The Kopp-Etchells Effect: Eerie Halo of a Helicopter's Rotor Blades in a Dust Cloud


Photo: Michael Yon

Reporter and former Green Beret Michael Yon took a series of intriguing photos of glowing rotor blades as a helicopter lands in a military base in Afghanistan. The eerie "halo" is caused by static electricity generated as the titanium/nickel blades move through a field of dust (which is kicked up from the ground as the heli lands).

The phenomenon, striking as it is, has no name - and Michael decided to name it the Kopp-Etchells Effect, as a tribute, after Corporal Benjamin Kopp and Corporal Joseph Etchells, who died in battle.

The full story at Michael's blog: Link via TYWKIWDBI


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For Mr Butler,
The visual may not be TOTALLY electrical, but try grabbing the hook before it hits the ground. You'll only do that once!!!!!! Possibly it'll help you "be convinced" if you're not totally overwhelmed by your own life-experiences (or lack thereof). Try putting a Stokes litter with a Wounded Warrior on that hook too soon and the needles which may be imbedded with life-saving serum or saline could be the conduits for instantaneous termination!!

HM2 (UW), VietNam, FMF Corpsman
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I'm not convinced this is an electrical effect. This looks more like particles of titanium being blasted off by impact with sand particles. Ti, like many metals, is "pyrophoric", and such small particles will burn with a color very like what these pictures show when a titanium sheet or other part is sawn or ground in a metal shop.
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Well, quite a few days have passed since the last comment, so probably this string is dead. I just found it because I was trying to find out more about the Kopp-Etchells Effect. It was 'plonk' who started to take the comments off-topic and for that he should receive a plonk to the head. Of course, once he made his innapropriate comment about soldiers, everything let loose. But he does have the freedom to say what he likes. I think it is best for people to recognize this and remember that we all have the right to ignore comments we do not agree with.
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*yawn*
If I cant stand anything its those american military types that expect everybody to kiss their feet, for whatever reason. Nobody made you go into the military, dont act like your a better breed of person.

Western democracy is NOT ensured by soldiers alone, or even for the most part. Its upheld by thousands and thousands ordinary citizens, *all* civilians, every day.
In any case, and in my mind, soldiers are regular people too, they dont magically become a better or even good person because they join the service. Dont shut off your brain because people argue against fighting and killing - you should praise them, since most likely their motivation is to not have *anyone*, including *you* needlessly dying.

For those particular military types that deem all peaceoriented civilians as "liberal scum" or worse, please step to the frontline. You will not be missed.
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It is the Soldier, not the church
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
Whose coffin is draped by the flag,
And who allows the protester to burn the flag.
-Unknown

I also know this as tip arch. it looks amazing under NVG's (night vision goggles)! It is pretty awkward while riding in a Chinook or blackhawk though and seeing this and a bit eerie, but interesting.

Though many of us feel that the Iraq war was the wrong turn for the war on terrorism, as it most definitely was and as an Iraq Veteran against the War.. One thing is for certain in wars like these...

Soldiers don't fight and die for the 'cause' but for the Soldiers to the left and right of them.

I've lost over 15 that I've known personally through out friends, and the within the military. Lookup: Staff Sergeant Leroy Alexander and realize that he had a wife Marissa with two kids, twins that he never got to see or hold. And I am sorry for your loss as well Helimx.

As well as the over 600,000 Iraqi civilians that should never have gotten to know American Foreign Policy in that manner...

The sad truth is we should have finished OBL and the Taliban in Trashcanistan before going or doing anything else. Bombing Iceland would have made about as much sense as Iraq after 9/11...What the fuck was Bush thinkin?? And from him on down the line to Cheney, Rumsfield, etc. should be tried for War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity to show the world that America can uphold justice. But it probably won't happen. Read the Peoples History of the United States by Zinn.

Seefish
The Bill of Rights and the entirety of the Constitution and all of its amendments are as good as what we call 'Shit-tickets' with out the means to enforce and uphold them.

As for Plonk:
If you're some dumbass, spoiled, suburban, new-age piece of shit, that never worked a hard day in your pathetic little life, with your bars-tool and coffee-shop philosphy and no real fuckin experience to back it up "American." Why don't you post your address and I'll give you a reason to think Soldiers suck.

Courtesy of my fallen comrades and the US Army.

RIP Corporal Benjamin Kopp and Corporal Joseph Etchells
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