Star Trek Technology
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Warp coil
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Toroid or split toroid element that
generates a subspace field, when energized by a plasma stream. A set
of several warp coils is combined in a warp nacelle. Plasma injectors
serve to adjust the activation sequences of the single warp coils in
a way that a propulsive, asymmetric warp field is formed.
Concerning the technical plausibility, the warp coils are the most critical
part of the propulsion system. It is not exactly defined what a warp
field actually is, let alone how it can be generated.
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Warp core
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Part of the warp drive in which power is generated through a controlled
annihilation of matter and antimatter, also referred to as matter/antimatter
reaction chamber (M/ARC). The complete warp power generation system
including the warp core, matter and antimatter injectors and constriction
elements, is called matter/antimatter reaction assembly (M/ARA). Matter
and antimatter stream are combined in the dilithium crystal inside the
warp core, resulting in a (warp) plasma stream. A failure of antimatter
containment is commonly referred to as warp core breach. In this case
antimatter can get in contact with matter, leading to a disastrous explosion
that most probably destroys the ship. In case of a containment failure,
the warp core offers the option of an emergency shutdown. If the shutdown
does not work, it is possible to eject the whole M/ARA.
It is a quite optimistic assumption that in case of a pending warp core
breach there is enough time left to try the emergency shutdown and finally
eject the M/ARA and that the remaining time can even be exactly determined.
Moreover, the breach would probably be stimulated by the vibrations
during the ejection. On the other hand, it is disturbing that such an
extremely dangerous technology is employed in starships, considering
that life in the 24th century is nearly free of risks. The problem of
containment seems to be especially severe in Galaxy-class ships, three
of which have been prematurely destroyed by warp core breaches, though
they were supposed to have a lifetime of 100 years.
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Warp factor
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Unitless figure that describes the speed of a ship or signal traveling
faster than light. In the 23rd century, the warp factor WF was calculated
as follows: WF=(v/c)^1/3, where v is the speed of the signal or starship,
c=3*10^8m/s the light speed and ^1/3 denotes the cubic root. At Warp
1, a starship reaches c, at Warp 6 it reaches 216c. In the 24th century,
a term was added to the above equation that caused the speed to be infinite
at Warp 10 (see revised warp speed table). The ratio v/c at a given
warp factor is equal to the corresponding cochrane value that describes
the subspace distortion.
The warp speed table was changed according to Roddenberry's wish that
Warp 10 should be the absolute maximum velocity (Eugene's limit). The
recalibration, however, must not be mistaken as a speed limit. At Warp
9, the speed is 729c for the old and 1516c for the new scale. Above
Warp 9, the two scales diverge significantly, and the old Warp 10 speed
is 1000c, whereas it is infinite for the new warp table. So any velocity
is still possible in the new scale, only the values of 9.99... are not
easy to handle for the starship crew. This might be the reason why the
scale is changed again in the potential future in TNG: "All Good
Things", where Warp 13 is possible. The change could also be attributed
to the introduction of transwarp. While apparent speed and cochrane
value continuously increase with the warp factor, the power expenditure
exhibits remarkable peaks at each full warp factor. Explaining these
peak transitional thresholds leads to a reasonable definition of the
old as well as of the new warp scale.
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Warp field
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Subspace field with a subspace distortion of at least 1 cochrane.
A starship enveloped by a warp field is able to travel faster than light,
without relativistic limits being violated. The asymmetrical warp field
used by Federation starships is propulsive itself without an additional
exhaustion necessary. This is accomplished by sequentially activating
the warp coils. A symmetrical, non-propulsive warp field is used for
24th century starship computer cores, where it allows FTL travel of
electrons or photons within the field limits.
A warp field does not seem to be much different from a subspace field,
and the transition from one to the other is continuous, as is indicated
by the energy vs. warp factor diagram. On his website Jason Hinson devises
a more specific and more plausible definition of the warp field than
canon sources. According to his theory, a warp field "couples the
frame of reference of everything inside the warp field to the frame
of reference of subspace. This becomes true regardless of what the frame
of reference of the ship would be without the warp field there (i.e.
it is true regardless of the actual speed of the ship with respect to
subspace). Thus, while the warp field is active, the ship's frame of
reference remains the frame of reference of subspace and is not dependent
on the ships speed. This is what places the ship outside of the realm
of relativity and allows it to travel faster than light without gross
violations of causality." Read also my conjectural theory on subspace
fields.
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Warp
nacelleCanon - Official Star Trek Technology
Part of the warp drive that holds
the warp coils, plasma conduits and injectors, usually in a separate
housing. Almost all Federation starships have an even number of nacelles,
arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal axis. While most vessels
have two nacelles, a number of starships (for instance Constellation
class, Cheyenne class and the U.S.S. Prometheus) are equipped with four
of them. The Freedom class, on the other hand, is one of the very few
ship classes with a single nacelle. Support pylons connect the nacelles
to the ship's hull and supply the warp coils with plasma through power
transfer conduits (PTC). Usually, a Bussard collector is attached to
the front end of each warp nacelle. Romulans and Klingons use warp nacelles
similar to the Federation type.
Ships with two warp nacelles look much better than those with only one
nacelle, yet, there is a more technical explanation for this design
rule. An even number of nacelles symmetrical to the ship's centerline
obviously serves for better stability and maneuverability. With such
a configuration the ship's flight path can easily be changed or corrected
through different firing sequences for the two sets of warp coils, thereby
generating an angular momentum (the ship's "rudder"). This
does not work well with a single, symmetrical nacelle where only the
plasma stream can be regulated in order to steer the ship. Warp nacelles
are usually not directly attached to the engineering hull in order to
provide an optimum shape of the warp field. The blue glowing in the
warp nacelle's centerline could be attributed to excess energy flowing
back from subspace (see Jason Hinson's website) which potentially replenishes
the warp plasma. Besides, the plasma glowing can be used to distinguish
the ships of the various civilizations: Federation - blue, Romulans
- green, Klingons - red, Cardassians - yellow, Ferengi - orange, Dominion
- violet.
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Warp propulsion system
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Propulsion system of starships that
allows faster-than-light (FTL) travel, also referred to as warp drive.
The main components of a Federation warp propulsion system are the matter
and antimatter storage, injectors, constriction segments, warp core
(M/ARC), warp plasma conduits (power transfer conduits, PTC) and warp
coils. The controlled annihilation of antimatter and matter inside a
dilithium crystal in the warp core generates the energy necessary for
a warp field and also supplies most of the ship's systems. The propulsive
warp field is generated by the warp coils. The warp drive was first
successfully tested by Zefram Cochrane in 2063, however, other civilizations
such as the Vulcans had discovered warp drive a long time ago.
There is a common misconception concerning the function principle of
warp propulsion, also shared by Lawrence Krauss (The Physics of Star
Trek). Warp drive does *not* compress three-dimensional space with a
gravitational field so as to reduce the distance to the starship's destination.
Official publications such as the STTNG Technical Manual assume that
the warp field is a forcefield that manipulates subspace to overcome
the relativistic limitations, while normal space is not affected. The
warp drive of Cochrane's Phoenix was probably not yet powered by a matter/antimatter
reaction, but by a fusion reactor, and warp one was sustained for only
some seconds. It is not known how fast technology was developed or adapted
after "First Contact" with the Vulcans, however, the S.S.
Valiant reached the edge of the galaxy only two years later, according
to official Trek history.
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Warp sustainer engine
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Propulsion system of a photon torpedo, allowing warp flight for a short period after the launch.
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Weather modification net
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
System that controls and modifies
the weather on Federation planets.
The weather modification net was mentioned in TNG: "True Q".
It played an important role in TNG: "Sub Rosa" and DS9: "Let
He Who is without Sin", where it turned out to be essential for
the well-being of the planets, because it didn't only prevent extreme
weather situations, but provided a pleasant and, in the case of Risa,
sunny weather most of the time. It was called "weather control
matrix" in the latter episode.
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Wormhole
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Space-time anomaly that connects two points that may be far away from
each other within normal space. Wormholes are either natural phenomena,
or they have been constructed by superior lifeforms or accidentally
generated because of warp drive malfunctions. Only one stable wormhole
is known, leading from the Bajoran system to the Gamma Quadrant, allowing
starships to cross the distance of 90,000 LY in an instant. This wormhole
has been artificially constructed by supernatural beings whom the Bajorans
refer to as Prophets.
Although they are related to black holes, wormholes have not been sighted
yet in the real world, but they are theoretically possible. Such wormholes
would provide a shortcut through space through a higher dimension or
hyperspace. There is no reason why real-life wormholes should generally
have moving entries or exits like the Barzan Wormhole (TNG: "The
Price") though.
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