Cecil Moore wrote:
Gene Fuller wrote:
Is there some mystery here? The explanation is very straightforward.
No need for ... counter-balanced construction and destruction, ...

On the contrary, energy cannot be created or destroyed.
The "missing energy" from the destructive interference
at the standard output appears as constructive
interference at the non-standard output. Your assertion
above violates the conservation of energy principle.

Suppose that the "standard output" is at a constructive maximum.

Contrary to what you say above, that cannot happen without
destructive interference occurring somewhere else. That
constructive maximum is going to exhibit more joules/sec
than the laser beam source. Where does the extra energy
come from?

Cecil,

I never said that energy could be created or destroyed. I never said
anything about the requirements for balancing constructive and
destructive interference. I never said anything about "missing energy".
Those are simply your strawmen. They add absolutely nothing to the
solution.

I believe my explanation is correct, and it made no use of those
concepts of yours. I suspect you wanted me to stumble all over myself
and end up sneaking in something about energy or constructive /
destructive. Again, as I have said many times, those concepts are simply
not needed beyond the realm of simple-minded hand-waving explanations.

If you want to critique my actual explanation, go right ahead. What did
I say that was incorrect? Did I fail to account for all of the
observables? I have no doubt that I failed to account for all of your
strawmen, but that is your problem, not mine.

73,
Gene
W4SZ