physicist famous for formulating the laws of electromagnetism. The laws of electromagnetism and special relativity play an important part in the physics of the proton pack.

The Original Proton Pack: The Cyclotron

*As Maxwell points out, the original Ghostbusters Proton Pack, as designed by Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), was a cyclotron.

This was one of the earliest types of particle accelerators ever developed. The device invented by Ernest O. Lawrence in 1932 works by accelerating charged particles along a spiral path.

Back then, cyclotrons were the most powerful particle accelerators around until they were replaced by the more advanced synchrotrons back in the 1950s though they are still used today in the first stage of some particle accelerators.

Inside the cyclotron, a charged particle is injected into the middle of the chamber where it is accelerated between two D-shaped electrodes or "dees."

In the case of the Ghostbusters' Proton Pack, that charged particle is a positron or positively charged electron. The magnetic field passing through the dees bends the particle's path, making it travel in a circle, while the electric field between the dees accelerates the particle, giving it a "kick" to make it go faster.

When the positron beam has enough energy, it strikes a metal target to release a beam of protons.

The kick the particle gets from the electric field is very similar to a parent pushing a child on a swing. If a parent times the push at just the right moment, the child gains more energy and swings higher and higher.

Instead of having one parent pushing from behind, there is also an adult in front who pushes in the opposite direction. If that parent in front also pushes at the right moment (and does not get hit in the face), the child will gain more energy and continue to swing higher and higher with each push.

Just as the child on the swing in our example gets two pushes, the positron gets two kicks. It gets one kick as it passes through the gap but as it circles back and passes through the dee in the opposite direction, the electric field switches direction to give it another kick.

This was a significant advance over previous particle accelerators. Previous accelerators, or linacs, just accelerated particles along straight lines. Inside the cyclotron, the magnetic field bends the beam, making it curve back on itself so it could pass through the gap where it could be accelerated multiple times. As the particle gains more energy, it spirals outward.

When the particles reach the rim, they exit the dees through a small gap to hit a metal target located at some point beyond the rim of the chamber.

This creates secondary particles, in this case protons (the positively charged partice found in the nucleus of an atom), which may be guided outside of the cyclotron and into instruments for analysis.

Proton beams look nothing like in the movie. Proton beams are (usually) collimated, i.e., they travel in straight lines. In the movies, they are seen to whip about and undulate wildly; this is probably done for visual effect.

Proton Pack Upgrade: The Synchrotron

The size of the accelerator is not the only practical consideration. As the positron spirals outward, it needs to sync up with each "kick," or the cyclotron resonant frequency.

This is the time it takes for the particle to complete a circle and depends on the strength of the magnetic field, the electric charge, and its mass.

If the particles go fast enough to approach light speed, its mass increases as relativistic effects come into play. This changes the cyclotron resonance and the beam goes out of phase with the oscillating electric field — the particle beam no longer gets the kicks at the right time.

The classical cyclotron is therefore only capable of accelerating particles up to a few percent of the speed of light.

To get even higher energy particles, the synchrotron solves this problem by varying the strength of the magnetic field. As the speed increases so too does the magnetic field. Instead of moving out in a spiral, the changing magnetic field exerts a greater centripetal force on thfaster-moving particle to keep it along the same circular path.

This means that the Proton Pack seen in the reboot is a far more powerful accelerator (Go, Erin!) but the science does not stop there.

To make all this possible, the Ghostbusters have to find a way to generate the much stronger magnetic fields needed to keep a charged particle moving in a circular path about the size of a back pack. To do this, they turn to superconductors and cryogen systems to generate these magnetic fields.

And Powerful Magnet to keep it Compact

To get the intense magnetic fields to make a synchrotron work, the Proton Pack uses superconduting magnets.

The resistance of all metals becomes lower as they as cooled but superconductors are special. At a certain critical temperature, their resistace falls to zero.

This means that an electric current flowing through a loop of superconducting wire can persist indefinitely with no power source. This allows superconductors to handle much larger currents than metallic conductors to produce more intense magnetic fields.

To achieve this, superconducting magnets need to be kept cold, at cryognic temperatures.

The new Proton Pack needs a cryogen system, possibly using liquid Helium to keep the superconductors at approximately minus 269.15 degrees Celsius or minus 452.47 Fahrenheit.

This keeps the superconductors at the temperatures they need to be to handle the large currents needed to generate the intense magentic fields for the synchrotron.

Crossing Streams: Does the Science Measure Up?

In an interview, Maxwell said that the movie's director Paul Feig made a lot of effort to make the science in Ghostbusters seem as realistic as possible, as we can see from the Proton Pack's blueprints.

Maxwell points out in the video that, while the science behind the Proton Pack is sound, there are limitations. For one, it's not possible to actually build a synchrotron particle accelerator into an actual back pack.

The technical considerations, e.g., getting the intense magnetic fields to make things work, are not practical.

One of the interesting challenges as one of the show's science advisers was figuring how actual science and technology could influence the prop design.

As a fan of the original Ghostbusters, he admitted that seeing scientists play the role of heroes, and saving the day, was one of the things that piqued his interest in the sciences as a child.

Hopefully, layering real physics into an awesome science based ghost-fighting weapon will do the same when the new Ghostbusters comes out, and capture a new generation of scientists like it did James Maxwell.

 

To find out more fun Future Facts by clicking our Blogs below……….!!! Please Share …..

Ghostbuster - Ecto 1

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/3/31/ghostbusters-ecto-1

Cars of Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/the-cars-of-back-to-the-future-55-

Back to the Future Fashion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Ariel Leader

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/17/ariel-leader

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history-jxrr4

Back to the Future Gadgets and Trends we have in 2021

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/34-back-to-the-future-gadgets-and-trends

Doc Browns Biography and the History of his DeLorean Time Machine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/26/doc-browns-biography-amp-history-of-the-time-machine

Marty McFly Biography also featuring Biff, George, Jennifer, Loranine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/biography-marty-mcfly-michael-j-fox-biff-george-jennifer-loranine

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history

Back to the Future - Detailed storyline

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/24/back-to-the-future-detailed-storyline-

Back to the Future - How to generate 1.21 Giggawatts / Jiggawatts with Mr Fusion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/25/great-scott-how-to-generate-121-giggawatts-jiggawatts-mr-fusion-

What is a Fat Bike ? And where did the idea of Fat Bikes come from ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/10/fat-bike-what-is-a-fat-bike-history

The Time Paradox explained - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/16/time-paradox-explained-back-to-the-future

The Sinclair C5

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/9/sinclair-c5-

Mini Jeep Mini Review

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/minicoolsterjeepreview

Hoverboards - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/12/13/hoverboards-

How does the Time Machine work - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/how-does-the-time-machine-work

The DeLorean Motor Company - What did it fail ? Or did it ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/whydiddeloreanmotorcompanyfail

The DeLorean Motor Company - History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/deloreanmotorcompany

The Flux Capacitor - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/fluxcapacitor

Is Time Travel Possible ? And what would it take ? Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/istimetravelpossible

 

The Proton Pack

Read More
Mark Elliott Mark Elliott

Ghostbusters Afterlife - Ghost Trap

Ghostbusters Afterlife A deeper look into the world of Ghostbusters and Ghostbusting with the Ghost Trap ! We look at yet another essential part of the Ghosbusters equipment the Ghost Trap or Moen Trap - How does it work ? We explain here……The Ghost Trap as seen in Ghostbusters 1, Ghostbuster 2, and Ghostbuster afterlife has been described as a ‘miniature Ecto Containment Unit’

It utilizes the same basic design as it's larger counterpart; a series of lasers designed specifically for the incarceration of spirits, however the overall size and power of an entity can determine how many entities can be contained in one ghost trap.

The smaller the entities, the more can be contained in the trap. But the bigger the ghost, the less spirits can be contained. When two or more ghosts are trapped together, their molecules merge and cannot be separated without releasing both.

The Ghost Trap as seen in Ghostbusters 1, Ghostbuster 2, and Ghostbuster afterlife has been described as a ‘miniature Ecto Containment Unit’

It utilizes the same basic design as it's larger counterpart; a series of lasers designed specifically for the incarceration of spirits, however the overall size and power of an entity can determine how many entities can be contained in one ghost trap.

The smaller the entities, the more can be contained in the trap. But the bigger the ghost, the less spirits can be contained. When two or more ghosts are trapped together, their molecules merge and cannot be separated without releasing both.

Ghostbusters - Ghost Trap

The Trap is an Electromagnetic Field Generator that is encased in an extremely strong and powerful Steel Grid and the EMF draws ghosts into the trap.

It’s connected to a six to eight feet cable, which is connected to a "Stomp-on Pedal". The Cable Wire can be worn on a tiny hook/notch on the standard issue pistol belt. The ghost trap is operated as follows, one team member holds the spirit in a confinement stream, and a second team member rolls a standard Ghost Trap under the spirit.

The operator must shout "Trap Open!" He then activates the Stomp-on Pedal, activating the first stage if the trap.

Now open is ready to receive the ghostly prisoner. The operator then presses the Stomp-on Pedal once more to activate the EMF, the ghost is then sucked into the Trap and the Trap is then closed by removal of the Trap operator's foot from the pedal.

It also runs on a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 48 Hours. So after trapping a ghost, be sure to get to the division headquarters as soon as possible, so you can contain the ghost in the Ecto Containment Unit and recharge the Trap's battery.

Safety Precautions: There are three warnings about the Ghost Trap that should be taken very seriously:

Do not look into the trap:

It is not stated what exactly would happen if a human were to look into a Ghost Trap, however it is believed by most that the glare could cause eye damage and even blindness.

All Video credits goto GHOSTBUSTERSNW visit them here at https://www.gbfans.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47079

GHOST TRAP "Don't look at the trap!"

Do not overload the trap:

Ghost Traps are extremely small pieces of equipment, and can only contain a certain amount of P.K.E., even if it is from a number of small ghosts. Generally the overloaded Trap would explode, then releasing its contents. Also only a certain number of ghosts can be contained in a Ghost Trap.

Do not forget to recharge the trap:

This is extremely important, a Ghost Trap must be at 100% charge to work at peak efficiency. If a Trap is at less then 100% charge when it leaves the division headquarters then it is at risk of loosing it's charge when in operation, resulting in a similar explosion to a overload.

All Video credits goto Channeling Sprits visit them here at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj7qJYu840ORqxB0vHPzSzw


Check out the New Ghostbusters Afterlife trailer here …..


To find out more fun Future Facts by clicking our Blogs below……….!!! Please Share …..

Ghostbuster - Ecto 1

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/3/31/ghostbusters-ecto-1

Cars of Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/the-cars-of-back-to-the-future-55-

Back to the Future Fashion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Ariel Leader

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/17/ariel-leader

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history-jxrr4

Back to the Future Gadgets and Trends we have in 2021

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/34-back-to-the-future-gadgets-and-trends

Doc Browns Biography and the History of his DeLorean Time Machine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/26/doc-browns-biography-amp-history-of-the-time-machine

Marty McFly Biography also featuring Biff, George, Jennifer, Loranine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/biography-marty-mcfly-michael-j-fox-biff-george-jennifer-loranine

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history

Back to the Future - Detailed storyline

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/24/back-to-the-future-detailed-storyline-

Back to the Future - How to generate 1.21 Giggawatts / Jiggawatts with Mr Fusion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/25/great-scott-how-to-generate-121-giggawatts-jiggawatts-mr-fusion-

What is a Fat Bike ? And where did the idea of Fat Bikes come from ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/10/fat-bike-what-is-a-fat-bike-history

The Time Paradox explained - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/16/time-paradox-explained-back-to-the-future

The Sinclair C5

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/9/sinclair-c5-

Mini Jeep Mini Review

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/minicoolsterjeepreview

Hoverboards - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/12/13/hoverboards-

How does the Time Machine work - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/how-does-the-time-machine-work

The DeLorean Motor Company - What did it fail ? Or did it ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/whydiddeloreanmotorcompanyfail

The DeLorean Motor Company - History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/deloreanmotorcompany

The Flux Capacitor - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/fluxcapacitor

Is Time Travel Possible ? And what would it take ? Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/istimetravelpossible

Read More
Mark Elliott Mark Elliott

Ghostbusters - P.K.E Meter - How does it work ?

We explain how Ghostbusters P.K.E. Meter works, which is similarly to a EMF Detector or a Gas Detector, it is designed specifically to locate P.K.E. (Psychokinetic Energy) in an area.

It is set to register P.K.E. due to this being the substance that makes up most paranormal entities. The P.K.E. Meter tells the operator if an entity is in the area through both indication of its arms with blinking indicator lights, but also through the LED readout screen.

The P.K.E. Meter also informs the operator of the ghost's classification, and how strong it is. Read more by click on our ‘ Blog to the Future ‘ Blog !

The P.K.E Meter

The P.K.E Meter

Ghostbusters ! So what is the PKE Meter and how does it work ?

The Ghosbusters P.K.E. Meter works similarly to a EMF Detector or a Gas Detector, it is designed specifically to locate P.K.E. (Psychokinetic Energy) in an area. As featured in Ghostbusters 1, Ghostbusters 2 and Ghostbusters Afterlife

It is set to register P.K.E. due to this being the substance that makes up most paranormal entities. The P.K.E. Meter tells the operator if an entity is in the area through both indication of its arms with blinking indicator lights, but also through the LED readout screen.

The P.K.E. Meter also informs the operator of the ghost's classification, and how strong it is. The P.K.E. Meter's power source is just a pair of standard AA batteries.

But what is Psychokinetic Energy ?

Psychokinetic energy (PKEpsionic or psychic energy/force) involves activity dealing with conscious mental energy directly affecting physical objects. It is very specific to consciousness, will, emotion, memory, and other qualities equated with the mind. This energy is very common in Kaf, particularly in the ethereal plane.

Psychokinesis

An umbrella term that is used to describe a variety of abilities that directly manipulate this mental force. In the Arcane Realm, the field of study concerned with phenomena produced by this is called parapsychology.

Research has shown that psychokinetic energy has a sympathetic relationship with electromagnetism. This is believed to be the reason how spirits have PK serve as their sustaining life force, how the neural activity of physical brains produce PK, how PK can affect physical objects, or how electronics can detect the presence of PKE.

Spirits and Psychics are in tune with PKE to the level that they have the access to the following abilities:

P.K.E Meter

P.K.E Meter

Telekinesis

The ability to manipulate objects by the power of thought. Telekinetic force works roughly as an analog to electrostatic force, a mental field generated from the psychic can produce waves that polarized objects which can be attracted or repelled by their field.

Telepathy

Transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals via PKE.

Extrasensory Perception

Perception outside the known physical senses, instead relying on PKE.

Precognition

Perception of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals via PKE.

Dowsing

Ability to locate objects, sometimes using a tool called a dowsing rod.

Energy medicine 

Healing by channeling psychokinetic energy.

Levitation

Bodily levitation and flying, typically by pushing off the ground.

Precognition, premonition and precognitive dreams 

Perception of events before they happen.

Psychometry or psychoscopy

Obtaining information about a person or object, usually by touching or concentrating on the object or a related object.

Remote viewing

Gathering of information at a distance.

Retrocognition or post-cognition

Perception of past events that one was physically present or aware of at the time.

Faith healing

Diagnosing or curing diseases using religious devotion or similar strong beliefs.

Aura reading 

Perception of energy fields surrounding people, places and things.

Astral projection or mental projection

An out-of-body experience in which consciousness becomes separate from the physical body.

 

After the empirical revolution in academia, mental force was reexamined with its own specific field of study, parapsychology. It was found that spirits use PKE in the same way organic beings use the energy from breaking down chemical molecules into electrical energy.

Spirits in fact use ESP as their way to perceive their environment and respond to stimuli of the ethereal plane, and what they draw upon to manifest in the physical plane.

Despite its development for spirits, it is possible for physical beings to harness this power in their minds.

Those who take it upon themselves to tap into this potential and develop these abilities are known as espers or simply psychics.

P.K.E Meter with the Gigameter

P.K.E Meter with the Gigameter

P.K.E Meter

P.K.E Meter

One interesting premise of the P.K.E. Meter is that it can be used to track human biorhythms for use in locating missing humans. However these readings are weaker due to this not being the P.K.E. Meter's primary function. The meters can be adjusted to pick up the location of the Proton Pack.

How to Read a P.K.E. Meter: A P.K.E. Meter measures the Psychokinetic energy in the current area. In order to correctly assess the reading, you must view this guide.

200-300 = No Threat, small to no paranormal activity.

301-450 = Trouble, you have a faint trace of a spook.

451-550 = Biblical Proportions, don't let anyone in your house named "Zuul".

Now that you know how to correctly process the information, now you need to know some other tips.

If the meter is reading very close in between 300-305, you may be picking up a trail of a ghoul that was already in your area. In other words, you are seeing his residual traces.

If you are reading anywhere from a 450-455 when a ghost is present, you are looking at a Class V apparition, a ghost not to be taken lightly.

C/N Above entry sourced from GBHQ's Egon's Lab by Dr. Riddle.

Safety Precautions: There is only one warning about the P.K.E. Meter that should be taken very seriously:

Overload: It is not uncommon for a P.K.E. Meter to overload. This ranges from mild electric shock, to a slight burning of skin and even self-destruct. The P.K.E. Meter is by far the most fragile and sensitive piece of equipment, so treat it carefully.

To find out more fun Future Facts by clicking our Blogs below……….!!! Please Share …..

Ghostbuster - Ecto 1

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/3/31/ghostbusters-ecto-1

Cars of Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/the-cars-of-back-to-the-future-55-

Back to the Future Fashion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Ariel Leader

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/17/ariel-leader

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history-jxrr4

Back to the Future Gadgets and Trends we have in 2021

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/34-back-to-the-future-gadgets-and-trends

Doc Browns Biography and the History of his DeLorean Time Machine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/26/doc-browns-biography-amp-history-of-the-time-machine

Marty McFly Biography also featuring Biff, George, Jennifer, Loranine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/biography-marty-mcfly-michael-j-fox-biff-george-jennifer-loranine

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history

Back to the Future - Detailed storyline

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/24/back-to-the-future-detailed-storyline-

Back to the Future - How to generate 1.21 Giggawatts / Jiggawatts with Mr Fusion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/25/great-scott-how-to-generate-121-giggawatts-jiggawatts-mr-fusion-

What is a Fat Bike ? And where did the idea of Fat Bikes come from ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/10/fat-bike-what-is-a-fat-bike-history

The Time Paradox explained - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/16/time-paradox-explained-back-to-the-future

The Sinclair C5

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/9/sinclair-c5-

Mini Jeep Mini Review

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/minicoolsterjeepreview

Hoverboards - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/12/13/hoverboards-

How does the Time Machine work - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/how-does-the-time-machine-work

The DeLorean Motor Company - What did it fail ? Or did it ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/whydiddeloreanmotorcompanyfail

The DeLorean Motor Company - History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/deloreanmotorcompany

The Flux Capacitor - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/fluxcapacitor

Is Time Travel Possible ? And what would it take ? Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/istimetravelpossible

Read More
Mark Elliott Mark Elliott

Ghostbusters Afterlife - The Proton Pack

The Main piece of equipment for any real Ghostbusters is the famous Proton Pack ! as featured in Ghostbusters Afterlife

But what is it ? And how does it work ? ….. It features in all the Ghostbusters films, Ghostbusters 1, Ghostbusters II, and Ghostbusters Afterlife

So buckle up for this Blog to the Future feature on the science behind Ghost catching !

How does the Ghostbusters Proton Pack work ?

Ghosbusters Proton Packs

Ghosbusters Proton Packs

The Proton Pack is the most powerful tool that the Ghostbusters carry on a daily basis, equipped with a power source that has a half life of 5000 years, it’s not prone to running out of power. In Ghostbusters II However, it must be recharged at times.

The Proton Pack is an ‘Unlicensed Nuclear Accelerator Backpack’ that consists of raw nuclear energy and Protons.

The Proton Pack is mounted onto an Army issue A.L.I.C.E. Pack Frame with adjustable shoulder and kidney straps and belt, the Proton Pack consists of two parts:

The Nuclear Accelerator Backpack (Proton Pack, Positron Collider, Cyclotron.) and Particle Thrower (Proton Gun, Ion Wand, Ion Cannon, Neutrona Wand.).

Once you turn the Proton Pack on, you can also switch on the Particle Thrower. The Accelerator accelerates the Protons from the Cyclotron on the pack into the Particle Thrower, and you get an extremely powerful but destructive particle stream that consists of Protons and raw nuclear energy.

This is capable of entangling a ghost against its will (An excellent way to think of the particle stream would be as a lasso for ghosts.).

"The Proton Pack is not a toy." …Egon Spengler

Proton Pack

Proton Pack

Ghostbusters Proton Pack

Ghostbusters Proton Pack

All ghosts are made up of Psychokinetic Energy (Which consists of Electrons, Neutrons, and the infamous substance known as "Ectoplasm".).

The Electron is one of three elements in an Atom (The other two being the Proton and the Neutron.). Electrons carry a negative charge (As does Ectoplasm.), whereas a Neutron has no charge and a Proton has a positive charge.

Negative energy is no match for positive energy. When a person fires the particle stream at a ghost, the ghost will become entangled in the stream and will become trapped (Unless the spirit is more powerful and so the power in the stream will have to be increased accordingly.).

The Particle Thrower also features a control for stream length. This proves invaluable when tracking a ghost that floats.

The Proton Pack can disintegrate a paper cup, cut through steel, chop down big trees, and blast a dam.

The particle stream is harmless to humans on low power. It was later discovered that particle streams could be adjusted to simulate sunlight, in order to vaporize Vampires, and temporarily transform werewolves back into their human form until the next full moon; To permanently cure a werewolf, Wolfsbane Soup is needed. 

The Proton Pack has two settings:

Setting 1: Attack. Generates the most energetic stream of particles, expressly designed to weaken an entity's psychokinetic energy and it's connection to our time-space continuum (referred to officially as "Ectopresence")

The GBI pack is set to still emit a weak Confinement field even in Attack mode--GBI Case File GBNY-1986-4/405 (code name "RoboBuster") demonstrates the necessity of not using a "pure" Attack mode.

Setting 2: Confinement. Generates a positively charged "cage" around the entity being confined; however, the Confinement is only effective if the entity's Ectopresence has been reduced to a valence of zero--otherwise it can easily break the Confinement stream.

Once Confined, standard procedure is to capture the entity in a Ghost Trap.

Safety Precautions: 

There are two warnings about the Proton Pack that should be taken very seriously: 

1) Do not cross the streams:

This process is extremely dangerous as it causes Total Protonic Reversal, which results in the molecules of any nearby person to explode at the speed of light. Information on this situation is sketchy due to the rarity of it ever happening, it has only occurred once where those participating have survived.

Please refer to the case where the Ghostbusters fought Gozer for more details.

2) Do not allow the pack to overheat:

This in some ways is similar to Total Protonic Reversal, however on a more limited scale. It is however still extremely dangerous and it is rare for a person in the vicinity to survive a blast caused by overheating.

A standard radius of destruction from four Proton Packs has been estimated as a quarter of a mile. There are twenty seconds at maximum boost before the Proton Packs overload.

Optional Extras: Rifle Scope. 

F/N Adapted from information gathered from The Proton Lab.; some fan fictions have speculated additional settings on later models

Screenshot 2021-06-19 at 12.53.24.png


The Science of The Ghostbuster's Upgraded Proton Pack

In practical terms, the Proton Pack is a miniature particle accelerator that ensnares negatively charged ectoplasmic entities inside a positively-charged proton beam.

The term "Proton Pack" is not used in the original movie at all — it was originally described as a Positron Collider.

It was not until the subway tunnel scene in the second movie that the word is actually used. So, let's take a look at the physics behind the Proton Pack and see whether it is possible to build one.

Overview of the Proton Pack

Overview of the Proton Pack

Proton Pack Parts

Proton Pack Parts

Easter Egg in the new film Trailer …..

·         The Ghostbusters trailer contains an Easter egg hidden in the whiteboard filled with physics equations. This Easter egg goes by quickly but if you pause at just the right moment, you will see one "equation" on top is a URL that spells paranormalstudieslab.com.

Fans will recognize this is a nod to the original movie as The Paranormal Studies Lab was the name of the laboratory run by Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) at Columbia University.

·         Eagle-eye fans who managed to pick up on this and visit the URL will come across a hidden web page on the physics of the Proton Pack, as explained by MIT particle physicist, James Maxwell.

James curiously shares a name with James Clerk Maxwell, the Scottish physicist famous for formulating the laws of electromagnetism. The laws of electromagnetism and special relativity play an important part in the physics of the proton pack.

The Original Proton Pack: The Cyclotron

*As Maxwell points out, the original Ghostbusters Proton Pack, as designed by Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), was a cyclotron.

This was one of the earliest types of particle accelerators ever developed. The device invented by Ernest O. Lawrence in 1932 works by accelerating charged particles along a spiral path.

Screenshot 2021-06-19 at 20.25.44.png

Back then, cyclotrons were the most powerful particle accelerators around until they were replaced by the more advanced synchrotrons back in the 1950s though they are still used today in the first stage of some particle accelerators.

Screenshot 2021-06-19 at 20.29.18.png

Inside the cyclotron, a charged particle is injected into the middle of the chamber where it is accelerated between two D-shaped electrodes or "dees."

In the case of the Ghostbusters' Proton Pack, that charged particle is a positron or positively charged electron. The magnetic field passing through the dees bends the particle's path, making it travel in a circle, while the electric field between the dees accelerates the particle, giving it a "kick" to make it go faster.

When the positron beam has enough energy, it strikes a metal target to release a beam of protons.

The kick the particle gets from the electric field is very similar to a parent pushing a child on a swing. If a parent times the push at just the right moment, the child gains more energy and swings higher and higher.

Instead of having one parent pushing from behind, there is also an adult in front who pushes in the opposite direction. If that parent in front also pushes at the right moment (and does not get hit in the face), the child will gain more energy and continue to swing higher and higher with each push.

Just as the child on the swing in our example gets two pushes, the positron gets two kicks. It gets one kick as it passes through the gap but as it circles back and passes through the dee in the opposite direction, the electric field switches direction to give it another kick.

This was a significant advance over previous particle accelerators. Previous accelerators, or linacs, just accelerated particles along straight lines. Inside the cyclotron, the magnetic field bends the beam, making it curve back on itself so it could pass through the gap where it could be accelerated multiple times. As the particle gains more energy, it spirals outward.

When the particles reach the rim, they exit the dees through a small gap to hit a metal target located at some point beyond the rim of the chamber.

This creates secondary particles, in this case protons (the positively charged partice found in the nucleus of an atom), which may be guided outside of the cyclotron and into instruments for analysis.

Proton beams look nothing like in the movie. Proton beams are (usually) collimated, i.e., they travel in straight lines. In the movies, they are seen to whip about and undulate wildly; this is probably done for visual effect.

Inside the Proton Pack

Proton Pack Upgrade: The Synchrotron

The size of the accelerator is not the only practical consideration. As the positron spirals outward, it needs to sync up with each "kick," or the cyclotron resonant frequency.

This is the time it takes for the particle to complete a circle and depends on the strength of the magnetic field, the electric charge, and its mass.

If the particles go fast enough to approach light speed, its mass increases as relativistic effects come into play. This changes the cyclotron resonance and the beam goes out of phase with the oscillating electric field — the particle beam no longer gets the kicks at the right time.

The classical cyclotron is therefore only capable of accelerating particles up to a few percent of the speed of light.

To get even higher energy particles, the synchrotron solves this problem by varying the strength of the magnetic field. As the speed increases so too does the magnetic field. Instead of moving out in a spiral, the changing magnetic field exerts a greater centripetal force on thfaster-moving particle to keep it along the same circular path.

This means that the Proton Pack seen in the reboot is a far more powerful accelerator (Go, Erin!) but the science does not stop there.

To make all this possible, the Ghostbusters have to find a way to generate the much stronger magnetic fields needed to keep a charged particle moving in a circular path about the size of a back pack. To do this, they turn to superconductors and cryogen systems to generate these magnetic fields.

And Powerful Magnet to keep it Compact

To get the intense magnetic fields to make a synchrotron work, the Proton Pack uses superconduting magnets.

The resistance of all metals becomes lower as they as cooled but superconductors are special. At a certain critical temperature, their resistace falls to zero.

This means that an electric current flowing through a loop of superconducting wire can persist indefinitely with no power source. This allows superconductors to handle much larger currents than metallic conductors to produce more intense magnetic fields.

To achieve this, superconducting magnets need to be kept cold, at cryognic temperatures.

The new Proton Pack needs a cryogen system, possibly using liquid Helium to keep the superconductors at approximately minus 269.15 degrees Celsius or minus 452.47 Fahrenheit.

This keeps the superconductors at the temperatures they need to be to handle the large currents needed to generate the intense magentic fields for the synchrotron.

Crossing Streams: Does the Science Measure Up?

In an interview, Maxwell said that the movie's director Paul Feig made a lot of effort to make the science in Ghostbusters seem as realistic as possible, as we can see from the Proton Pack's blueprints.

Maxwell points out in the video that, while the science behind the Proton Pack is sound, there are limitations. For one, it's not possible to actually build a synchrotron particle accelerator into an actual back pack.

The technical considerations, e.g., getting the intense magnetic fields to make things work, are not practical.

One of the interesting challenges as one of the show's science advisers was figuring how actual science and technology could influence the prop design.

As a fan of the original Ghostbusters, he admitted that seeing scientists play the role of heroes, and saving the day, was one of the things that piqued his interest in the sciences as a child.

Hopefully, layering real physics into an awesome science based ghost-fighting weapon will do the same when the new Ghostbusters comes out, and capture a new generation of scientists like it did James Maxwell.

 

To find out more fun Future Facts by clicking our Blogs below……….!!! Please Share …..

Ghostbuster - Ecto 1

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/3/31/ghostbusters-ecto-1

Cars of Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/the-cars-of-back-to-the-future-55-

Back to the Future Fashion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/19/back-to-the-future-fashion-te2yx

Ariel Leader

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/17/ariel-leader

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history-jxrr4

Back to the Future Gadgets and Trends we have in 2021

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/10/34-back-to-the-future-gadgets-and-trends

Doc Browns Biography and the History of his DeLorean Time Machine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/26/doc-browns-biography-amp-history-of-the-time-machine

Marty McFly Biography also featuring Biff, George, Jennifer, Loranine

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/biography-marty-mcfly-michael-j-fox-biff-george-jennifer-loranine

Back to the Future - Hill Valley History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/2/2/hill-valley-history

Back to the Future - Detailed storyline

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/24/back-to-the-future-detailed-storyline-

Back to the Future - How to generate 1.21 Giggawatts / Jiggawatts with Mr Fusion

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/25/great-scott-how-to-generate-121-giggawatts-jiggawatts-mr-fusion-

What is a Fat Bike ? And where did the idea of Fat Bikes come from ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/10/fat-bike-what-is-a-fat-bike-history

The Time Paradox explained - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/16/time-paradox-explained-back-to-the-future

The Sinclair C5

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2021/1/9/sinclair-c5-

Mini Jeep Mini Review

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/minicoolsterjeepreview

Hoverboards - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/12/13/hoverboards-

How does the Time Machine work - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/how-does-the-time-machine-work

The DeLorean Motor Company - What did it fail ? Or did it ?

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/whydiddeloreanmotorcompanyfail

The DeLorean Motor Company - History

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/2020/11/22/deloreanmotorcompany

The Flux Capacitor - Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/fluxcapacitor

Is Time Travel Possible ? And what would it take ? Back to the Future

https://www.sandstoneproductions.co.uk/blogtothefuture/istimetravelpossible

 

The Proton Pack

The Proton Pack

Read More