The
Star Trek Encyclopedia
of
Technology and Physics
Last update: July 6, 1999
1998-1999 by Marcel van Wijk.
This encyclopedia contains just a selection of technology and physics. It's a
very massive task to record ALL the technology and physics seen in Star Trek,
so I only list those things I think they are most interesting and/or important.
The encyclopedia is updated semi-frequently (when new information arrives).
The United Federation of Planets
-A-
ablative armor
Armor that protects a starship hull from evaporation. The experimental prototype
USS Prometheus ('Message in a Bottle' (VOY)) has ablative armor as well as
some of Starfleet's other new ships, including USS Enterprise-E and USS Defiant.
ACB
Abbrevation for -> annular confinement beam.
aceton assimilator
Weapon used by the ancient Menthars in their war with the Promellians a thousand
years ago. Aceton assimilators could drain power from distant sources (such
as a hostile ship), then turning that energy into deadly radiation to kill the
ship's crew. Hundreds of thousands of these devices were placed in an asteroid
field near Orelious IX, trapping the Promellian cruiser 1,000 years ago. While
still active now, they trapped the Enterprise-D in 2366 ('Booby Trap' (TNG)).
Anyway, I don't see the link with the chemical substance aceton.
adaptive interface link
Computer connection used to exchange information between two computer systems
of different alien origin. An adaptive interface link was used to download
information from an alien space probe of unknown origin to Deep Space Nine's
computers ('The Forsaken' (DS9)).
alternate reality
-> Parallel universe, which is a copy of our universe, but with a different
timeline. Harry Kim was caught in a time stream in 'Non Sequitur' (VOY),
bringing him to an alternative reality (San Fransisco, same time, different
timeline). In that reality he got a Cochrane medal for great advances in
warp theory, is an leading starship designer and about to marry with his
girlfriend Libby.
alternative warp
Mentioned in 'The Alternative Factor' (TOS) as a FTL drive that exists of a
negative magnetic corridor in which universes come together. The corridor
is not supposed to breach.
ampheon
Term used for a dead star in an antimatter universe, as mentioned in 'The
Counter-Clock Incident' (TOS).
android
Mechanical life form. Appears, reacts, thinks, learns and acts like a human.
The android Data in The Next Generation has a -> positronic brain.
Androids are seen many times in Star Trek. The first time was in 'What are
Little Girls Made Of?' (TOS), where four androids are encountered, made by
a thousand-year-old technology left by an alien race. In 'I, Mudd' (TOS),
a race of androids created by a 1,743,912 years dead race called 'The Makers'
(The Makers came from the 2,2 million lightyears away galaxy of Andromeda).
In 'Requiem for Methuselah', the android Reena (a.k.a. Rayna) is created to
live forever on Holberg 917G as companion for Flint. In The Next Generation,
the android Data stars as bridge officer on the Enterprise. He has a
brother, Lore. In the series, Data has no emotions, but in the movies
'Generations' and 'First Contact', Data is equipped with an emotion chip.
Data is always trying to understand the nature of humans. Data stated in
'The Naked Now' (TNG) that he is a fully functional male who can be sexually
compatible with humans. In 'First Contact', he said that he hadn't sex for
over 8 years.
Data created a female child named Lal in 'The Offspring' (TNG), but her emotions
killed here.
The Automated Units in 'Prototype' (VOY) are androids too, but not very
humanoid looking.
Angosian alteration
Used by the Angosians in 'The Hunted' (TNG) to turn normal men into 'killing
machines'. The process alters cell structure using substances as cryptobiolin,
triclenidyl and macrospentol.
annular confinement beam
(ACB)
Aiding beam of a -> transporter.
The beam serves two purposes: The first is to maintain a 'lock' on the subject,
so the transporter knows what to beam out, and what to leave behind. The
second purpose is to do the actual transporting, whilst keeping the subject
in one piece subjectively.
antigrav
Portable device used aboard Federation starships for handling cargo and other
items too large for a single crew member to carry. The mechanism after it is
called a -> graviton inverter circuit (Hollow Pursuits (TNG)).
antigrav thrusters
Thrusters utilizing antigravity to ascent a ship from a planetary surface.
USS Voyager is equipped with antigrav thrusters ('Demon' (VOY)).
Already, before the episode was produced and aired, the writers of the Star
Trek Encyclopedia stated that antigrav thrusters were used in the ascent of
Voyager from a surface, and that the landing pylons merely provided additional
stability while being on the surface.
antimatter
Form of matter, existing of the same particles as normal matter, but with
inverse properties (like electrical charge and direction of rotation = spin).
If matter and antimatter are brought together, the mass energy of the matter-
and antimatter-particles will be converted to pure electromagnetic energy.
Because of the giant amounts of energy that are released at this reactions,
-> matter/antimatter-reactors are used as -> warp core.
antitime
Encountered in 'All Good Things' (TNG). Time and antitime are like matter and
antimatter. When time and antitime collide, a breach in space-time is formed.
Antitime is not forbidden by relativity, it even seems to be supported by
general relativity (according to 'The Physics of Star Trek' by Lawrence Krauss).
Stephen Hawking played a while with the idea of antitime in a contracting
universe, but the idea was considered as wrong. However, it's possible that
in the center of a black hole antitime is running.
In 'All Good Things' (TNG), antitime was mentioned as 'a occurence of multi-phasic
temporal convergence'. The phenomenon was actually caused by the Q Continuum,
who devised this test as a test of mankind, to learn if humanity could stretch
its mind to comprehend other levels of existence. The antitime phenomenon in
the Devron system caused three alternative realities - one in 2364, one in 2370
and one in 2395.
anyons
Particles, encountered in 'The Next Phase' (TNG). Produced by the interaction
between phased matter and normal matter.
In real life, an anyon isn't a real particle, it's a theoretical construction
formed by confining a fermion (matter particle), and possibly boson (energy-
carrying particle), to a two-dimensional region.
arch
As mentioned in 'Elementary, Dear Data' (TNG), an arch is a holodeck interface
system which contains the scenario of the running program.
aquashuttle
Shuttle, capable of to be piloted underwater. In 'The Ambergris Element' (TAS),
one is seen.
atavachron
Temporal portal developed on the planet Sarpeidon to travel through time.
The atavachron alters a time traveler's cellular structure, making it possible
to survive in earlier environments, but also making it impossible to return to
the present without reversing the alteration.
The people of Sarpeidon used the atavachron to escape into the past when
their sun, Beta Niobe, went nova in 2269 ('All Our Yesterdays' (TOS)).
-B-
Bajoran womhole
Stable -> wormhole situated near Bajor and Deep Space 9. Used by the
Federation for travelling to the Gamma Quadrant.
baryon sweep
High-frequency plasma field used to remove baryon particles from a starship's
superstructure. During extended periods of warp flight, baryon particles build
up on the starship, requiring periodical decontamination. The procedure is
deadly to a starship's crew, requiring complete evacuation of a starship
before the procedure is executed ('Starship Mine' (TNG)).
Baryon particles are a particle family. The baryon-family consists of protons
and neutrons, the basic elements of an atom's nuclei, and hyperons, which are
highly unstable particles. It is logical that the baryon sweep is deadly to
humans, because it removes all baryon particles it encounters - so all the
protons and neutrons in the atoms of humans! A baryon sweep would completely
dematerialize a starship, leaving only a cloud of electrons behind.
Anyway, in 'Suspicions' (TNG), baryon particles were partially responsible for
Jo'Bril's death. Weird, because when baryons were deadly to humanoids, they
will be unable to live in the first place! I mention again: all matter we see,
including ourselves, are composed majorly of baryons.
Barzan wormhole
Unstable -> wormhole situated near the Barzan-system. The wormhole is formed
by radioactivity that built up in a ring. A probe was sent through the wormhole,
and confirmed that the wormhole connected the Alpha Quadrant with the Gamma
Quadrant. The wormhole was bought from the Barzans. However, the wormhole
appeared to be unstable. A Ferengi ship was sucked up when it came too
close. They never came back until Voyager encountered in 'False Profits' a
wormhole. On a nearby planet, an away team from Voyager encountered the two
Ferengi that have been sucked up up by the Barzan wormhole. The side of the
wormhole at the side of the Alpha Quadrant appeared to have holded his normal
position, but the other side has travelled at high warp from the Gamma
Quadrant to the Delta Quadrant, where Voyager encountered the wormhole. When
Voyager had learned that the wormhole led to the Alpha Quadrant, they tried
to stabilize the wormhole and re-open it. When Voyager tried to fly into the
wormhole, the Ferengi were too fast and attacked Voyager with a graviton
pulse, collapsing the wormhole and destabilizing it totally.
Berthold radiation
Form of radiation, deadly for humans.
biochips
Cybernetic implants surgically imbeded into bodies of the Borg.
They serve to enhance their physical abilities and synthesize any organic
molecules needed by their biological tissues. The Borg are dependent on the
implants, and would die if the biochips are removed ('I, Borg' (TNG)).
biofilter
Part of a -> transporter, to filter out any harmful substances and/or life
forms (like bacteriae and viral agents).
The filter looks for elements of the pattern which aren't found in normal
beings/equipment, or those of known viruses and bacteria. It can simply erase
those parts of the pattern, and those parts of the matter stream won't beam
back in. (-> pattern buffer)
biomatter
Other name for organic material.
bio-neural gel packs
Biological computer processor, involving data transmission with neurons (neural
cells, which are also responsible for data transmission in humanoid brains).
Gel pack technology is more efficient than traditional optical data transmission.
The USS Voyager was the first ship to be equipped with this technology.
A gel pack contains a gelatinous organic medium. Being biological, gel packs
are vunarable for viral and bacteriological attacks, as seen in 'Learning Curve'
(VOY) and 'Macrocosm' (VOY).
bioship
Spaceship made of -> biomatter. Species 8472 ('Scorpion Part I & II', 'Prey'
(VOY) and the Breen travel with bioships. The bioships of Species 8472 are
made of the same material as the aliens themselves, and are practically
invunerable.
black hole
Star imploded to a -> quantumsingularity. Its gravity is so strong, that
even lightspeed is not enough to escape from it. The 'event horizon' is a
geometric border of a black hole; inside the event horizon, the escape speed
is greater than the speed of light. Because it's just an imaginary line, there
can't be nothing like a breach in it, as we have seen in 'Parallax' (VOY).
Black holes are the power sources of -> quasars, and can create -> wormholes.
Sources of high X-rays and gamma-radiation.
A -> subspace rupture is a phenomenon related to black holes.
Bussard collectors
-> Hydrogen collectors.
-C-
c
Symbol that represents the speed of light (-> lightspeed)
chronitons
Particles, that are in a state of temporal flux (out of phase with the
-> space-time-continuum). Chronitons are used to create a -> temporal
vortex for timetravel, and are also involved with -> cloaking devices.
Chronitons are also used as torpedo charge by the Delta Quadrant race called
the Krenim (-> chroniton torpedo).
chroniton torpedo
Torpedo used by the Delta Quadrant race called the Krenim, in a possible or
alternative timeline.
Chroniton torpedos are charged with -> chronitons which makes the torpedo
out of phase with normal space-time, so they can penetrate shielding. This
state is called temporal flux.
Chroniton torpedos are not as destructive as -> quantum torpedos or
-> tri-cobalt torpedos, but are perfect to use for precision attacks.
chronometric particle
Mentioned multiple times in Star Trek. Might be the same as a -> chroniton.
cloaking device
Device which makes a starship invisible for naked eye and sensors.
The cloaking device is used by Romulan and Klingon warships, but the Delta
Quadrant race called the Voth ('Distant Origin' (VOY)) and the Breen also
use it. A Cardassian ship in 'The Die is Cast' (DS9) was also cloak capable.
An energy screen is formed by generator coils. Particles and radiation are
bent around the ship, making the ship undetectable.
However, this property of cloaking is a potential detection manner. Particles
cover a longer way because of their bending. An observer outside would notice
that photons that are affected by the cloaking field arrive later than
photons that are not affected. This is compensated by accelerating them at
temporarily to FTL speeds when they touch the outer regions of the field.
To mask the energy emissions from the ship itself, the ships systems are
powered by 'nullifier cores', which dissipate the energy that is used.
The Treaty of Organia forbids the Federation of using cloaking devices, but
the Federations made a compromis in the form of the -> StealthDrive.
coalsack
Dark nebula that exists of dust. The planet of Cheron in 'Let That Be Your
Last Battlefield' (TOS) is located near a coalsack. Probably called to the
Coalsack Nebula, seen from the Earth in the constellation Crux (600 lightyears
from Earth).
coaxial warp
Form of warp travel that works by locally folding space. The core of the
coaxial warp drive manipulates the geometry of incoming particles, which
bends space. The field of bended space is called coaxial space.
Starfleet engineers consider this warp drive as hypothetical.
Coaxial warp is much faster than conventional warp, but it's unstable because
flows of instable particles entering the core destabilize the coaxial field.
Tom Paris proposed to Steth the use of a polar inductor which thins the beam
of incoming particles ('Vis a Vis' (VOY)) and thus compensates for the
instability.
Steth tested a prototype ship for the Benthans.
cochrane
Unit of subspace distortion named after Zephrem Cochrane, the inventor of
warp drive.
1 cochrane is the distortion required to propel a ship at lightspeed (warp 1).
Thus, to travel at warp 2 (10x lightspeed), a distortion of 10 cochranes is
required.
However, in 'The Gift' (VOY) we see that the unit 'cochrane' is also used for
the intensity of matter/antimatter-reaction (B'Elanna said that the matter/
antimatter-reaction was at a level of 22 cochranes and rising).
comm link
Communication link. Established by the combadges. The communication form
that is used for comlinks is -> subspace radio.
comptronics
Computer technology, invented by Dr. Richard Daystrom in 'The Ultimate Computer'
(TOS).
computers
The computers in Star Trek have both voice- as manual interface. They run
under an operating system called -> LCARS (TNG, VOY and DS9 only).
The Enterprise has three main computers. Two reside in the primary hull (the
saucer); they are vertical cylinders, about 8 decks high, and located on
opposite sides of the saucer, flanking the bridge. The third computer is
located in the secondary hull (engineering), and is smaller than the other
two cores; it controls the Stardrive section when the ship separates.
We've seen the computer cores a number of times. In 'Evolution' (TNG)
the nanites were attacked in the computer cores. The set is probably
meant to be just one deck of the multi-deck computer core, with the room
seen the hollow central portion.
The computers are networked with each other, and with the rest of the ship via
the ODN - the Optical Data Network. The ODN has enough processing power on its
own to take over limited control of the ship in case of a complete computer
failure. That explains why systems are still accessable, even when the main
computers are down. We see this often in Star Trek.
The displays use 'nanoprocessors' - cell sized mechanical computers - to
display information. The display itself contains data polled from the
ODN, and based on user selections, displays whatever is appropriate. So
even if the computers go down, whatever information is (1) already on
the ODN (or ODN backups) or (2) in the display itself can be selected
and displayed.
The three main computer cores are equipped with low level subspace field
generators. This allows signal propagation within the cores at faster-than-light
(FTL) speeds, allowing the computers to perform much faster than anything
constructable given 20th century technology, even theoretically. This cannot
be applied (by 24th century technology) to smaller computers.
Until 2329, the duotronics technology (invented by Dr. Richard Daystrom in 2243)
formed the basis of the computers used aboard all Federation starships for over
80 years, including the main computers aboard the old Enterprise. ('The
Ultimate Computer' (TOS)). Duotronic enhancers were finally replaced by isolinear
optical ships in 2329. ('Relics' (TOS))
The starship Defiant is equipped with a completely new technique, called
-> reflex-quintronics.
An other new advance in computer technology are -> bio-neural gel packs
(-> quad)
containment field
A specially shaped forcefield used to isolate dangerous materials like
antimatter or biohazard specimens. Containment fields are used in antimatter
storage pods to protect a ship against contact with the extremely volatile
antimatter.
Somewhat different containment fields are used for quarantine isolation and
for containment of dangerous biological specimens.
The containment fields used in the warp drive on the old Enterprise needed to
be phase locked within three percent in order to avoid instability, but by the
time of the Enterprise-D, multi-phase containment fields were able to operate
considerably above that value ('Relics' (TNG)).
continuum distortion propulsion
(CDP)
The official name for -> warp drive.
continuum drag
Theorical force, from which is said that it stops ships from accelerating
while they at warp. Continuum drag is comparable to air drag, but it's not
air that influents movement, but the space-time continuum. However, there's
no need for a force like that to explain why sustaining a warp field needs
a constant influx of energy. This might be better explained by the fact that
warp drive is non-newtonian, and is thus not explainable with Newton's laws.
cosmic string
String of subatomic particles, producing as much as energy as a black hole.
cruising speed
Standard speed of a starship.
Voyager's cruising speed is warp 6 or warp 8 (see Ship comparison, shiptech.htm,
for more about this), and Enterprise-D's cruising speed is warp 7 (max.: warp 9.2).
Maximum warp (VOY: w9.975, E-D: w9.600, E-E: w9.990) is only
achievable for a maximum period of 12 to 36 hours, depending on the ship.
cryostasis
State of low biological activity in a human body, as seen in 'The 37ers' (VOY),
where people survived a cryostasis of 434 years. Cryostasis is achieved by
preserving bodies in a cooling chamber.
-D-
dark matter
Form of matter that exists of particles which don't emit any (electromagnetic)
radiation, making it invisible and hard to detect. Some physicians think that
dark matter can function as an energy source for starship drives.
Dark matter exists in the Mar Obscura nebula.
In Star Trek, dark matter seems to have some exotic properties. It makes
objects continually phase in and out of our universe. This property can cause
depressurization on board of starships, because the hulls phase in and out.
Mentioned in 'In Theory' (TNG).
deflector
Starship device, used to create a -> deflector field and the -> deflector
beam.
deflector beam
Beam generated by the deflector, pushing away distant objects which lay in
the course of the ship.
deflector field
Gravimetric field, which is the mechanism after a -> deflector shield.
A deflector field pushes away objects/projectiles near a ship and absorbes
energy beams. This costs energy, so when the shields deflects a projectile
or absorb an energy beam, the shields lose energy.
The field is created by the graviton sources of the deflector. The energy
output is phase-synchronized through a series of subspace field distortion
amplifiers (fieldstrenght of 625 millicochranes).
The normal graviton energy of the Enterprise-D's deflector field is 1152
megawatts at maximum. Creating an energy peak can rise the energy to
473,000 megawatts for 0.17 seconds. During a battle, the maximum energy is
2688 megawatts.
(-> graviton)
deflector shielding
Starship protection against projectiles, dust, particles and dangerous
radiations. Dust and particles are very dangerous when a ship travels at high
speed. Even the smallest ones can destroy an entire ship when it's at warp
or high impulse speed.
The mechanism after the deflector shield is a gravimetric field (-> deflector
field), generated by the -> deflector.
dekyons
Particles, mentioned in 'Parallax' (VOY). Dekyons seem to cause breaches in
subspace. Janeways and Paris' shuttle shot a dekyon beam to extend the subspace
breach in a black hole's event horizon.
A dekyon field is used in 'Cause and Effect' (TNG) by Data to communicate
with his alternate self.
DeLaure belt
Area of space of high -> hyperonic radiation. The DeLaure belt is situated
near Tau Cygna V, as mentioned in 'The Ensigns of Command' (TNG).
Detrian planet collision
Collision of two gas-giant planets which occured in 2369 in the Detrian system.
The two planets merged with each other, and the combined mass became high enough
to cause self-sustaining fusion reactions and thus forming a real star ('Ship in
a Bottle' (TNG)).
delta rays
Type of radiation produced by older engines. Delta rays refer to moderate energy
electrons which have been kicked off a nucleus by the passage of a nearby high
energy charged particle.
Denorios belt
Area of space between Bajor and Cardassia with very high neutrino activity.
The Denorios belt is the location of the -> Bajoran wormhole.
Multiple times mentioned in Deep Space 9.
(-> neutrinos)
deuterium
(chemical name: hydrogen-2)
Isotope of hydrogen. Deuterium is used in Federations -> matter/antimatter
reactors and -> fusion reactors.
dilithium
(chemical name: 2<5>6-dilithium-2<:>1-diallosilicate-1:9:1-heptoferranide.
Note that dilithium, and his weird formula are fictional! This strange
way of describing chemical compounds is called 'forced-matrix' in the TNG
Technical Manual and is fictional too.)
Mineral, used in a warp core to control matter/antimatter-reactions.
Beams matter and antimatter are fired against each other, through the
crystalgrid of dilithium. Dilithium is the only form of matter that is non-
reactive with antimatter when it is exposed to an electromagnetic field in
the order of megawatts. It permits the antideuterium in the warp core to
pass through the crystal without annihilating, making it capable of regulating
the entire annihilation-process in the warp core.
The Federation thought for long that because of the highly complex molecular
structure, dilithium was not synthetically producable. But new techniques,
involving theta-energymatrixes and gamma radiation bombardment can do that.
Lithium was already used as antimatter moderator and as collision plates in 20th
century cyclotrons.
dimensional shifter
Transporting device used by the Ansata in 'The High Ground' (TNG). It uses
spacefolding (-> Elway theorem). Its major side effects are DNA breakdown
and accelerated cellular aging.
disruptor
Very common type of energyweapon. A disruptor disrupts the molecular
structure of a object. At low energy amounts, the object can recover, but
at high energy amounts, the damage is severe. A -> phaser is a disruptor.
Dreadnought
Self-guided Cardassian missile, seen in 'Dreadnought' (VOY).
The Dreadnought (so called by the Maquis) is charged with 1000 kilograms of
matter and 1000 kilograms of antimatter. Combined with an impact speed on
full impulse (150,000 km/sec, half lightspeed), this causes an explosion which
can destroy a small moon.
The Dreadnought was sent by the Cardassians to destroy a Maquis target, but
was intercepted by the Maquis, reprogrammed by B'Elanna Torres and sent back
to a Cardassian munition depot. It was encountered in the Delta Quadrant,
travelling on an impact course to the planet Rakosa. The missile was taken
into the Delta Quadrant in a same way as Voyager did. The tetryon beam of The
Caretaker damaged its sensors, confusing Rakosa for its original target.
The Dreadnought is very large, even larger than a shuttle craft. It is divided
in multiple rooms. The computer's artificial intelligence is almost humanoid;
it can even lie and divert you and can engage in conversations (even in small
talk). It can hail ships on itself. When you enter Dreadnought, the computer
scans your DNA structure to identify you.
Its warp systems are highly advanced. The Dreadnought has its own warp core,
a maximum speed of warp 9 and masks its warp trail with an electromagnetic
field.
Weapons are fired independently. Dreadnought has thoron shock emitters and
when you fire on Dreadnought, he emits plasma waves.
duotronics
Computer technology, invented by Dr. Richard Daystrom in 'The Ultimate Computer'
(TOS).
Dyson sphere
Ring or shell constructed around a star or black hole. In the ring live people;
the ring is powered by the energy emissions of the star/black hole.
The construction of this habitats are proposed by the 20th century physician
Dyson, but never taken serious.
The Dyson Sphere in 'Relics' (TNG) had an outer hull of -> neutronium.
-E-
Eichner radiation
Radiation emitted by subspace phase inverters. The entity Ian in 'The Child'
(TNG) is a source of this radiation.
Einsteinian
(adjective)
A system is Einsteinian when it's strictly restricted to relativity.
electrostatic forcefield
Used as contamination field in the brigs aboard starships, and probably too
for emergency forcefields and window forcefields.
Elway theorem
Scientific treatise that proposed transport through a spatial fold as an
alternative to matter-energy transport.
Although the concept was initially very promising, development of interdimensional
folded space transport was abandoned by the mid-23rd century when it was found
that each use of the process caused cumulative and irreversible damage to the
transport subject.
The Ansata terrorists of the planet Rutia IV made use of this technique with
a device called an inverter to provide a nearly undetectable means of transport,
despite the terrible cost to those being transported. ('The High Ground' (TNG))
This form of transporting by folding space is used by the Sikarians (-> trajector).
EMH
(Emergency Medical Hologram)
Holographic, computer operated medical officer for medical emergencies. It
can, just like an -> android, react, think, learn and act like a human.
Every modern Federation starship has one. The one on Voyager is even Chief
Medical Officer and has developed to a sympathetic character. The EMH on
Voyager and Enterprise-E is the Mark I version ('Message in a Bottle' (VOY),
having the appearence of Lewis Zimmerman ('The Swarm' (VOY)). The USS Prometheus
has the Mark II version of the EMH ('Message in a Bottle' (VOY)), which has
another appearance and is merely the perfected version of Mark I.
In 'Parallax' (VOY) is mentioned that the EMH represents the knowledge of more
than 2300 referencebooks and 31 Starfleet field doctors.
Voyager's EMH is not specialized in exobiology, which forced him to consult
a holographic representation of Crell Moset, a Cardassian exobiologist specialized
in non-humanoid exobiology, considered as one of the best ('Nothing Human' (VOY)).
EPS
Conduit system used for plasma transport on a starship.
event horizon
Mathematical gravitational boundary of a -> black hole. The event horizon
marks the border where a black hole's escape velocity is exactly lightspeed.
When you pass the event horizon, getting closer to the -> quantum singularity
which forms the black hole, the excape velocity becomes greater than lightspeed.
Because the event horizon is purely mathematical and is not a physical,
'real' existing boundary, Voyager could never made a rupture in the event
horizon of the singularity they became trapped in ('Parallax' (VOY)).
However, one could speculate that the event horizon of that particular
singularity could be a physical one, since the singularity was classified
as a 'type-4 quantum singularity'. So in the Star Trek universe there are
different types of quantum singularities, with 'type-4' to have a physical
event horizon. One could imagine that such a physical event horizon is the
boundary of some kind of energy field, for instance, its gravity field.
But this is all speculation...
exogenic field
Energy field surrounding a particular class-L planet located in the
Rutharian sector, seen in 'The Sound of Her Voice' (DS9).
This particular exogenic field had high gravimetric stresses and was
composed of subspace -> metryon radiation, generated by unstable elements
in the planet's core.
-F-
Federation starship registry codes
-BDR
Federation, non-Starfleet, civilian transport
-NX
Federation, Starfleet, experimental
-NAR
Federation, non-Starfleet, research
-NCC
Federation, Starfleet, active service
-NDT
Federation, non-Starfleet, transport
-NFT
Federation, non-Starfleet, civilian
-NGL
Federation, non-Starfleet, freighter
-NSP
Federation, Vulcan, science
ferroplasmic infusion
Procedure to re-liquify a planetary core when the molten material in it became
solid. High-energy -> plasma is injected into the planetary core through an
infusion device, heating up the core and re-liquifying it.
The core of Atrea IV became solid in 2370. The Enterprise-D crew used ferroplasmic
infusion to re-liquify the core ('Inheritance' (TNG)).
The term 'ferroplasmic' is derived from the Latin word 'ferro', which means
iron and is one of the main components of the core of class-M planets. 'Plasmic',
of course, is derived from the use plasma in the process.
fifth dimension
Transdimensional (outside our universe) realm, home to the photonic beings seen
in 'Bride of Chaotica!' (VOY).
Janeway speculated that the fifth dimension could be a -> parallel universe,
but she should know that with 'dimension' is not meant 'universe', so she's
totally wrong.
(Anyway, 'transdimensional' is a wrong term to describe something outside our
universe: a dimension and a universe are *not* the same! However, it is made
clear that this realm is indeed outside our universe.)
fluidic space
Realm of Species 8472. It's a -> parallel universe, filled entirely with an
organic fluid ('Scorpion, Part I & II' (VOY), 'The Omega Directive' (VOY),
'Hunters' (VOY), 'In the Flesh' (VOY)). In both parts of 'Scorpion' (VOY),
the Borg used -> quantum singularities to reach fluidic space, and so did
Species 8472 to enter our universe.
It is not known how the fluidic space is created, or how it is possible that
it is filled with fluid. One could speculate that Species 8472 lived long ago
in our universe, but that a major disaster in their home galaxy, -star system
or -federation forced them to live elsewhere. Subsequently, they created a
parallel universe (which is possible and explainable in 20th century physics!)
and filled it with fluid, although it is a mystery why they need the fluid.
It is then also a mystery how they produced the large amounts to fill an
entire universe. One could argue that the fluidic-space-universe might just
be a small one, of a couple of lightyears, but the amounts of fluid required
is even in that case just astronomical.
An other hypothesis is that the fluid was somehow created when the universe
itself was created. While expanding, nucleosynthesis occured just like in our
universe after the Big Bang. The formed atom nuclei then all joined together
and then formed the fluid, under certain circumstances.
food replicator
-> Replicator that produces food and drinks.
food slot
Food distribution system aboard Federation starships in the TOS-era.
'Flashback' (VOY) confirms that food slots are *not* -> food replicators.
forced quantumsingularity drive
(FQSD)
Energy source, used in Romulan starships as -> warp core.
Energy is drained from a -> quantumsingularity, in fact an artificial black
hole.
FTL travel
(FTL = Faster Than Light)
Travelling faster than the speed of light. The exact definition of FTL
travel is travelling from A to B in less time than light, which travels
at -> lightspeed, including leaving our universe and travelling through
-> wormholes or -> subspace. For FTL travel, the Federation uses -> warp
drive.
(-> transwarp -> alternative warp -> coaxial warp)
fusion reactor
Used as energy source and propulsion system. A fusion reactor brings light
atoms together, which produces heavier atoms and large amounts of energy.
The usual fuel is -> deuterium or normal hydrogen, which fuse to helium.
Hydrogen fusion is the energy source of stars.
Federation fusion reactors use deuterium, with helium as reaction product.
Starships have fusion reactors for auxillery power and -> impulse drive
(max. cruising speed: 150,000 km/s - half lightspeed).
(-> laser induced fusion)
-G-
Gaian barrier
Temporal distortion, seen in 'The Search Part I' (DS9), where is thrown USS
Defiant some 200 years in the past.
galactic energy barrier
Energy field surrounding the entire galaxy at its boundaries. Multiple ships
encountered it, destroying/disableing them. The galactic barrier also has weird
effects on warp travel, because it also marks the boundary of the Milky Way's
-> gravitational well.
gambling device
Device seen in 'Rivals' (DS9), which altered the laws of probability in the
environment of the machine, causing an unfair advantage at gambling by the
person which uses it. Major Kira detected the presence of a gambling device
at Quark's bar, because of unusual neutrino radiation.
Genesis device
Short range torpedo intended to test the Project Genesis terraforming process.
The Genesis Device was prematurely activated after being stolen by Khan Noonien
Singh ('The Wrath of Khan').
The terraforming process involved a massive explosion that reduced the planet
to subatomic particles, which then reassembled according to a preprogrammed
matrix.
genetronic replicator
Device that replicated a new spinal column for Worf in 'Ethics' (TNG)
gravimetric field
Term used for a gravitonfield (-> graviton).
gravimetric charge
A photon torpedo was charged with it in 'The Omega Directive' (VOY). It was
intended to have an explosive force of 50 -> isotones, but has later been
updated to 80 isotones.
gravitational eddies
Seen in 'Eye of the Needle' (VOY). Gravitational eddies in the minor wormhole
interfered the comm link between Voyager and the Romulan science ship.
Gravitational eddies gave also some troubles in 'Hunters' (VOY), causing the
hull of the shuttle of Tuvok and Seven of Nine almost breaching.
gravitational sinkhole
Distortion seen in 'Gravity' (VOY). It's a -> gravity well that circumscribes
a subspace pocket that includes a type-G sun with 3 planets. Inside the
pocket is a temporal difference: 1 minute inside the pocket is equivalent to
0.4744 seconds in 'real time'.
The star system in it is 'stuck' in subspace.
The anomaly is 600 meters in diameter and out of phase with normal space
(-> phasing). Such an anomaly is mono-directional: you can get into it, but
under gravimetric forces, not get out of it.
It's located some 50,000 lightyears from Sol. The sinkhole is collapsed now
by alien force (these aliens have lost 11 ships in it). A shuttle with Paris
and Tuvok have been in the sinkhole for two days in normal time, but Paris
and Tuvok themselves experienced the period as months.
graviton
Particle that carries/transfers gravity forces at lightspeed. A field of
gravitons is called a gravity- or gravimetric field.
graviton inverter circuit
The mechanism after the -> antigrav's anti-gravitational lift (Hollow Pursuits
(TNG)).
Nothing about it is known, but since I am fond of hypothesizing, I have a
theory:
The graviton inverter circuit (GIC) reverses the energy characteristics of
gravitons flowing out of a graviton generator. This reverses also the forces
generated by the gravitons. So, the GIC generates anti-gravity by reversing
gravity flows. The anti-gravitons are then leaded to the surface of the antigrav.
This kind of generation of anti-gravitons out of normal gravitons is much like
the onboard antimatter generation on a starship, although the fundamental
mechanism might be different.
(-> graviton)
gravity well
Distortion in the space-time continuum, made by every object of mass. Mentioned
multiple times in Star Trek.
Bodies as stars and planets cause a very small distortion (the geometric
distortion of the sun is only 1/2000th degree in comparison with 'flat'
space-time). Black holes make giant distortions in space-time, causing phenomenons
as Einstein Rings (discovered in the 20th century). Wormholes can be considered
as gravity wells, so deep that they form a traversable tunnel.
Guardian of Forever
Time portal, created five billion years ago by an unknown civilization. The device is
5 billion years old. The Guardian of Forever is a sentient computer device; his programs
are able to respond to questions. The programs were beyond the understanding of the
Enterprise crew ('The City on the Edge of Forever' (VOY))
It resembles a torus of 3 meters in diameter.
-H-
harmonic chamber
Chamber in which harmonic waves stabilize -> Omega.
Heisenberg compensator
Part of a -> transporter, to keep the beamed material on his place.
In physics, the Heisenberg Principle states that you cannot know both the
position of a subatomic particle and its momentum to a precise degree. The
more you know about one, the less you know can about the other.
This comes into play when you consider that to know where everything is coming
from and going to, you pretty much have to know near-exactly where everything
is. By the 24th century, evidently, that's no longer a problem. The Heisenberg
compensators are used to keep everything in the matter stream exactly where it
should be.
Nothing is known about how a Heisenberg compensator works. I think that the
physics of it is based on the Heisenberg Principle (duh!) When you compress local
space, the position of an object is better known (but making its speed more
unknown). That is what a Heisenberg compensator might do: the matter of the
transported object is injected in a chamber, where space is compressed. The
position of the individual particles becomes better known, compensating the
'quantumjumps' of them.
Note that this doesn't mean that the Heisenberg compensators tell you the
vital statistics of the particle; they could very well just compensate for
not knowing them and keep the system working just fine.
Hekaras corridor
Region of space where warp travel is hindered except for a narrow path by
the intense use of warp drives in an already sensitive area.
Subspace rifts are formed, where subspace manifests itself in real space
on a macroscopic scale. This has made the Federation to set a speed limit,
which says that starships may not exceed warp 5, except if Starfleet Command
gives permission to go faster. USS Voyager's warp drive eliminates this effect
with his variable-geometry warp nacelles.
Discovered in 'Force of Nature' (TNG).
helium fusion enhancement
Theoretical technique that would increase the energy output of a dying star
by increasing the temperature and pressure inside the star so that the star
begins helium fusion, thus increasing the stars useful life.
A test of this technique, designed by Dr. Timicin of the planet Kaelon II in
2367, used shock waves from a carefully controlled series of photon torpedo
explosions to create zones of elevated pressure where helium ignition could
occur. ('Half a Life' (TNG))
holodeck
Room on a starship, in which holographic simulations are created for investigation
and entertainment. Starships have 4 main holodecks and several small ones, only
suitable for personal use.
A holodeck can create simulations in the following ways:
- The walls can generate holographic images which appear to extend for an
unlimited distance. For example, the walls in 'Encounter at Farpoint'
and 'Ship In A Bottle' (TNG).
- Holograms can be projected into space. For example, when Picard went
horseback riding ('Pen Pals' (TNG)), most of the trees were probably
intangible projections since he wasn't going to run into them.
- Holograms can be augmented with force beams to simulate solid, tangible
objects. An example would be the book Picard threw in 'Ship In A Bottle'
(TNG).
- Holograms and force beams can be augmented with replicator technology to
provide actual substance. Food on the holodeck would be of this nature,
despite what Paris said in 'The Cloud' (VOY) (he was probably joking) or
eating it would be very unpleasant. Most inanimate objects which are likely
to be eaten or have properties difficult to simulate (e.g. water) would be
simulated in this way.
- An animate object is comprised of a partially stable form of matter created
by the Holodeck replicators for use in the holodeck only. This material is
stable only within a holodeck or holosuite, and degrades into energy if
removed.
This is matter held in place by force beams operating at a molecular level,
as opposed to actually replicating the object down to the molecular bonds.
(Speculation based on the description in 'Phage' (VOY) of how the -> EMH
works.) Without the force beams, the object disintigrates. Examples would be
the gangsters in 'The Big Goodbye' (TNG), Picard's horse in 'Pen Pals' (TNG),
or Minuet in '11001001' (TNG).
Note that the wall/hologram/force beam simulations are easy for the holodeck to
carry out, and that the hologram/force beam/replicator simulations were possible
during 'Encounter at Farpoint' (TNG), when Wesley got soaked.
It is possible, however, that the holodeck-matter simulations, were not possible
before the upgrades made by the Bynars in '11001001' (TNG). This would explain
Riker's surprise at the realism of the Minuet simulation.
Also, if an object's status changes the simulation type will change seamlessly
as well. For example, someone sees a distant tree (walls), approaches it
(hologram), leans on it (force beams), breaks off a branch (holodeck-matter),
then picks and eats an apple (replicated).
But how can people walk for hours and hours without bumping against the walls?
The Holodeck has a forcefield treadmill. If its occupants get too close to the
walls, they are shifted away. Since the Holodeck can modify its gravity in 3
dimensions, the occupants won't notice any inertial change.
holomatrix
Combination of all computer (sub)routines from a hologram. The holomatrix
forms the personality (if a person is simulated), appearance and function of
a hologram.
holosuite
Small holodeck for personal use on Deep Space 9.
hydrogen collectors
(Bussard collectors, Bussard ramscoops)
Red areas located on front of the warp nacelles. The hydrogen collectors
collect hydrogen in space by using magnetic fields.
hyperacceleration
State in which the Scalosians in 'Wink of an Eye' (TOS) are. For a hyperaccelerated
person, time seems to speed faster than normal.
hyperonic radiation
Deadly radiation. The colonists of Tau Cygna V adapted to it ('The Ensigns of
Command' (TNG)), by the proximity of the DeLaure belt, which is a source of
it.
hyperspace
4 dimensional space 'above' the 4 dimensional space-time continuum.
This is best illustrated if we describe our 3 dimensional shaped continuum
(4th dimension is time) as a flat, 2 dimensional plane:
_______________________________________
/ /
/ /
/______________________________________/
Objects in space-time on this plane are situated and moving 2 dimensional.
So anything above it, or 3 dimensionally shaped is in hyperspace: a 4 dimensional
space.
Bended space-time is bent into hyperspace, and wormholes are tunnels via
hyperspace.
An hyperspace physics test is one portion of the entrace examination for aspiring
Starfleet Academy cadets. ('Coming of Age' (TNG))
The FTL drives of Star Wars use hyperspace, making the journey to any
destination shorter than through normal space, like a wormhole.
(-> space-time -> wormhole)
-I-
impulse drive
-> Newtonian propulsion for speeds lower than -> lightspeed. Federation
starships use -> fusion reactors as impulse drive.
Deuterium is injected into a reaction chamber (Enterprise-D's main impulse
engines has six reaction chambers per engine). The deuterium is heated to
several million degrees Celsius by laser induction, which initiates fusion
reactions. The deuterium fuses in the reaction chamber to helium. The helium
plasma is then accelerated by the accelerator, which injects the plasma
into the driver coils. These coils are almost the same as -> warp coils, but
only smaller (6.5x5.8 metres, 19.5x17.4 feet). The accelerated plasma
interacts with the surface of the inner coil hull, creating a subspace field,
just like what happens in the warp coils. The subspace field reduces the mass
of the starship, which causes the impulse drives less mass to push around.
The final stage is the vectored exhaust director. The VED consists a serie
of moveable vanes and channels to expel exhaust products in a controlled manner,
which makes it possible to steer the ship.
impulse factor
Unit of speeds lower than light. We speak of full, half and quarter impulse.
The velocity of 'full impulse' depends on the ship's maximum impulse speed.
impulse speed
Speed lower than -> lightspeed, or more precise: speed obtained by impulse
drive.
inertial dampers
Starship device that protects against the enormous G-forces that occur while
the ship accelerates or decelerates.
The IDs consist field generators, which produce a forcefield of standard 75
millicochranes, the inertial damping field (IDF). As the ship accelerates or
decelerates, the IDF is distorted along a typical force vector. This makes the
IDF to absorb the G-forces.
____ ___________|\ /|___________
====\\=_/-/====--- \ /
(ship) \__/ ___________ / \ ___________
|/ \|
Counter force vector Natural acceleration force vector.
imposed by IDF.
___________|\ /|___________ ____
\ / ====\\=_/-/====---
___________ / \ ___________ (ship) \__/
|/ \|
Natural deceleration Counter force vector imposed by IDF.
force vector.
interdimensional rift
Passed by Voyager in 'Scorpion Part II' when they enter the parallel
universe that is the domain of Species 8472. An interdimensional rift might
be an imaginary line that divides two universes, just like the subspace
barrier, that divides subspace and normal space-time.
interphase
Rift in the space-time continuum, which made the Defiant disappear and
reappear at certain intervals ('The Tholian Web' (TOS)). An interphase is
detected through space-time waves.
Using an artificial interphase is probably the principle after the -> interphase
cloaking device.
interphase cloaking device
Device that allows to travel through solid matter and high energetic energy fields.
A molecular phase inverter moves the ship out of phase with the space-time
continuum. An anyon emitter (-> anyons) returns the ship back to our reality.
Something similar is seen in 'Pegasus' (TNG), where the crew of the Enterprise
modified the warp field to travel through an asteroid.
interspatial flexure
-> Wormhole-like phenomenon in Devore space, in the Delta Quadrant. The interspatial
flexure is very difficult to utilize, because it disapperears and re-appears at
almost random locations ('Counterpoint' (VOY))
ion
Atom, electrically charged by 'missing' or 'extra' electrons around it.
ion drive
-> Impulse drive, based on magnetic acceleration exhausting of ions in a ->
plasma. Invented in the nineties of the 20th century.
Ion propulsion requires far less energy than propulsion by other engines, but
is relatively weak.
An ion drived vessel is seen in 'Spock's Brain' (TOS).
Jem'Hadar attack ships utilize ion drives too.
ion storm
Massive movement of ions in space. An ion storm caused Kirk, Scotty, McCoy
and Uhura to be sent to a -> parallel universe. An ion storm caused to
leak both Paris' and B'Elanna's spacesuit oxygen supplies in 'Day of Honor'
(VOY).
ion trail
(warp trail)
Trail of ions, left by any ship on warp or impulse.
Many ships are detected because of their ion trail.
IPS
(Impulse Power System)
Abbrevation used for -> impulse drive.
isolinear optical chip
Computer storage device made of an optically refractive material. Used in
Federation computers, key part of optical data processing devices.
Isolinear chips work with light signals, instead of 20th century techniques,
which used electronic signals. Light processing was invented in the late
nineties of the 20th century. (-> computers)
isolytic weaponry
(subspace weaponry)
Weapon technology that uses subspace as destructive force. Isolytic weaponry
is banned by the Federation, because the effects on subspace and the fabric
of space-time are unpredictable. A Son'a vessel used isolytic weapons in an attack
on the Enterprise-E ('Insurrection')
-J-
Jefferies tubes
(called after the art director of TOS)
Corridor system onboard starships, used for repairs in delicate parts of the
ship, but also as hiding place in emergency situations.
-K-
Krieger waves
Energy source, invented by Dr. Apgar at Tanuga Resarch Station (near Tanuga
IV) in 'A Matter of Perspective' (TNG).
-L-
Lang-cycle fusion engines
Propulsion system of the 1000-years old Promellian battlecruiser Cleponji
in 'Booby Trap' (TNG)
laser-induced fusion
Engineering term for controlled nuclear fusion in which the required ignition
temperatures are created by powerful lasers.
Laser induced fusion is used in the impulse drive engines of Federation
starships, as well as in the power supply reactors on station Deep Space
9 ('The Forsaken' (DS9)).
LCARS
(Library Computer Access and Retrieval System)
Computer operating system on Federation starships.
LCARS supports voice- and manual interface.
(-> computers)
lightspeed
(Symbol: c)
Physical constant which represents the speed of energy waves and massless
particles in vacuum. Lightspeed is 299,792.458 km/s. The lightspeed-barrier
cannot be broken by -> Newtonian propulsion drives.
lightspeed barrier
Absolute maximum speed for Newtonian travel. Because of relativistic mass
increase and slowing time, no Newtonian-travelling object can travel at
lightspeed or above. The only Newtonian systems that can travel at lightspeed
are massless particles and energywaves.
-M-
M-5 computers
Experimental computer designed in 2268 by Dr. Richard Daystrom.
The M-5 multitronic unit was the most ambitious computer complex ever created in
its time, and was designed with the purpose of correlating and controlling every
aspect of a starships' operation.
The M-5 multitronic unit was built using a technique that allowed human
neural engrams to be impressed upon the computer's circuits,
theoretically giving the machine the ability to think and reason like a
human. Daystrom hoped that the M-5 would prove as great an advance as his earlier
breakthrough in duotronics.
The M-5 was tested aboard the Enterprise in 2268 in an exercise that allowed the
M-5 to conduct routine contact and survey operations, as well as an elaborate
war game that involved four other Federation starships.
Although initial tests were promising, the M-5 demonstrated serious problems when
it fired full phasers at the Excalibur and the Lexington, killing hundreds of
people.
Fortunately, the M-5 possessed Daystrom's sense of morality, and it later deactivated
itself to atone for the sin of murder. ('The Ultimate Computer' (TOS))
magneton
Measurement of the magnetic dipole moment of a particle (you can forget this).
In Star Trek, the name 'magneton' is used for a particle.
In 'Cathexis' (VOY), magnetons are used to scan a ship.
magnetometric-guided charges
'Depth-charges' used by the Borg in 'The Best of Both Worlds' (TNG).
M/AMR
Abbrevation for -> matter/antimatter reactor.
M/ARA
(Matter/Antimatter Reaction Assembly)
Official name for a -> warp core in which matter annihilates with antimatter.
matter/antimatter reactor
(M/AMR)
Energy source, used by the Federation as -> warp core and power source on
starships. Also used in -> phasers. Energy is produced by reactions between
matter and -> antimatter particles. In Federation warp core M/AMRs,
deuterium and anti-deuterium is used.
matter/energy scrambler
Minaran transporter device, seen in 'The Empath' (TOS).
metagenic weapon
Weapon of mass destruction which spreads genetic viruses in a planet's atmosphere,
wiping out the entire biosphere. Because of theire immense power, these
weapons are outlawed by the Federation, as mentioned in 'Chain of Command'
(TNG).
metaphasic particles
Particles, abundant in the rings of the Ba'ku homeworld, which emit -> metaphasic
radiation. ('Insurrection')
metaphasic radiation
Radiation caused by -> metaphasic particles. The metaphasic radiation from the
planetary rings around the Ba'ku homeworld continually regenerates biologic
cells, so the natural aging process of the Ba'ku is stopped. The crew of the
Enterprise-E also felt the healing effects of the metaphasic radiation when they
were on the Ba'ku homeworld, and Worf even had his second puberty. ('Insurrection')
metaphasic shields
A subspace technology which involves generating metaphasic properties - results
in a low intensity, non-propulsive subspace field similar to a warp field.
Developed by Ferengi scientist Dr. Reygar to encapsulate a vessel from the extreme
radiation and heat generated by stars. This allowed the Shuttlecraft Justman
to enter the star Veytan's corona. ('Suspicions' (TNG))
It allowed the Enterprise to enter the corona of a star to save a damaged ship
that was destroyed by the Borg. ('Descent Part II' (TNG))
It's not known if the metaphasic shield technology involves the use of -> metaphasic
particles, as seen in 'Insurrection'.
metryon cascade
Deadly weapon used by the Haakonians, that killed lots inhabitants of the
Talaxian moon Rhinax.
Many survivors now suffer from a deadly blood disease, metrymia.
The inventor, dr. Jetrel, suffers also from metrymia.
metryons
Particles, seen in 'Jetrel' (VOY). High levels of exposure can infect a
humanoid with metrymia, a blood disease that causes its victims' cells
to undergo fission. The Haakonians used a deadly weapon called the -> metryon
cascade wipe out Rhinax, a Talaxian moon.
micronization warp drive
Experimental new type of -> warp drive, used aboard the Defiant.
This warp drive incorporates injection of delta isotopes into the warp plasma.
This is because warp speeds above warp 9.5 produce time dilation (time aboard
slows down). Delta isotopes have effect on dimensional temporal stability, 'pushing'
the Defiant forward in time and thus neutralizing the time dilation effect.
mind sifter
Klingon device used to empty a brain of valuable information. Its side effects
include brain damage. Seen in 'Errand of Mercy' (TOS).
mobile emitter
Portable holographic projector, which is used by Voyager's -> EMH to walk anywhere
he wants. Can, of course, also be used by other (sentient) holograms.
The mobil emitter is obtained in 'Future's End Part II' (VOY), as 29th century technology.
Monean homeworld
The Monean homeworld is a true galactic phenomenon. Created some 100,000 years
ago by the ancestors of the Moneans, the Monean homeworld is an artificial
'ball' of water, some 1200 km in diameter.
The 'planet' is created by pumping all surface water of the original class-M
homeworld to above the surface, and there concentrating it in a spherical,
planetary form. Cohesion is maintained by a gravimetric field reactor in the core
of the 'planet'. Although 100,000 years old, the reactor is still functioning
fine, but the increased pressure of the waterworld on the reactor's hull forced
the reactor to resist, a loss of planetary cohesion as side-effect ('Thirty Days' (VOY))
Murasaki 312
Galactic -> quasar-like phenomenon which emits high levels of electromagnetic
radiation. The Enterprise-D shuttle Galileo is on its way to study it in 'The
Galileo 7' (TNG).
-N-
nadions
Particles produced as the output produced by phasers.
Nadions are short-living particles possessong special properties related to
high-speed interactions with atom nuclei. Among these properties is the
ability to liberate and transfer strong nuclear forces within a particular
class of superconducting crystals.
In 'Time and Again' (VOY), Janeway closes a 'temporal rift' artifically
generated by the crew by firing her phaser at it. Torres identifies the
'nadion particle feedback' as the reason why the fissure is closing.
nanites
Term used for microscopic devices equipped with artificial intelligence, with
the size of nanometers (1 nanometer is 1/1,000,000,000 part of a meter.
Nanotechnology is developed in the late 20th century.
nanoprobes
Microscopic probes developed by the Borg, which attack at cellular level. Used
in the first step of the Borg assimilation proces.
nebula
Cloud of gas in the galaxy, with a typical measurement of multiple lightyears.
Typical nebulas are composed of hydrogen, helium and bits of oxygen and other
trace elements.
Nekrit Expanse
Huge nebula in the Delta Quadrant, considered as a dangerous place.
neutrinos
Particles, with almost no mass, travelling at almost the speed of light.
Predicted in the 1930's by the famous quantumphysician Enrico Fermi, and found
in 1956.
Stars produce hundreds of billions of neutrinos per second.
Neutrinos are often mentioned in Star Trek, for example in 'The Enemy' (TNG),
where Geordi is found by a neutrino beacon, and in 'A Matter of Honor' (TNG),
a neutrino beam is used to remove ship-eating parasites.
neutronic mine
Borg weapon. It spreads neutrons over a distance of at least 5 lightyears
('Scorpion Part I' (VOY)). The explosive force is 5 million isotons.
neutronium
Very cohesive material made of densely-packed neutrons, held together by gravity.
The material neutron stars are made of. The Doomsday Machine's hull was made
of it, as well as the outer hull of the -> Dyson sphere in 'Relics' (TNG).
Newtonian
(adjective)
A system is Newtonian when it's strictly restricted to the laws of Newton.
Newtonian propulsion
Propulsion, based on the action/reaction laws of Newton. An Newtonian
propulsion drive cannot break the lightspeed barrier. -> Impulse drive is
a Newtonian drive.
non-Newtonian propulsion
Propulsion drive that has no normal action/reaction component associated
with it. Non-Newtonian drives can break the lightspeed-barrier, because it
'violates' the action/reaction laws of Newton.
nova
Burst of energy in the last phase of the life of a light star (like our sun).
A nova can cause a star to reject his outer layers.
The people of Sarpeidon travelled back in time to escape when their sun, Beta
Niobe, went nova in 2269 ('All Our Yesterdays' (TOS)). (-> atavachron)
In 'For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky' (TOS), the Fabrina
sun went nova. The survivors are now living on the giant starship of -> Yonada.
nullifier cores
Energy sources onboard of cloak capable ships (-> cloaking device). Nullifier
cores dissipate the energy they use, so the energy emissions can't be detected
from outside the ship.
-O-
ODN
(Optical Data Network)
The network of computers on a starship.
The ODN has enough processing power on its own to take over limited control
of the ship in case of a complete computer failure.
Okudagrams
Name of the computer graphic displays on the Enterprise-D's computers.
Tribute to TNG's, DS9's and VOY's technical consultant Michael Okuda.
Omega
The most powerful substance known by both the Federation and Borg.
Omega is a very unstable, macromolecular substance. One molecule contains the
energy of an entire warp core. In theory, a small chain of Omega molecules
could feed energy to an entire civilization.
Both the Federation and Borg were intriged by this fact and tried to use it
as power source. An experiment by professor Ketteract in the 2270's
destroyed an laboratorium and 127 leading scientists. Omega destructs also
subspace in the Lantaru sector (an sector is 20 lightyears great), making
warp travel impossible (in theory, the chain reaction of a few Omega molecules
could destroy subspace in an entire quadrant). This facts caused the Federation
to make the 'Omega Directive' which says that starship captains must destroy
Omega immediately when they encounter it. The Omega Directive is only known
by Federation captains and flag officers.
The Borg also synthesized an Omega molecule, but it became unstable after
one trillionth of a nanosecond (0.000000000000000000000000001 seconds),
destroying 29 Borg vessels and killing 600,000 drones. The Borg stopped with
the experiments because there wasn't enough boronite ore left. Omega still
symbolizes perfection to the Borg ('The holy grail of the Borg', as Janeway
said).
A planetary experiment in the Delta Quadrant destroyed 300,000 square kilometers
(450,000 sq. miles), but the Omega molecules remained stable, which was a
breakthrough in Omega-physics. The aliens used a harmonic field of 1.67
terahertz (equivalent to Omega's atomic resonance), which forced the Omega
molecules to remain stable. The aliens stabilized 200 million Omega molecules,
in theory enough to destroy subspace in the entire galaxy.
omicron particles
Particles, created by Space Nebula Creature, used in 'circulatory' system.
Thought to be a substitute for anti-matter for the warp drives, as well as fuel
for the replicators ('The Cloud' (VOY)). In 'Nemesis' (VOY), Chakotay was
conducting a survey mission to a planet with a high concentration of omicron
particles in the atmosphere when his shuttle came under attack.
-P-
parallel universe
An other universe, different of ours. A parallel universe, which is a copy
of our universe but with a different timeline, is called an alternative
reality. An example of a parallel universe is the -> fluidic space, the realm
of Species 8472 ('Scorpion Part I & II', 'Prey' (VOY)).
pattern buffer
Part of a -> transporter, a cyclotron-like tank (TNG:TM) which holds the
whirling matrix of phased matter in the ACB while the subject is beamed out
and beamed in. In order to keep track of where every part of the subject is,
the computer constructs a pattern to keep track of what bits of the stream end
up where.
Similar to this is the transporter ID trace, which is kept for verification
purposes for a long time after transport. This is probably a highly compressed
sample of the pattern, plus the name of the transportee, logs of the transport
cycle, etc.
phased
(adjective)
State or property of matter and energy. Things can be offset slightly in a
time-like dimension from our 'phase' of the universe. The idea being that if
you and I have different 'phases' we can't interact with each other without
using special particles or fields.
-> Dark matter in Star Trek can make objects continually phase in and out of
our universe, as mentioned in 'In Theory' (TNG).
phased matter
A very energy-like state of matter somewhat akin to plasma. We can consider
phased matter as an intermediate form between matter and energy.
Phased matter is supported by relativity, which says that energy and matter are
fundamentally the same.
phaser
(PHASed Energy Rectification)
-> Disruptor, the most common weapon of the Federation.
The name 'phaser' is not derived from 'laser', but called so after its
mechanism.
The phaser array is powered by plasma managed through a series of physical
irises and magnetic switching gates. When firing, energy is conveyed from
flow regulators to the plasma distribution manifold. This injects the plasma
into the prefire chamber, a crystal sphere made of LiCu 518 (forced-matrix
formula: Li>>:Si::Fe>:>:O) reinforced with hafniumtritonide. Here
undergoes the plasma the electromagnetic energy shift associated with the
rapid -> nadion effect. The energy is confined for a time between 0.05 and
1.3 nanoseconds, and then released. The rapid confinement and releasement
is required to produce the rapid nadion effect. The beam energy is controlled
by the relatived proportion of protonic charge that will be created and pulse
frequency in the final emitter stage.
There are four types of phasers: the -> phaser pistol, the -> phaser rifle,
the starship phaser and the -> phaser cannon. The first two are handheld
phasers, the last two are used as starship weaponry.
phaser bank
Array of starship -> phasers. Every Federation starship has phaser banks.
phaser cannon
Weapon, used in Defiant-class starships.
A phaser cannon takes a large amount of -> phased matter from usually warp- or
impulse engines. Then it's bundled in a solid shell. An emitter fires rapidly
pulses of it.
phaser pistol
Handheld phaser, held as a pistol. Produces a phaser beam.
phaser rifle
Rifle that fires a miniature version of photon torpedos. The name 'phaser
rifle' is decepting.
phase transition coils
Parts of a -> transporter, in which phased matter is injected to be converted
back to normal matter.
photons
Particles that carry electromagnetic energy. Electromagnetic radiation is
considerable as a flow of photons. The phenomenons magnetism and electricity
are interactions of photons.
Forms of electromagnetic energy (from low energy to high energy) are: ELF
radiation (Extreme Low Frequency), radiowaves, microwaves, infrared
radiation, light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma radiation.
photon torpedo
Most common -> torpedo.
Matter and antimatter are combined in the reaction chamber. The standard
amount of antimatter is 1.5 kilograms. The energy that is released is
confined by a forcefield. When the onboard circuitry registrates an impact,
the field collapses and the energy is released.
Photon torpedos are very common in the galaxy.
Photon torpedos are warp capable, so they can be launched when the fireing
is at warp. They use a -> warp-sustaining engine.
plasma
High energetic form of matter, that exists as a mix of free atom nuclei and
free electrons. Deuterium (hydrogen-2)-plasma is used as fuel for the
-> warp drive. Plasma is also used in -> ion drive as magnetic field generator
and as torpedo charge (-> plasma torpedo). Plasma arises naturally when the
temparature of a substance is several millions degrees Celcius.
plasma injectors
Part of the warp drive that injects matter in the -> matter/antimatter
reactor. There are matter- and antimatter injectors.
polaric ions
Used as a power generation system in 'Time and Again' (VOY) by an alien species.
Very unstable, caused a disaster on the planet, killing all life and vegetation
on the planet's surface. The Federation prohibited experiments with polaric ions
in 2268.
polarons
Particles, multiple times mentioned in Star Trek. Used in 'Armageddon Game' (DS9)
to force a shapeshifter to return to his liquid state.
In 'Displaced' (VOY), Torres detected a buildup of polaron particles, caused by
the Nyrian translocation device.
polaron beam
Beam of polaron particles. The Borg use polaron beams for scanning. The
Swarm ('The Swarm' (VOY)) uses polaron beams to set the shielding of a
ship at a rotating modulation, which makes a ship a lot easier to detect.
They also use it as some kind of lattice, connecting each ship with each other.
positronic brain
Advanced computing device that uses the decay of positrons to form sophisticated
neural network systems.
Long thought to be impossible, the positronic brain was first postulated in
the 20th century by Isaac Asimov and finally made practical in the 24th
century by Noonien Soong. Positronic brains were used in Soong's androids, Data
and Lore. ('Datalore' (TNG))
A significant advance in submicron matrix transfer technology was introduced
at a cybernetics conference in 2366, permitting Data to program a new positronic
brain, which he used as the basis for his construction of his daughter, Lal.
('The Offspring' (TNG))
power transfer conduits
Conduit system on a starship, which transfers high-energetic plasma from the
warp core to the warp nacelles. In 'Investigations' (VOY) is mentioned that
the PTCs have a critical temparature of 3,200,000 degrees Kelvin.
preanimated matter
Matter that is very close to being classified as a form of life, but doesn't
quite make the grade. Encountered in 'The Wrath of Khan': Chekov said this might
be responsible for causing an energy flux in one dyno-scanner.
pressor beam
-> repulsor beam.
primary hull
Other name for the -> saucer section on a starship.
protomatter
An unstable form of matter used by David Marcus as a short cut in the construction
of the Genesis Device. Also encountered in 'The Wrath of Khan' and 'The Search
for Spock': because of the instability of protomatter, the Genesis Planet began
to age geologically at an accelerated rate. The resurrected Spock-child also
began to age very rapidly, allowing Spock to regain his katra at about the same
age as he was when he 'died'. 'Second Sight' (DS9) - Was used in the probe
to rejuvinate sun or (scan it). Used from USS Lexington.
A trilithium-tekasite-protomatter explosive device is seen in 'By Inferno's Light'
(DS9).
protostar
Very young star, still forming out of his nebula. Seen multiple times in
Star Trek.
In 'The Omega Directive', Harry Kim says that blowing up a Type 6 protostar
could open a wormhole.
pulse cannon
Other name for -> phaser cannon.
PXK reactor
Power source, used on Janus VI, as seen in 'Devil in the Dark' (TOS). The
Horta steals its main circulation pump, shutting down the reactor.
-Q-
Q continuum
Place, dimension or parallel universe where the Q beings live. Events in
the Q Continuum can affect the galaxy, like the Q war in 'The Q and the Grey'
(VOY) caused supernovas in our galaxy, and the giant tornado on Earth in
'True Q' from which Picard suspected the Q Continuum.
In 'The Q and the Grey' was mentioned that the Q continuum could be reached
by flying into a star's corona when it's about to go supernova. The supernova
creates a negative vacuum, which pulls in everything in its environment. The
final destination is then the Q continuum. But this method of travelling requires
a shield power upgrade with a factor of 10, which could be done by reinforcing
the deflector field with antiproton beams.
quad
Unit of computer measurement, like the unit 'byte' in the 20th century.
The isolinear chips in the computers have a capacity of 2.15 kiloquad.
In Star Trek is never mentioned how many a quad is. However, many
rec.arts.startrek.tech contributors have converged on quad 1 quadrillion
(10^24) bytes (or bits). The kilo-, mega- and giga- prefixes are then
used to express a quantity of respectively one thousand, one million and
one billion quads.
quad-cobalt torpedo
-> Torpedo charged with quad-cobalt, far more destructive than -> photon
torpedos and more destructive than -> tri-cobalt torpedos.
Upon impact, quad-cobalt is fused with hydrogen. This creates a highly unstable
compound, which is then mixed with plasma of its warp engines. 250 times as
destructive as a -> photon torpedo and thereby the most destructive torpedo of
Starfleet.
quantumfilament
Form of energy.
In 'Disaster' (TNG) we encountered a quantumfilament as an enlongated subatomic
object, hundreds of meters long, but possessing almost no mass. Caused damage to
the Enterprise. Looks like a -> cosmic string, but it is something completely
different.
quantum fissure
Point in the space-time continuum, being a keyhole to alternate quantum
realities. Worf encountered such a quantum fissure in 'Parallels' (TNG).
When his shuttle intersected the fissure, its warp engined caused a break
in the barriers between realities, shifting Worf from reality to reality.
The quantum fissure encountered by Worf gave access to at least 285,000
realities, since the destabilization (caused by a power surge aboard the
Enterprise-D, which was analyzing the phenomenon at the time) allowed other
realities to intrude into normal space-time at Worf's position. This
caused the intrusion of at least 285,000 Enterprise-D's, all representing
a different reality, to intrude our continuum.
quantum flux
State of dimensional instability, or continual change. When Worf was put
in a quantum flux by a -> quantum fissure, he began shifting through multiple
alternate quantum realities ('Parallels' (TNG)).
A subject tansported by a -> subspace transporter must be put in a state
of quantum flux before transporting, which is considered to be very dangerous
('Bloodlines' (TNG))
quantum phase inhibitor
The -> Tox Uthat device was a quantum phase inhibitor ('Captain's Holiday'
(TNG)).
quantumsingularity
(singularity)
Point in space-time with an infinite small proportion, but with a limited
mass. Black holes are stars that are imploded to the format of a
singularity. Singularities have an intense gravity field, causing a
black hole to suck up all the matter near it. We can consider singularities
as a point where normal space-time and physical laws end.
Singularities are used by the Romulans as energy source for their warp
drive (-> warp core -> FQSD)
In 'Hunters' (VOY), we see that a communication relay station uses
an artificial black hole of 1 centimetre as energy source. The black hole
produces 5 terawatt (5x10^12 watt) of energy, and causes a gravimetric
field over a distance of 2 lightyears. Janeway stated that the singularity
produced per minute the energy an average star does in one year.
quantum-slipstream drive
Alien -> transwarp propulsion system, seen in 'Hope and Fear' (VOY). QSD is
very similar to Borg transwarp, according to Seven of Nine.
The QSD can travel 60,000 lightyears in 3 months, resulting in a speed of
240,000c. An alien (Borg designation: Species 116) QSD vessel was disguised
as the Federation starship USS Dauntless.
Energy produced in the warp core is led to the main deflector. I hypothesize
that the slipstream effect is created there by interactions of the warp
plasma reaction products with the deflector's gravimetric field. This
interactions should result in a spatial distortion at quantum level. The
distortion causes space-time to 'slide', moving the ship forward.
Efficient use of QSD requires a whole new warp core configuration. The Species
121 vessel had a warp core that used a whole new kind of matter (unknown to
Voyager's crew members), instead of antimatter. The visual effects suggest
the transfer of energy flows through a liquid, forming the desired energy- or
matterstream required for the deflector.
Experiments with QSD on Voyager were deemed unsuccesfull, due to the instability
of the quantumfield produced by Voyager and the dangers. A one-hour travel
resulted in a travelled distance of some 10,000 lightyears, via Borg space
('Hope and Fear' (VOY)).
At the time of 'Timeless' (VOY), Voyager's crew successfully installed a benomite-
crystal-controlled quantum-slipstream drive. However, 17 seconds after Voyager's
depart on slipstream-speed, a phase-variance kicked in. When that variance became
greater than 0.42, the slipstream collapsed, kicking Voyager out.
This happened in 2375, when Voyager crashed on a class-L ice planet, killing all
crew members. Fortunately, Kim and Chakotay, who flew the Delta Flyer at the
time of the flight and thus were not killed, were able in 2390 to prevent the
disaster with the aid of a Borg -> temporal transceiver.
The Delta Flyer was used during that slipstream flight to compensate for the
phase variances in the slipstream by measuring them in the slipstream threshold as
it is forming, then transmitting phase corrections to Voyager and thus stablilizing
the slipstream. The disaster above happened by incorrect phase corrections.
quantumtorpedo
Very destructive -> torpedo.
Energy is released from quantum vacuum energy (also known as zero point energy,
in real life!).
The Enterprise-E and Defiant have quantumtorpedos. Quantum torpedos
are 5 times as destructive as -> photon torpedos.
quasars
(QUAsi StellAR Objects, or QSO's)
Extragalactic phenomenons dating from the early years after the Big Bang.
Quasars are strong sources of radio- and X-rays. It's believed that they're
powered by a super-massive black hole, centered in the nucleus of a young
galaxy.
The last quasars are dated from 600 million years ago, but most are dated much
older. Galactic, quasar-like phenomenons powered by smaller black holes are
called microquasars. In 'The Galileo 7' (TNG), the shuttle Galileo investigates
a microquasar.
(-> Murasaki 312)
A quasar-telescope is used onboard the Enterprise-D, aiding in navigation.
-R-
reflex-quintronics
Computer technology incorporating duotronic drivers, isolinear optical chips,
bio-neural gel packs and advances in Cytherian computer technology.
This artificial intelligence-technology responds to external stimulae on an instinctive
level. One of the consequences of RQs is autorepair of damaged systems. However
the computer is equipped with artificial intelligence, the computer cannot make his
own decisions; he's still restricted to his programs.
Defiant-class starships are equipped with reflex-quintronic computers.
regenerative shielding
Shielding which can regenerate on his own. In 'Message in a Bottle' (VOY),
the experimental prototype USS Prometheus is equipped with regenerative
shielding.
replicator
Device to reproduce specific objects.
Replicators are based on transporter technology. A sample object is first
'scanned' into the memory of a computer. Because even a simple object takes
up an enormous amount of memory, the object is only resolved at a molecular
level, not a quantum level. Further, the data must be compressed using a lossy
algorithm, meaning that small, undetectable approximations are made to the
data. This gives the computer a pattern to create a duplicate of the original.
Starships have a small supply of bulk material that is constantly recycled into
needed materials and items. When a request is made at a replicator terminal,
the waveguide conduit system on the ship relays a small amount of bulk material
to the replicator, which uses it to create the materials called for in the
pattern. The object is then beamed in at the terminal.
To prevent replicating living beings, which is found ethically wrong in the
Star Trek universe, replicators operate at molecular scale and not quantum
scale, which is necessary to correctly replicate actually living organisms.
repulsor beam
Mentioned in 'The Naked Now' (TNG) as a modified tractor beam. Also called a
pressor beam.
ring singularity
-> Quantumsingularity, which doesn't exists as a 0 dimensional point, but as
a ring. The ring structure is 1 dimensional, in other words: it has only a length,
no thickness and width. A -> wormhole has ring singularities.
rotating modulation
State of shielding. When a shield is at a rotating modulation, the -> shield
frequency pulsates from x to -x and back again. A ship with shields at
rotating modulation is very easy to detect. Seen in 'The Swarm' (VOY), where
The Swarm fired a polaron pulse, making Voyager's shields on a rotating modulation.
runabout
Small starship (or big shuttle), seen in TNG and DS9.
-S-
saucer section
The saucer of a starship. It has the bridge in it.
___
.-----.__________________________.--'---| ___.--.__________.--._
================================' ----- \ ______.------'-----`-----.____
`------------------------._____.--------' `-[]___]===========================
_____ _.-| |---.__ |=========| `-----' /|\
.-||| `--'---|___|------`--------'----------| |
'--------------------._ ___.-------._ / saucer section
`-.----'-------------/
(Enterprise-B) \`--------.____.-'
\____.-----'
secondary hull
Other name for the -> StarDrive section on a starship.
shield
-> deflector shield
shield frequency
Value that represents the energy of a deflector shield. Expressed in Hertz
(Hz). An object can penetrate the shield when it has the same frequency as
the shielding.
shield nutation
Technique that is used to make it more difficult to penetrate shielding.
The mechanism after shield nutation is a randomly changing -> shield
frequency.
shuttle
Small spacecraft, used for research or on away missions.
In TAS, the Enterprise has one -> aquashuttle.
Familiar to shuttles are -> runabouts.
singularity
-> quantumsingularity
slingshot effect
Used in 'Tomorrow is Yesterday' (TOS) and in 'The Voyage Home' to travel
through time at high warp, using the gravitational pull of a star.
Considered impossible by Lawrence Krauss in his book 'The Physics of Star
Trek', because the gravity of a star is much too low.
soliton waves
Non-decaying energy waves. Soliton waves in subspace were used for a new
FTL drive in 'New Ground' (TNG).
space-time
The 4 dimensional continuum of which our universe exists. Space-time has
3 space dimensions (length, size and depth) and one time dimension.
Space-time can be bend, torned, expanded, contracted, dented, etc.
Space-time is often shown as a 2 dimensional plane:
_______________________________________
/ /
/ /
/______________________________________/
When we bend it, it becomes a 3 dimensional plane:
/\ /\
/ \ / \
/ \ / \
/ \____________________________/ \
\ /
\ /
\______________________________________/
spatial vortex
-> Wormhole-like phenomenon, crossing an expanse called 'The Void'. The Void
is a 2500 lightyears great expanse, containing no stars. It takes an Intrepid-class
starship (USS Voyager) 2 years to cross the expanse. Fortunately, they took
advantage of the spatial vortex, discovered by Malon Controller Emck ('One' (VOY))
stardrive section
The section of a starship in which Main Engineering and the propulsion systems
are located.
___
.-----.__________________________.--'---| ___.--.__________.--._
================================' ----- \ ______.------'-----`-----.____
`------------------------._____.--------' `-[]___]===========================
_____ _.-| |---.__ |=========| `-----'
.-||| `--'---|___|------`--------'----------|
'--------------------._ ___.-------._ /
`-.----'-------------/
(Enterprise-B) \`--------.____.-' <--- StarDrive section
\____.-----'
star streaks
The phenomenon we see of streaks passing by when a ship is at warp.
A possible explanation is that we see stars passing by. However, this is
disprovable:
The speed of a Klingon vessel in 'All Good Times' (TNG) was 788,940c
This would give a characteristic angular speed for nearby stars of 1578
arcseconds per second or 1 degree every 2.3 seconds. This is indeed
verified in simulations. Travel at high warp speeds, on the TNG warp scale,
does not match very well the appearance of the bridge view screen on a
typical episode. Indeed, most visible stars are not nearby but are further
away with correspondingly lower angular speeds. I offer no solutions to this
discrepancy other than the dramatic necessity that stars wooshing by at high
warp speed.
There's a lot of support on rec.arts.startrek.tech for the notion that
those things aren't really stars. For one, as the Enterprise drops out of
warp (with the camera tagging along for the ride) some of the 'stars' do
some pretty strange things, such as suddenly angling off in various
directions, disappearing, etc.
Also, in 'First Contact', the Phoenix barely breaks warp 1 and stays relatively
close to Earth, but we still see the streaks. Definitely not stars.
The predominant theory is that what we're seeing are free particles in
space interacting with the expanding boundaries of the warp field. As they
cross the warp field, they are repeatedly accelerated to FTL velocities and
then slowed to STL speeds, and start spewing out something like Cerenkov
radiation, a (real!) blueish light emitted when particles moving faster than
the local speed of light (in a dense medium) are forced to slow down. If not
exactly Cerenkov radiation, then something similar.
An other theory is that the streaks are part of the visual manifestation
of Einsteinian space in subspace.
As a side note, in 'The Cage' (TOS), the moving particles seen through the
forward viewscreen are explicitly identified as meteoroids.
static warp shell
Symmetrical subspace bubble, often toroidal or spherical in 3-dimensional
perspective. Static warp shells cannot be used for propulsion applications -
warp propulsion requires an asymmetrical field. Static warp shells are seen
and/or used in 'Remember Me' (TNG), 'All Good Things' (TNG) and 'State of Flux' (VOY).
stellar fragment
Threatened Moab IV in 'The Masterpiece Society' (TNG).
structural integrity field
Force field in a starship hull, to increase the strength of the hull. If the
structural integrity field collapses, the hull will be comprimised.
sub-impulse speed
Other word for -> sublightspeed. The term 'sub-impulse raider' is used for
Bajoran raiders without warp capabilities.
sublightspeed
Speed lower than lightspeed.
subspace
Continuum which encloses our entire universe. It has different laws than ours.
Every point in our continuum has a corresponding point in subspace (see figure below).
Subspace and normal space are divided by an imaginary line: the subspace barrier.
Subspace can manifest itself in our continuum. A manifestation of subspace
is called a subspace field. Objects don't interact with a subspace field; if I
stand in a subspace field and somebody outside the subspace field throws
a rock to me, then I'll be hit. Subspace fields are used for warp propulsion
and subspace communication, because subspace has no (or else unknown) lightspeed
barrier.
_______________________
Point X in normal / /
space-time has a / X . / space-time
corresponding /______________________//
point Y in / Y . /
subspace: /_____________________/ subspace
Subspace is not a parallel universe, 5th dimension or alternative reality,
but a continuum that is undetachable connected with our universe. As we can
speak about 'our universe' and 'our space-time continuum', we can speak about
'our subspace', in the sense that other universes might have their own subspace
continuum too, as standard part of a universe.
Subspace is divided in domains, in fact an infinite number ('Schisms' (TNG)).
Subspace is also inhabited by lifeforms. In 'Schisms' (TNG), the Enterprise-D
crew encountered solanagen-based lifeforms, who lived in a -> tertiary subspace
manifold.
It is never mentioned how subspace might have been created (of course, in our
time, nothing such as subspace is known to exist: it is a purely fictional
continuum, made up by Star Trek writers to explain how warp drive can force
a ship to move faster than light).
I speculate that subspace is formed shortly after the Big Bang (the rapid expansion
of a singularity which formed our universe), when certain circumstances caused
a part of our -> space-time continuum to be somehow isolated from the rest, later
enclosing our universe in a period of ultra-fast expansion (this period had taken
place in real life - or at least there are clues that it really took place:
in a fraction of a second, our universe has expanded a factor of literally
trillions of times, at a faster-than-light speed).
subspace barrier
Imaginary line that divides subspace and normal space-time.
subspace bubble
-> static warp shell
subspace compression
Phenomenon caused by differential field-potential values in nearby positions
of the same warp field. It causes different parts of an object in a warp field
to have different inertial densities, resulting in structural strain on the
object. It can even cause subatomic disintegration, tearing an object apart.
('Deja Q' (TNG))
subspace field
Forced or natural intrusion of the subspace domain into our own space,
altering the behavior of things within our space-time.
A subspace field does reduce the inertial mass of an object within
it, i.e. it appears lighter. But it does not lower the mass to zero, nor
on its own would this effect allow FTL travel, as massless particles in
our universe are still restricted to light speed. It turns out that this
effect isn't even considered for warp travel, although it is used for
impulse engines - less mass to push around.
__________
___________/ subspace \______________________
/ \ field / /
/ \________/ / space-time
/____________________________________________//
/ _/ \_ /
/___________________________________________/ subspace
subspace funnel
Some kind of wormhole-like phenomenon, seen in 'Interface' (TNG). A subspace
funnel was formed between the last position of the USS Hera and Marijne VII.
subspace interphase pocket
Region of space where subspace intrudes normal space-time. A subspace interphase
pocket intercepted by the Mekong accidentally removed an expanding protouniverse
from its place ('Playing God' (DS9)).
subspace inversion
Phenomenon in which the subspace near a wormhole becomes fragmented. The
-> Bajoran wormhole undergoes subspace inversion every 50 years
('The Visitor' (DS9)
subspace radiation
Form of radiation, apparently emanating from subspace, mentioned in
'The Omega Directive' (VOY).
subspace radio
Form of communication via -> subspace. Electromagnetic signals travel through
subspace rather than through normal relativistic space, so the signal is not
limited by the lightspeedbarrier.
The signal travels faster than light: warp 9.9997. With relays and boosters,
the signal travels at warp 9.9999. The subspace transmissions relayed by the
Hirogen galactic relay network seem to travel even faster. Transmissions from
the Delta Quadrant to the Alpha Quadrant seemed to take only a few seconds,
covering some 60,000 lightyears ('Prey' (VOY)).
(For the absolute speed of the warp factors above, see -> warp factor.)
Sending the signal into the subspace domain is done by creating a subspace
distortion which propagates in much the same way as an electromagnetic
field. A large amount of energy is needed to send a signal any large
distance, and the more energy that is available, the deeper the signal can
be forced into subspace.
However, the signal dissipates over time, eventually releasing the energy
that is left as an electromagnetic field. A more powerful initial signal
can travel farther before this happens, but there is a limit; too much
energy and the level of subspace that is used won't be tightly coupled to
our own space-time any more, and the signal will probably go awry.
In 'Emissary' (DS9), the Cardassians flooded subspace with antilepton particles
to stop subspace communications.
To emit a subspace radio message, you'll need a subspace antenna. But in
'Investigations' (VOY) is mentioned that you can emit a subspace radio message
with the EPS systems. An EPS-aided subspace radio broadcast will not be noted
by the sensors, because rest-energy of the propulsion systems will let the
transmission look like some background noise.
Subspace radio was, as Janeway stated in 'Basics, Part I', invented over a
century after 1996.
subspace resonator
Field-manipulation device that is appearently capable to create warp fields.
A subspace resonator was given by the Enterprise-D crew to a disabled Romulan
science vessel to make it possible for the ship to return home, although slowly.
('The Next Phase' (TNG)
subspace rift
Intrusion of subspace into normal space. Subspace rifts can be formed by
cumulative exposure of warp field energy to certain areas of space.
('Force of Nature' (TNG)
subspace rupture
Large anomaly that attracts matter into a central vortex, in much the same
way as a black hole does ('If Wishes Were Horses' (DS9))
subspace sandbar
Location where the barrier between subspace and normal space (-> subspace barrier)
is unstable. This causes subspace distortions which drain energy, and gravimetric
forces which immobilize spaceships ('Bride of Chaotica!' (VOY))
subspace shockwave
Powerful energy front caused by massive discharges of energy, like in explosions.
The explosion of Klingon moon Praxis formed a subspace shockwave, causing
severe damage to the Klingon homeworld, as well to the USS Excelsior, who
was in the neighbourhood at the time.
The shockwave severely damaged the ozone layer of Qo'noS and slowly depleted
the planet's oxygen resevoir, making life on Qo'noS impossible within 50
years of 2293 (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country). Appearently, the Klingons
found a solution for this, because the 'deadline' would lie in 2343, but
in both The Next Generation and Deep Space 9 (which played after that deadline),
life on Qo'noS seemed not to be impossible.
subspace shunt
Device used by the Kobliad Rao Vantika to gain access to the computers at
Deep Space 9. It can be used to bypass security lockouts ('The Passenger'
(DS9)).
The use of this device proves that the computers at Deep Space 9 are
subspace-based. We already know from the TNG Technical Manual that the
computers on a Galaxy-class starships do their data transmissions in a
subspace flux, thus working with signals at faster-than-light speeds.
subspace transporter
Transporter that transports objects/persons through subspace, instead of
through normal space. A subspace transporter has a range of several
lightyears, while a Galaxy-class starship transporter has a maximum range
of 40,000 km (TNG Technical Manual). Another advantage of using a subspace
transporter is that it can cross deflector shields.
Because of this, I speculate that subspace transporters don't use -> annular
confinement beams for locking on and for confining the matter stream during
transporting, since deflector shields are subspace distortions, which
probably would interfere with such a beam. It is, of course, possible
that a subspace transporter does use an ACB, but that there is compensated
for the distortion.
Before transporting, the transport subject must be put in a state of ->
quantum flux, which is considered to be very dangerous. The Federation abandonned
the technology because it found the technology unreliable. However, former
Ferengi DaiMon Bok used such a transporter to seek for Jean-Luc Picard
('Bloodlines' (TNG))
subspace vacuole
Short-living -> wormhole-like phenomenon that linked the Vhnori homeworld
to an area of space near a ringed planet in the Delta Quadrant ('Emanations' (VOY))
subspace weaponry
-> isolytic weaponry
superconducting plasma
Energy source for the androids in 'Prototype' (VOY).
The superconducting plasma-supplies of Automated Unit 3947 failed, forcing
B'Elanna to replace it with Voyager's warp plasma.
superlightspeed
Speed above -> lightspeed.
(-> FTL travel)
supernova
Star that explodes. Only stars that are approx. 3 times heavier than our sun
go supernova. Lighter stars go -> nova.
In 'Half a Life' (TNG), a red giant star went supernova when Dr. Timicin tested
his -> helium fusion enhancement technique.
In 'The Q and the Grey' (TNG), Voyager's crew were among the few privileged
to witness supernovas at the moment of explosion. However, these supernovas
were the result of unrest in the Q continuum.
-T-
tachyon eddies
Phenomenons of -> tachyons, which made Sisko's lightsail ship travelling faster
than light ('Explorers' (DS9))
tachyons
Any particles that travel faster than light.
Predicted in the 20th century by professor Arnold Sommerfeld, tachyons are
significant part of the Star Trek universe.
General relativity says that anything with positive mass cannot travel
at lightspeed or above, because the mass of an object increases when it
approaches lightspeed. However, if an object has a negative or imaginary* mass,
the mass becomes more negative. Thus, as a tachyon loses energy, it gains
speed, and exceeds lightspeed. When it would break the lightspeed barrier,
it would give off a radiation known as Cerenkov radiation. This would take
energy away from a tachyon and cause it to go faster and faster, continually
giving off more and more energy. The lowest velocity of a tachyon is slightly
above lightspeed, but it can never go at lightspeed, like normal objects can
not travel at lightspeed.
This is mathematically acceptable, and is also supported by relativity and
quantum mechanics.
Tachyons are difficult to measure because they would violate time-order. In
other words, two different people in two different places would see one
tachyon do two different things, if they could see the tachyon at all. For
example, if one person sees a tachyon coming out of a gun, the other person
sees the tachyon going into the gun. However, present mathematics and physics
allow tachyons to exist under certain circumstances.
Tachyons are used at the Borg -> transwarp conduit. A tachyon beam is used
in 'Parallax' (VOY) to scan a ship.
In 'The Swarm' (VOY) is told that the domain of the Swarm is bounded with
tachyon beams.
Romulan cloaked vessels entering Federation space are detected by a tachyon
detection grid near the Neutral Zone.
* An imaginary number is the result of the square root of a negative number.
However this is impossible in basic mathematics, certain parts of advanced
mathematics allow this.
tanium
Material used in starship hulls. Different forms of tanium are encountered
in Star Trek. The Federation uses -> tritanium in their starship hulls, and a
Delta Quadrant race called the Hirogen uses monotanium. In 'Datalore' (TNG)
is mentioned that quadratanium is used in Data and Lore. Duritanium is also
mentioned in a episode, from which I can't confirm the name.
Tanium has never been mentioned in Star Trek, but I have reasons to believe
that it is indeed the 'basic element' of the materials mentioned above. These
materials are then probably all alloys.
tantalus field
Weapon seen in the mirror universe in 'Mirror, Mirror' (TOS). It can make a
person appear and disappear with the touch of a button.
temporal explosion
Massive discharge of energy, disrupting our time continuum.
A temporal explosion occured in the 29th century destroyed the complete Sol
system ('Future's End Part I & II' (VOY)).
temporal rift
Time displacement in the space-time continuum.
temporal shielding
Starship shielding that prevents -> chroniton torpedos from penetrating the
ships deflector shields. Invented by the crew of Voyager in a possible or
alternative timeline ('The Year of Hell, Part I', 'Year of Hell, Part II'
(VOY)).
temporal transceiver
Communication device which sends transmissions back or forward through time.
A Borg temporal transceiver was used by Kim and Chakotay in an alternate timeline,
around 2390, to send a transmission to the Borg interplexing beacon of Seven
of Nine. This prevented Voyager from crashing on an class-L ice planet when they
were kicked out of the slipstream (-> quantum slipstream drive) ('Timeless' (VOY)).
temporal vortex
Some kind of connection between two different times within the same
universe. It is produced by chroniton emission (-> chronitons). The Borg
use a temporal vortex in 'First Contact', to alter Earth history.
tetryons
Particles which are stable in subspace but unstable in normal space.
They appear to be the main mediating particles of subspace interactions with
normal space.
In 'Caretaker' (VOY), Voyager is scanned by a tetryon beam.
In 'Non Sequitur' (VOY), we see that the alternative reality prototype USS
Yellowstone uses tetryon-plasma in its warp nacelles. Indeed is said that
there were some troubles in forming subspace fields.
tertiary subspace manifold
Continuum, part of subspace, seen in 'Schisms' (TNG).
Some creatures seen in 'Schisms' exist within a tertiary subspace manifold,
a manifold being a term used to describe the form our own universe takes
when viewed from a higher (theoretical) dimension. This is also called a
deeper level of subspace; another universe which is connected to ours by
subspace.
thorons
Particles, mentioned multiple times in Star Trek. Thorons are used to treat
burnings. In 'Basics Part II' (VOY) is mentioned that Maquis use thorons to mislead
tricorders.
Physically, thorons are another name for (radioactive) radon-220 atoms, released
by radioactive decay of thorium.
thrusters
Newtonian starship propulsion system based on chemical reactions - just like 20th
century rocket propulsion. Federation thrusters use hydrazine as fuel. Thrusters
are much slower than -> impulse drive and are used, for example, at docking
procedures.
timeship
29th century Federation type of spacecraft, built for time travel. Voyager encountered
the Federation timeship Aeon in 'Future's End Part I' (VOY).
The main task is to support the Federation's 'time patrol': time sensors scan the space time
continuum, seeking for time manipulations in past or future. In Voyager's case, Aeon had the
mission to destroy Voyager, because Voyager was held responsible indirectly for a time
explosion in the 29th century.
A timeship navigates through time by artificially generated temporal rifts. They appear as
normal rifts in space time, but with a graviton matrix. Anyone sucked in the rift will end in
the time when the rift was created. In case of Voyager, something went wrong and Voyager
appeared in 1996, near Earth, at the other side of the rift
timestream
A temporal inversion fold in space time which is spread across the galaxy. Anyone entering
the timestream appears in an alternative timeline. ('Non Sequitur' (VOY))
T'Kon outposts
Planets which can travel through space, created by the dead T'Kon Empire.
In 'The Last Outpost' (TNG), the Enterprise-D encountered an outpost called
Delphi Ardu.
torpedo
Starship weapon that exists as a 'box', charged with a high-energetic
charge and is used to disable enemy ships. Torpedos can, not like phasers,
also be fired at warp speed, because torpedos have a -> warp-sustaining
engine.
The Federation uses multiple sorts of torpedos: -> photon torpedos, -> quantum
torpedos, -> tri-cobalt torpedos, and -> quad-cobalt torpedos.
Photon torpedos were already in use in TOS, quantum
torpedos are first seen in 'First Contact'.
Tri-/quad-cobalt torpedos are the most destructive.
Tox Uthat
Device which can halt fusion reactions in a star, making the star die in a
-> nova or -> supernova. Somewhat similar to the trilithium device of Dr.
Soren in 'Generations' (-> trilithium). Invented by Kal Dano in the 27th
century. It's hidden on the planet of Risa, in the time of TNG. Seen in
'Captain's Holiday' (TNG).
tractor beam
Beam existing of -> gravitons, to pull ships or other objects towards the ship
who uses it.
trajector
-> Transporter device used by the Sikarians, as seen in 'Prime Factors' (VOY).
Its maximum range is 40,000 lightyears, giving the opportunity for Voyager
to get close to home. However, the Sikarians didn't wanted to share the
technology in the first instance. Finally, when is tried to traject Voyager,
it failed.
The trajector uses the principle of space folding (folding the space-time
continuum to make two places closer together), a technique that the Federation
never has developed. The concept was abandoned in the mid-23rd century.
The folding mechanism is not well known, but we do know that a neutrino field
is generated (the field was 10 times bigger than any force- or particle field
ever generated in Federation history). To create a field this large, an amplifier
of the size of an entire planet is needed. The Sikarian planet's mantle of
crystallized quartz is used as an amplifier, making the trajector only
usable near the Sikarian homeworld.
(-> Elway theorem)
transceiver
Long-range communications device.
translocator
-> Transporter technology used by different species.
transporter
Device used to transport people or objects over great distances in a brief
time.
We have some evidence of the inner workings of transporters, but not much.
They employ Heisenberg compensators, pattern buffers, phase transition coils,
biofilters, matter streams, confinement beams, and matter-energy converters,
and phased matter. As for what they do, we know that you are conscious during
transport ('The Wrath of Khan', 'Realm of Fear' (TNG)), but can also be held
in stasis ('Day of the Dove' (TOS), 'Relics' (TNG)). Further, while in transport,
you appear whole to yourself.
It's hypothesized that the annular confinement beam first locks onto, then
disassembles the subject into phased matter, via the phase transition coils,
causing it to take on a very energy-like state somewhat akin to plasma, called
phased matter. The matter stream is then fed into the pattern buffer, piped
through waveguide conduits to one of the beam emitters on the hull of the
starship, and then relayed to a point on the ground where the ACB reconstructs
the subject.
A transporter can't transport through shields. However, adapting the ACB to the
shield's frequency can work.
transporter suspension
Technique which involved suspending the transporter patterns of people, used
by the crew of Voyager to hide telepaths for Devore inspection teams (the Devore
are a race with a great disaffection of telepaths, banning them out of their
society). The patterns of the telepaths were suspended in tanks with contaminated
antimatter, which blocked the Devore sensors. Unfortunately, the suspension had
a nasty side-effect: cumulative cellular decay. This means that a person can
survive only a few suspensions, before dying of cellular decay ('Counterpoint' (VOY))
transtator
Device which is the basis of a variety of Federation technologies, including
transporters, phasers and communication devices, as mentioned in 'A Piece of
the Action' (TOS).
transwarp
Form of -> FTL travel that is per definition faster than Federation warp
technologies.
Transwarp propulsion drives are defined as drives that can exceed warp 10,
but is mostly defined as drives that are simply significantly faster than Federation
propulsion.
The Borg use transwarp propulsion (-> transwarp conduit), and a Delta Quadrant
race called the Voth ('Distant Origin' (VOY)) use transwarp too.
Since the USS Excelsior, the Federation is experimenting with transwarp drive.
The USS Excelsior (NX-2000) was commissioned to test a transwarp propulsion drive
constructed by the Federation, but it was deemed unsuccessful by Starfleet
Command.
In 'Threshold' (VOY), Tom Paris was the first human achieving a transwarp
flight and travelled at warp 10.0 (infinite speed). This made him remember
every part of the universe (5 billion gigaquad of computer information). The
flight was achieved in the Voyager-shuttle Cochrane. A new form of dilithium,
transdilithium, allowed travel at infinite speed. Unfortunately, the trip
turned him into a frog-like creature by genetic mutations, as well as Janeway.
In 'Day of Honor' (VOY), the crew of Voyager tried to create a Borg ->
transwarp conduit, which would make the journey back to the Alpha Quadrant
a lot faster. Unfortunately, the experiment failed by tachyons leaking into the
dilitihium matrix.
In 'Vis a Vis' (VOY), Steth's ship is powered by a -> coaxial warp drive,
which is much faster than conventional warp and can thus be considered as a
transwarp drive.
transwarp conduit
Transwarp drive used by the Borg. They're like custom-made wormholes that,
once created, stay in place and can be used repeatedly.
The conduits are opened by broadcasting a tachyon signature which
sucks the ship in.
The first step is bringing the ship on any speed higher than warp 2, using
'classic' warp drive. Then a subspace field forms. The second step is
to emit tachyons, which will open the 'subspace wormhole'.
They're beyond the ability of the Federation to create, but the Enterprise
was able to use them once it recorded the tachyon signature the Borg were
using. The crew of Voyager tried to build a transwarp conduit in 'Day of
Honor', but it failed.
Transfer through the conduits is said to be 20 times faster than the fastest
warp available to Federation science, covering lightyears in a matter of
seconds rather than hours - just like a wormhole. However, Riker once stated
that Borg transwarp had covered 65 light years within a time which is measures as
approx. 9 seconds (at home, with a stopwatch).
This coresponds to about 227,911,132.04 times the speed of light, far more
than 20 times faster than Federation warp speeds.
transwarp speed
Speed higher than achieved by conventional warp.
It is said that transwarp speed are speeds above warp 10 (-> warp factor),
but a better approximation of this term is to say that transwarp speeds
are all speeds above Federation warp speeds.
tri-cobalt torpedo
-> Torpedo charged with tri-cobalt. Far more destructive as -> photon
torpedos.
In a tri-cobalt torpedo, quantumfilaments and tri-cobalt are mixed with each
other. Then antimatter is added, causing a highly destructive explosion
(-> quad-cobalt torpedo). The USS Defiant is equipped with tri-cobat torpedos.
tricorder
Handheld device, used for field measurements. Tricorders can identify things as
particles, chemical substances and atmospheric composition. It also has a
tactical database.
A medical tricorder is identical, but is programmed for use in sickbay and
has a small handheld sensor probe.
trilithium
Substance, multiple times used in Star Trek as explosive. In 'Generations',
trilithium is used as rocket charge by Dr. Soren, stopping all fusion reactions
in a star.
A trilithium-tekasite-protomatter explosive device is seen in 'By Inferno's Light'
(DS9).
tritanium
Material, form of -> tanium. Used in Federation starship hulls. Tritanium is
21.4 times as hard as diamond.
T Tauri
T Tauri is a very young star, that fluctuates in brightness. It's at a distance
of 300 lightyears on Earth. T Tauri has intriged astronomers already since
the 20th century. Later is discovered it has only one planet.
T Tauri is the prototype of a class of young variable stars, and its planetary
system is the prototype of a class of planetary systems. T Tauri planetaty
systems have only one planet and are very rare. Data referred to T Tauri
systems in 'Clues' (TNG).
turbolift
Elevator system of starships. According to the TNG Technical Manual, it has
a maximum acceleration of 10 km/s per second.
Tyken's Rift
Rift in the space-time continuum that trapped the Enterprise in 'Night Terrors'
(TNG).
-U-
unimatrix shielding
Type of shielding, invented by Lt.Cmdr. Tuvok aboard Voyager. The Delta Flyer
runabout was equipped with unimatrix shielding, as well as a multi-spatial
survey probe ('
universal translator
Highly advanced computer program onboard Federation starships and integrated
in commbadges, to translate unknown alien languages into English. Spock uses
a handheld version in 'Metamorphosis' to communicate with The Companion.
-V-
Varon-T disruptor
Weapon used by Kivas Fajo in 'The Most Toys' (TNG). It disrupts the body from
inside out, making it an extreme painful way to die. Because of this, Varon-T
disruptors are banned in the Federation.
verdions
Particles, generated in the cores or surfaces of white dwarf stars.
A verdion field was used in 'Pegasus' (TNG) to hide the USS Pegasus from a
Romulan ship.
verteriumcortenide
Material of which the inner and outer surface of both the -> warp coils and
impulse driver coils (-> impulse drive) are made.
Veteriumcortenide produces subspace fields when interacting with plasma.
In 'Investigations' (VOY) is mentioned that verteriumcortenide is a composite
which consists of verteriumpolysilicate (the episode mentiones 'polysilicate
silicium', but that's against the chemistry nomenclatura of names) and
monocrystalline cortenum. The Voyager was forced to mine verterium and cortenum
to produce new inner surfaces for the warp coils, which were burnt by a too
high plasma temparature of 3,200,000 degrees Kelvin.
verterons
Particles associated with subspace interactions. Appears to inhibit the
formation of subspace fields, damaging or rendering devices which use
subspace useless.
A verteron mine is used to disable the Flemming, a Ferengi ship, and the
Enterprise in 'Force of Nature' (TNG). Verterons somehow manage to disable
all devices which use subspace. Simplest explanation - they inhibit
interactions with subspace, causing massive overloads and feedback which
damages equipment.
Verterons also infest the wormhole near Bajor. In 'Playing God' (DS9), a
protouniverse intruding into our own subspace was kept contained by
an energy field, but verteron pockets in the wormhole threatened to
release it, destroying a runabout and perhaps even the wormhole.
Verterons and subspace do not mix well.
In 'False Profits' (VOY), Voyager fires verterons on a weak place in
subspace. Verterons would polarize it, causing to open the wormhole that has
appeared there.
In 'Playing God' (DS9), verterons threatened to destroy the proto-universe.
In 'Eye of the Needle' (VOY), Janeway pointed out that out that there were
'...verteron emanations, tunneling secondary particles. It certainly looks
like a wormhole...'.
vinculum
Borg device, serving as central processing unit in Borg ships. It's responsible
for the neural links between drones, which forms the Collective. It also searches
actively for signs of individuality among Borg drones, wiping it out, bringing
order in chaos. The vinculum also identifies Borg drones who left the Collective
(like Seven of Nine) and re-assimilate in the Collective by creating a subspace
link with the neural implant of the drone. The neural patterns of the drone are
then adjusted. The link cannot be severed without chronical neural damage.
The vinculum is hard to de-activate. The vinculum has the ability to re-route
its internal circuitry ('Infinite Regress' (VOY))
VISOR
(Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement)
Optical device, which allows blind people to see. Geordi LaForge is one of
the nine Federation citizens which fits one.
It converts electromagnetic radiation into electric pulses, relayed to the
person's optical nerves which allows him to see.
It covers the electromagnetic spectrum from 1-1x10^12 Hz, covering radio,
microwave, infrared and optical frequencies.
-W-
warp
Form of FTL-travel that is used by many species around the galaxy. It covers
'classic warp', that is used by the Federation, and 'transwarp', that is
lot faster and is used by civilizations one step higher than Federation.
Transwarp requires an other technology (-> transwarp conduit).
(-> warp drive -> transwarp -> alternative warp -> coaxial warp)
warp 5 speedlimit
Speedlimit introduced by the Federation, after the discovery that intensive
warp drive use can cause severe damage to space-time, causing subspace to
manifest in normal space-time at a macroscopic scale.
In 'Force of Nature' (TNG) it is discovered that in the Hekaras Corridor,
a region of space where warp travel is hindered except for a narrow path,
the intense use of warp drives in an already sensitive area can (over time)
cause subspace rifts to form, where subspace manifests itself in real space
on a macroscopic scale.
The speedlimit says that the cruise speed of starships may not exceed warp
5, unless Starfleet Command gives permission to go faster.
In 'All Good Things' (TNG), we see that the Enterprise (in a possible or
imaginary future) travels at warp 13. Maybe there is in the future a new
technology of warp travelling, that does not damages subspace. It is visible
that the Enterprise has a brand new warp nacelle design, which may shape the
warp field in such a way that subspace damage is minimized.
(-> warp factor)
warp 10 barrier
The upper warp velocity limit.
In the warp velocity scale, warp 10 is infinite speed. However, some transwarp
drives allow travelling faster than warp 10, thus at infinite speed. Tom Paris
travelled at warp 10.0 in 'Threshold' (VOY), which made him remember every part
of the universe (5 billion gigaquad of information).
As you approach a position on the graph corresponding to warp 10, your power
requirements increase astronomically compared to your increase in speed. But
you can keep speeding up forever, unlike the light barrier, which keeps you
from getting to the speed of light. So the warp 10 barrier is just a barrier
of energy.
(-> warp factor)
warp coils
Parts of -> warp drive, in which plasma is injected, creating the warp
field. The warp field coils are the heaviest parts of a starship, with a
weight of 34,375,000 kilos. They measure 21x43 metres (63x129 feet).
There are 18 coils per nacelle, forming a corridor where the plasma flows
through.
warp core
Central part of -> warp drive. The warp core produces energy to form the
warp field. Federation uses an -> matter/antimatter reactor, the Romulans
use -> FQSD.
warp drive
(Continuum Distortion Propulsion Drive)
Non-Newtonian propulsion system used by the Federation to travel at speeds
higher than lightspeed.
A powerful, asymmetric subspace field is established around the ship by
the warp nacelles. The field is composed of nested layers, each pushing
against the one beyond it. This drives the ship forward, at a speed faster
than light.
First, matter and antimatter react with each other in the warp core. The
annihilation produces very large amounts of high energetic gamma radiation.
The radiation then is 'condensed' into a plasma state, which carries the
full energy (matter is easier to conduct than radiation). The power transfer
conduits transfer the plasma to the nacelles.
Injectors feed the plasma into warp field coil segments. The coils generate
subspace fields by the interaction of the exotic materials of it (verterium-
cortenide) with the plasma. The coils are energized at specific time intervals,
creating multiple field layers. This pulses also cause the push of the nested
fields, moving the ship forward.
The warp field wraps around the ship in a two-lobed bubble, as seen below at
-> warp field.
The shape of the ship determines the efficiency of the field, explaining why
the Enterprise has such a sleek design.
Meanwhile, the subspace field reduces the inertial mass of the ship, aiding
in maneuvering. In fact, a small subspace field is kept around the ship at
impulse speeds, so the impulse drives have less mass to push around.
However, this is only a side effect and is NOT the mechanism used to allow
FTL travel.
The TNG Technical Manual says that each of the nested fields couple and
decouple from each other at between 0.5 and 0.9c. This decoupling, combined
with the special frame subspace provides, causes the ship as a whole to travel
at FTL speeds.
Warp travel is non-Newtonian. Without a constant influx of energy, the
subspace field will decay, and the ship will drop out of warp. In other
words, you must continue to provide energy to maintain your warp velocity.
Federation warp technology allows ships to reach a maximum speed of
approx. warp 9.9 and slightly above. (-> cruising speed).
(-> warp factor -> transwarp -> alternative warp -> coaxial warp
-> micronization warp drive)
warp factor
Measurement used to measure the ships speed at warp.
In the original series, the following table is used:
warp factor velocity(c) comment
1 1 Speed of light.
2 8
3 27
4 64
5 125
6 216
7 343
8 512
9 729
10 1000
11 1331
12 1728
13 2197
14.1 2803.221 'That Which Survives' (TOS).
The conversion from warp factor to c is just v=w^3*c
In TNG, a new scale is introduced:
warp factor velocity comment
1 1 Speed of light.
2 10
3 39
4 102
5 214 Federation speed limit.
6 392
7 656 Cruising speed Enterprise-D.
8 1024
9 1516 Maximum speed Class 8 and 9 probe.
9.2 1649 Maximum cruising speed Enterprise-D.
9.6 1909 Maximum speed Enterprise-D.
9.9 3053
9.975 6667 Maximum speed Voyager.
9.99 7912
9.9997 ~198696 Subspace radio speed.
9.9999 199516 Subspace radio speed, maximum boosted and relayed.
10 infinite
We have a scale, but no formula. Technical advisor Michael Okuda says there
is actually no formula. The TNG Technical Manual says that the speed times
c is calculated with an Excel spreadsheet. The warp factors up to and including
warp 9 can be converted to c with the formula v=w*10/3*c. For higher warp,
there is no formula available.
Quoted in the final episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, in a
possible or imaginary future, is the speed warp 13. Both Admiral Riker and
Captain Beverly Picard call for this speed, and at another point in the
episode, Admiral Riker calls for 'maximum warp', which is either warp 13
or greater.
While we haven't a clue how fast this is, they're presumably faster than
warp 9 on the TNG scale, and necessarily slower than warp 10 on the TNG
scale (since TNG warp 10 is infinite speed). A few possibilities present
themselves:
- Warp 10-13+ are shorthand for warp 9.x. One possibility is that 9.90 is
called warp 10, 9.91 is called warp 11, etc.
- New warp technologies provide at least 13 power usage minima between c
and infinite speed, instead of the 9 possible with old warp technologies.
- Further research revealed that there were more than 9 minima accessable
with traditional drives, and that they simply required more power to
attain than had been previously attempted, but less power to maintain than
9.x values.
warp field
The subspace field composed of nested layers, which allows a starship to
travel at warp speed. The figure below shows roughly the shape of a warp
field, displaying one layer.
......... .........
. . . .
. . .
. -------- _____ .
. ___||__ / \ .
. |_______| | .
. || \_____/ .
. -------- .
. . .
. . . .
......... .........
warp nacelle
Warp field generator, powered by a tuned plasma stream from the warp core
matter/antimatter reactor. Injectors feed the plasma into warp field coil
segments at specific times, causing pulses to run the length of the nacelle,
front to back.
Federation starships have usually 2 nacelles, but some starship classes have
3 or even 4 nacelles. This is not necessarily better, but it helps to shape
the warp field.
warp nacelle
| ___
.-----.__________________________.--'---| ___.--.__________.--._
================================' ----- \ ______.------'-----`-----.____
`------------------------._____.--------' `-[]___]===========================
_____ _.-| |---.__ |=========| `-----'
.-||| `--'---|___|------`--------'----------|
'--------------------._ ___.-------._ /
`-.----'-------------/
(Enterprise-B) \`--------.____.-'
\____.-----'
warp particles
Mentioned in 'Parallax' (VOY), where they were used to open a subspace breach
in the event horizon (-> black hole) of a black hole.
The objection has been raised that warp particles have never been
mentioned before. However, fields and particles are different ways of
looking at the same thing. You can even consider soliton waves (cohesive
waves which don't disperse) as being made up of a special soliton
particle, or sound to be carried by a 'phonon' particle, and it makes
some calculations much easier than considering the wave or field
classically.
Quantum mechanics says that for things like photons, electrons, Higgs
bosons, etc, the particle/wave/field distinction is pretty much
meaningless. So 'warp particles' could refer to the specific particles
making up a warp field, or the entire class of particles which partake
in subspace reactions (tetryons, verterons, etc).
warp reactor
The matter/antimatter reactor in the -> warp core.
warp signature
Specific property of the warp field of a starship. Races are often
identified because of their warp signature. In 'Prey' (VOY), Hirogen
ships are identified because of their 'dicyclistic warpfield'. Ferengi ships
are identified of their single-lobed warp field. Federation starships have
double-lobed a warp field. In 'Message in a Bottle' (VOY), the Federation
starship Prometheus was recognized as a Federation starship because of his
warp signature.
warp speed
Speed obtained by -> warp drive. Warp speed is usually higher than
lightspeed.
warp-sustaining engine
Engine on board of -> torpedos, which allow torpedos to travel at higher
warp than the ship from which it is launched for a brief period. This
allows firing torpedos while at warp.
A warp-sustaining engine might use the warp field energy of the starship to
create his own.
weather modification net
Controls the weather and climate of Earth. Mentioned in 'True Q' (TNG).
wormhole
space-time distortion, predicted by general relativity. A wormhole connects
far places with each other by a tunnel through the structure of space
(see figure below).
Well known wormholes are the wormholes of Bajor (-> Bajor wormhole) and
Barzan (-> Barzan wormhole).
________ ________
\ A o===================o B /
\ \ \ wormhole / / /
\ \ \ / / / - bent space-time
\ \ \ / / /
\ \ \ / / /
\ \ \_____/ / / We see that travelling from A to B via the
\ \ / \ / / wormhole is much shorter than via normal
\ \_______/ / space-time.
\ / \ /
\/___________\/ View the structure of the Bajoran wormhole in GIF
at its entry (-> Bajoran wormhole).
The bent space-time as shown here, can be considered as our galaxy; our galaxy influents
the space-time continuum in the same way as shown above.
According to Dr. Torat (noted astronomer in and around the Devore Empire, discoverer of
almost 60 astronomical phenomena and wormhole-expert), the term 'wormhole' covers
a great number of different phenomena ('Counterpoint' (VOY)). Phenomena comparable to wormholes are
-> interspatial flexures, -> subspace funnels, -> subspace vacuoles and
-> spatial vortexes.
Many wormholes are created by dangerous warp drive malfunctions.
The first known example of an artificial wormhole was the -> Bajoran
wormhole, created by unknown entities in the Denorios Belt.
The first artificial wormhole created by Federation scientist was in 2372,
when Dr. Lenara Khan, with the Trill ministery of science created a wormhole
which was open during 23.4 seconds ('Rejoined' (DS9))
(-> gravity well)
-X-
-Y-
Yonada
Huge asteroid-like starship world, carries the survivors of the Fabrina nova.
In 'For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky' (TOS), Yonada went off
his course, endangering the inhabitants of Daran V. It's 300 kms (mentioned
as 200 miles) in diameter. Yonada is built by the Fabrini, and the people on
it don't know that they're actually on a spaceship. Priestess Natira rules
this world.
-Z-
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Composed by Marcel van Wijk
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Used abbrevations:
DS9 - Deep Space 9
TAS - The Animated Series
TNG - The Next Generation
TOS - The Original Series
VOY - Voyager
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