Django

Well actually the heat event is basically a gigantic space laser, created and magnified through orbiting crystal moons; it happens every so often when they align in the right way. I used lightning as an example because after doing some quick research on lasers, I learned that they mostly don't get that hot, and sci-fi style heat lasers are a long way away. Lightning seemed to me to be an appropriate example because of what I had read about what happens when lightning strikes the desert, but I guess it may have been confusing. But maybe it would still have some kind of effect on the atmosphere like lightning does?

I think i'm going to go with the area becoming a large, smooth crater of black obsidian-like glass. New sand and dust that enters the area between heat-laser events would be melted into the surface and it would be re-smoothed each time, maybe. Thanks for all your responses, really helped shape the idea. And i have Red Mars on my wishlist, and learned about superheating. Great forum, I may be back with more questions. Cheers

Thanks for your responses, got some good ideas from researching the things you all suggested. I wasn't aware that superheating was already a term- it can hapen to water in a microwave right? The Dakhla glass was fantastic, very glad to have seen that. And if the area of earth could be vaporized by the energy, then would it eventually become a large crater with repeated intense strikes? Also is the Mars trilogy good? Havn't read them.

Hi forums I wonder if anyone can help me with a story i'm writing. I'm no scientist but I like fiction to have a basis in real life, and theres an event in the story that i'm not quite sure of what the effect would be. Say that every year or every few years, an area of earth is scorched by some kind of superheated power- perhaps similar to when lightning strikes the ground, but much more powerful, a much larger area of effect, and lasting for much longer than a quick lightning strike- say a minute or two. What would happen to the area of earth, and what would happen to it over a long period of time? Also, what if the area was sand instead of earth? Would it become glass? Please let me know if anyone has any ideas or opinions on this as i'm sure you're all far more qualified to answer than I am. Also, my apologies if this is the wrong forum. Thanks