Ah, but the question is: do other dynamic effects sufficiently
counteract it? If the 1/r rule applies to the gravitational attraction
of any particle within the ring to the closest point, but we are also
dealing with an inverse square law with radiation pressure, AS WELL as
solar ion wind pressure. I'm not sure about the magnetic pressure
function, but you should be able to tap this wind as an energy source to
amplify the magnetic field generated by the ring. All these things are
not discussed in the refs cited below.
Anders Sandberg wrote:
>
> "Emlyn" <emlyn@one.net.au> writes:
>
> > Isn't a spinning ring more stable than the dimension of the spinning
> > sphere described by it's axis?
>
> No, it is worse. See http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/dysonFAQ.html#STABLE
> and http://www.alcyone.com/max/writing/essays/niven-rings.html
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