 |
| Ablative armor:
Hull armor employed for the most recent Starfleet vessels such as the Defiant, Prometheus,
and Galaxy Dreadnought classes. Ablative armor is an additional reactive plating imposing
a counterforce to incoming weapon fire, thereby dissipating its energy. |
| ACB: Acronym for
Annular Confinement Beam, a spatial matrix generated by the primary energizing coils of a
transporter system. The ACB determines the geometry for the subsequent scanning and
dematerialization process. |
| Accelerated critical neural pathway
formation: Enhancement of human brain functions through genetic
encoding. Julian Bashir's brain was improved at the age of six. The procedure, like many
other forms of genetic engineering, is outlawed in the Federation. |
| 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)). |
| Airlock: Area
which can be pressurized and depressurized, to provide controlled access to open space. An
airlock consists of at least one chamber with one inner and one outer door. The Cardassian
airlocks at Deep Space Nine have two chambers. |
| Alpha Wave Inducers: The Alpha
Wave Inducer is a device meant to induce sleep in most humanoids. It is not meant to
replace natural sleep, and cannot be used frequently. It is an electronic version of an
anesthetic. Subject enters a deep dreamless sleep during which surgical procedures can be
carried out without causing pain to the subject. |
Alternative timeline:
Any timeline which is different from the currently valid timeline, in particular a
timeline which does not exist any more because of a time travel or another method to alter
history.
An alternative timeline is equivalent to the "normal" course of time, since only
an external observer not affected by timeline changes is able to perceive the difference.
The concept is similar to a parallel universe, still, parallel timelines depend on each
other which is inevitably connected with paradoxes. |
| 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). |
| Anabolic Protoplasers: These
devices are used to heal internal and external body damage without the need of opening the
body cavity of the patient to effect repairs. They use small forcefields, phase-modulated
lasers, and anabolic accelerators to quickly heal injuries without scarring. They come in
a variety of sizes for different repairs. Smaller units are useful for fine work involving
the eyes and ears, while larger units heal cuts and even broken bones. They temporarily
confer the advantage of Instant Regeneration to the area treated, but cannot replace
surgery in serious injuries. For example, if used on a very deep stab wound, they could
seal the damaged tissues and prevent further blood loss, but a subcutaneous hole would
remain unless closed with surgery. This device will not repair incidental damage resulting
from the original injury. For example, blood loss. |
| Android: Humanoid
robot, basically consisting of a computer system, actuators and sensors inside a
human-like body. Androids are intentionally designed this way so as to work in the same
environment and to perform similar tasks as humans. Lt. Cmdr. Data is the only android so
far who has been legally acknowledged as a sentient lifeform in the Federation. |
| Anesthizine gas:
An anti-intruder defense used aboard starships and Federation facilities.
A concentration of 70 parts per million is more than enough to render
humanoids unconscious. Aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, Captain
Picard had Data flood the gas throughout the already cleared bays on Deck
38 when Roga Danar was suspected in a cargo bay there. Commander Riker
suggested using it on their alien-possessed shipmates and hostages in
Ten-Forward, but Chief Engineer LaForge points out the gas wouldn't work
on Data. It has also been known as "anastazine." |
| 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. |
| Antigrav:
Anti-gravity units that allow to handle heavy cargo. Antigravs are available as hand-held
devices and in form of pallets (see also gravity generator). Antigravs are probably based
on the same principle as the gravity generators on starships. Either antigravs generate a
reverse gravity field that compensates for the existing natural or artificial gravity, or
they are capable of shielding a volume from gravity. |
| 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. |
| Antigraviton: Artificially
generated, this can act as "antigravity". |
Antimatter:
Complementary form of matter in which the single particle has the same mass but reversed
charge. The mutual annihilation of matter and antimatter releases an enormous amount of
energy and is employed to power a starship's systems. |
| Antimatter generator:
Device located on deck 42 on a Galaxy-class vessel which serves to generate antimatter for
the warp drive in case the ship cannot be resupplied in a refuel facility. In normal
operation mode onboard antimatter generation is not efficient. It is obvious that more
energy is necessary to produce antimatter than the energy content of the obtained
antimatter. The only reason for this energy conversion is that the matter/antimatter
reaction provides much more power (energy per time) than a fusion reaction. This power is
required for the warp drive, while the other ship systems may alternatively be powered by
the impulse (fusion) reactor. |
| Antiproton: A naturally
occuring antimatter version of a proton that is capable of penetrating the Romulan
Cloaking Device. Also used in Hellfire torpedoes. |
| Antitime: A
concept of time running in reverse direction. Time and antitime are supposed to act like
matter and antimatter, causing a breach in space-time upon their collision. It seems Q
intentionally created antitime to fool Picard in TNG: "All Good Things". The
theory of antitime does exist in real world physics, yet, it is mere speculation when it
is supposed to occur (possibly in a contracting universe or in the center of a black hole)
and what the impact will be. |
| 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. |
| Assimilation: Borg
term for forced integration of lifeforms and technology into their Collective. For
humanoids, assimilation implies transformation into a drone, thereby completely losing
their individuality. Nanoprobes are key components in this process. Technology is
assimilated by combining and gradually merging existing Borg and new technology. The
difference between the human reasearch approach and the assimilation concept becomes most
obvious in VOY: "Scorpion". The mighty Borg Collective is helpless against
Species 8472 that cannot be assimilated, while a few people on a small starship find a
solution through extensive research. |
| Astrometrics:
Stellar cartography lab aboard a Federation starship, employed to chart regions of space
and to determine the ship's position. The lab on the Enterprise-D was called "stellar
cartography", while it's "astrometrics" on Voyager. It can be supposed that
both are synonymous. |
| 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)). |
| Atmospheric system:
Part of the life support systems that provides breathable air and comfortable temperature
and humidity on a starship. Class-M atmosphere is the standard setting on Federation
starships, implying 26°C temperature, 45% relative humidity and 101kPa air pressure with
a composition of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% trace gases. Part of the starship volume
can be switched to other environmental conditions. Oxygen is produced by photosynthetic
processing of CO2. |
| Auto destruct:
Extreme measure to prevent a starship from being captured by an enemy, also referred to as
self destruct. The auto destruct can be initiated by the captain, acknowledged by voice
recognition and personal command code. In most cases it is necessary that the first
officer or other senior officers confirm the auto destruct. A silent count-down can be
selected in order not to warn enemy forces that are already aboard. It seems Capt. Janeway
is the only starship captain who is authorized to destroy her ship all alone (VOY:
"Dreadnought"). |
 |
| Bajoran womhole: Stable
wormhole situated near Bajor and Deep Space 9. Used by the Federation for travelling to
the Gamma Quadrant. |
| Baryon: Naturally occuring
"heavy" particles like protons. Periodically need to be swept from the surface
of deep space constructs. |
| 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 wormholw: 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. |
| Battle bridge:
Secondary command center on Galaxy-class starships, located atop the engineering hull. The
battle bridge serves as replacement for the main bridge in case of heavy damage or as
control center for the engineering section in separated flight mode (saucer separation. |
| Bearing: Flight
vector which is specified relative to the ship's current orientation. A bearing consists
of the two coordinates azimuth (horizontal angle) and elevation (vertical angle). Bearing
000-mark-0 represents a direction straight ahead. |
| Berthold radiation: Form of
radiation, deadly for humans. |
| Biobed: This is an
orthopedically-designed hospital bed that includes medical sensors and display units for
diagnosis and gas and fluid connect points for treatment of patients. The primary biobed,
typically located in the center of a starship sickbay, is equipped with an additional
overhead sensor cluster and a containment field generator and serves for surgical and
other intensive-care procedures. The bed is raised to allow the doctor to comfortably
examine the patient. It has a graphic display at the head which gives the patient's
current status. Restraining fields are available on some models, but are rarely needed.
They also have a button to detach the bed from its wall hookup, and initiate the small
hovering devise, which allows the bed to be used as a stretcher for transportation. |
| 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
the transporter system that recognizes and filters out potentially hazardous viruses and
bacteria from the matter stream. The biofilter is normally used only in transport to the
ship. |
| Bioneural circuit:
Computer processor based on biological components, also referred to as gel packs.
Bioneural circuits are employed in the most recent Federation starships, such as the
Sovereign and Intrepid classes. Starfleet uses the original human brain structures in the
form of bioneural circuits instead of just imitating them with microelectronic (or
isolinear) technology. The gel packs containing biological components, however, they may
be infected by viruses or bacteria, as seen in VOY: "Learning Curve'" and
"Macrocosm". Real world neural networks are (still) silicon-based and have
limited capabilities. Despite their fair performance in recognition and association tasks,
they are still far from competing with the human brain. |
| Biomatter: See Organic
material. |
| Bioregenerative Fields: A
Bioregenerative Field is an energy field used to accelerate cellular growth. It
temporarily confers the advantage of Regeneration on the patient. A sterilize unit is
typically used during this procedure to keep infection from being multiplied by the
Bioregenerative Field. |
| Bioship: Starship
type employed by Species 8472, made of the same kind of biomatter as the species itself.
Modified Borg nanoprobes are the only known defense against the species and their ships,
while the Borg failed to assimilate them (VOY: "Scorpion"). |
| 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). |
| Black hole: Also
referred to as quantum singularity, an enormous concentration of mass the gravity of which
is so strong that even light is not able to escape. The radius inside which this effect
becomes evident is called event horizon. The existence of black holes has been confirmed
by real world physics. There are different types and sizes of black holes, some of them
actually existing, others assumed possible. Their common characteristic is the strong
gravitational force that causes any kind of mass/energy to fall towards its center, once
it is inside the event horizon. The mass concentration in the center is possibly beyond
the current laws of physics. Even the elementary particles that form the atom nucleus
under normal conditions might be crushed and further compressed to an unknown degree, with
a density close to infinity, which is referred to as singularity. |
| Body Armor/Combat Jacket:
Marine Phaser Armor that protects up to setting 16. Utility pockets for holding various
equipment |
| Borg alcove:
"Parking position" for a drone aboard a Borg cube, serves for regeneration and
omnidirectional interconnection. Usually each drone is assigned to a specific alcove. |
| Borg drone: Hybrid
humanoid/machine being that shares a common consciousness with the other drones of the
Borg Collective. They are born as normal humanoids and later assimilated. While the basic
composition of all Borg drones is similar, each single drone is equipped with task
specific tools. A typical Borg drone is largely covered with an exoskeleton, has a gray
skin color, no hair, one biological and one cybernetic eye, one biological and one
mechanical arm, the latter equipped with a variety of tools. |
| Borg Collective:
Designation for the Borg society in which the drones form a collective consciousness
instead of individual thinking and acting. The formerly humanoid drones are equipped with
several implants and are connected to each other and to their ship via subspace links. The
Borg Queen seems to be a contradiction to the principle of common consciousness. Still,
the Queen can be regarded as a representation or incarnation of the Collective rather than
an individual leader. This interpretation is corroborated by the fact that the Queen did
not exist in "Star Trek: First Contact" until she was assembled. Once she had
come to life, the Borg were dependent on her and finally died when she was destroyed. |
Borg implant:
Cybernetic component of Borg drones. The implants control, enhance and supplement their
biological functions. They also provide their biological parts with the required nutritive
substances.
The Borg are dependent on their implants. While Hugh's connection to the Collective could
not be severed in TNG: "I, Hugh", most of Seven of Nine's implants could be
removed (VOY: "Scorpion" and "The Gift"). |
| Bridge: See main
bridge, battle bridge. |
| Bussard collector:
Device usually attached to the forward end of the warp nacelles that serves to collect
interstellar hydrogen atoms for fuel replenishment, also referred to as Bussard ramscoop.
The Bussard collector consists of a set of coils which generate a magnetic field. The
Bussard collector is named for the 20th century physicist and mathematician Robert W.
Bussard. The Oberth class and the Excelsior class (original design) have no visible
Bussard collectors. The upgraded Excelsior version (Enterprise-B) has Bussard collectors,
although they seem to be ineffective, because they are hidden behind the saucer hull from
the perspective of an incoming hydrogen atom (a possible design flaw). |
 |
| Captain's yacht:
Large shuttle docked beneath the saucer hull of a Galaxy-class and Sovereign-class
starships, usually employed for diplomatic missions. The captain's yacht was never shown
in 178 TNG episodes, however, it is depicted in the STTNG Technical Manual. According to
Patrick Stewart, the captain's yacht of the Enterprise-D is named "Calypso". |
| Carbrodine: Origin unknown.
Becomes explosive when mixed with infernite. |
| Cardiostimulator: This is a
defibrillator that can also restart a stopped heart. This device will not damage surface
tissues. |
Cargo bay: Section
of a starship which is used for storage of various cargo. Cargo bays can be
accessed through docking ports or by cargo transporters. |
| Cargo transporter:
Low-resolution high-volume transporter system for non-biological objects. |
| Castridinium: Naturally
occurring, this is the hardest substance known to Federation Science. |
| Causality loop:
Sequence of events in which cause and effect cannot be distinguished. A causality loop is
possible if a time travel is involved. |
| 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:
Krenim weapon that employs a temporal invariance of typically 1.47µs to penetrate
shields.Chroniton torpedoes are featured in VOY: "Before and After" and
"The Year of Hell". This weapon is obviously related to temporal incursion. It
is not evident how the small temporal shift allows to pass through Voyager's shields as if
the latter had not been there 1.47µs before. Maybe they are out of phase.
Chroniton torpedoes only exist in the timeline when the Krenim Imperium is powerful, and
it is not clear whether this is the case at the end of the episode "The Year of Hell
II". |
| Chronometric particle: Mentioned
multiple times in Star Trek. Might be the same as a -> chroniton. |
| Cloaking device:
Technology of Romulan origin used to render a starship invisible to the eye and to
sensors, also used by the Klingons, Breen, The Order, USS Defiant, and ships in the 4th
Fleet. The cloaking device generates a space distortion which causes light and sensor rays
to travel around the ship, so nothing is reflected from its surface. Cloaking the ship
consumes large amounts of power, therefore the simultaneous use of the warp drive was not
possible with the early cloaking devices in the 23rd century. Furthermore, the use of
weapons is usually not possible while the cloaking device is activated. The space
distortion necessary to bend light rays is equivalent to an enormous mass concentration
and would certainly crush the ship and crew, so additional measures must be taken to
compensate the effect inside the distortion. |
| Cloning: Technique
to grow a new body that is genetically identical to an existing lifeform. Cmdr. Riker and
Dr. Pulaski were cloned without their consent in TNG: "Up the Long Ladder".
Still, shooting at their clones with phasers was ethically highly questionable. At least,
Riker did not kill his twin who came to existence after the transporter accident on the
U.S.S. Potemkin (TNG: "Second Chances"). The Vorta are a complete race of cloned
individuals, and a Vorta like Weyoun can simply be recreated by the Founders if their
predecessor is dead or regarded as unreliable. |
| 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 drive:
An FTL propulsion technology which is described as bending space, not subspace, as opposed
to conventional warp drive. The description of the coaxial warp drive of "folding the
fabric of space" (VOY: "Vis-à-Vis") sounds much like what several people,
including author Lawrence Krauss, claim that normal warp drive works. I only have a
problem with the term "coaxial" for which there is no clue.
Cochrane: Measure for the subspace field stress. The unit is employed to measure the power
of a warp drive as well as of other devices which employ a subspace field, such as the
impulse drive and the FTL computer core. The cochrane value equals the velocity ratio v/c
for the given warp factor. Warp 1 and v/c=1 is achieved for a subspace distortion of 1
cochrane. Values smaller than 1 cochrane correspond to sublight speed. At Warp 10,
finally, the cochrane value becomes infinite, and so does the apparent velocity. The unit
was named in honor of Zefram Cochrane who built the first Terran vessel to achieve warp
speed. |
| 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). |
| Communicator:
Personnel subspace communication device, originally hand-held, later in the 24th century
integrated in the Starfleet badge; the latter is also referred to as comm badge. The
communicator serves to establish a voice contact to another person or computer and
provides lock-on contact for the transporter. The comm badge is usually programmed with a
crew member's individual bioelectric data, which is verified through a dermal sensor. The
communicator will fail if used by an unauthorized person. Recent cellular phones are
smaller than the original communicator, which is a clear indication for the progress in
electronics since the 1960's and could possibly render TOS ridiculous. Still, it has to be
taken into account that subspace communication is far beyond our time. |
| 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) |
| Computer system:
Data processing, transfer and storage system employed for a wide variety of control
purposes, for scientific analysis and as a database. In 24th Federation starships the
computer cores are equipped with supspace field generators which enable FTL data
processing and transmission. All components of the computer system are connected with each
other and with the main computer core by the ODN. A number of subprocessors is distributed
throughout the ship to supply additional computing capacity, improve speed and provide
redundancy. As the data volumes as well as the clock frequencies of computers rise, light
speed becomes the main limiting speed factor. Moreover, distances of several 100m have to
be bridged e.g. within starships. Hence, FTL data processing is inevitable in 24th century
computers. |
| 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, and Enterprise-D's
cruising speed is warp 7 (max.: warp 9.2). |
| Cortical stimulator:
Medical device that stimulates brain activity in case of severe injuries. |
Cryostasis: State
of low biological activity in a human body, achieved by preserving the body in a cooling
chamber. Cryostasis was featured in a number of episodes, usually as a technology for
long-range space
travel (TOS: "Space Seed", TNG: "The Emissary", VOY:
"11:59") or to preserve a genetic pool (VOY: "The 37's"). Another
method is cryonics, meaning that the bodies of patients with incurable diseases are frozen
after their deaths (TNG: "The Neutral Zone"), hoping they might be revived in
the future. |
 |
| 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). |
| deBroglie Waves: Naturally
occurring--a representation of ordinary matter as waves rather than particles. Can also be
artificially generated, and is a side effect of cloaking devices. |
| Dechyon: An artificially
created class of particles that travel below the speed of light. |
| 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 shield:
Forcefield around a starship, space station, planet or other facility that serves for
protection against natural hazards and enemy attacks. This shielding system is often
simply referred to as shields. Phaser and disruptor fire cannot directly penetrate the
shields, unless the shield frequency is known and exactly matched. Without matching,
weapons may weaken the shields by draining energy from them and their respective energy
sources. Transporters cannot be used when the shields are in place. In contrast to the
shields, the navigational deflector <treknology2.htm> usually provides a forcefield
which focuses on single obstacle such as a comet. |
| 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). |
| 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) |
| Dermal regenerator:
Medical device used to seal small wounds or burns and restore the original skin structure.
Dermal regenerators are standard equipment of Starfleet and other civilizations in the
24th century. The hand-held dermal regenerator is supposed to support and accelerate the
natural healing process of the skin tissue, as has been demonstrated on many occasions
since TNG. Yet, there might be an improved regenerator installed in sickbay that is
capable of more than just emitting "healing rays" and possibly equipped with a
microreplicator, so larger injuries can also be treated without leaving scars. Obviously
the Doctor refers to such a device when he tells Janeway that without a dermal regenerator
there will be scars left on her face and arms in VOY: "The Year of Hell II", for
it is quite improbable that all the small hand-held devices are out of order. |
| 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)). |
| Deuterium: Isotope
of hydrogen, includes an aditional neutron. Deuterium fuel is used for the fusion reactor
(impulse drive) as well as for the matter/antimatter reaction (warp drive). |
| Dilithium crystal:
Component of the warp drive inside which the matter and antimatter streams are converted
to an electroplasma stream in a controlled mutual annihilation. Dilithium is the only
known element to be non-reactive to antimatter when subjected to a high frequency
electromagnetic field in the megawatt range. The efficiency of the reaction inside the
crystal depends on its quality. While naturally occuring crystals had to be used in the
23rd century, monocrystalline dilithium can now be produced by means of epitaxy. Although
Dilithium does not exist in the real world (and would probably not be a stable element if
ever discovered), it is an efficient concept to solve the problem of controlling the
matter/antimatter reaction. |
Dimensional shifter:
Transporting device using space folding, as opposed to the Federation transporter. This
transporting method is used by the Ansata group in TNG: "The High Ground" and
has the side
effect of DNA damage. The Sikarian trajector in VOY: "Prime Factors" is probably
based on space folding as well. |
| Disruptor: Energy
discharge weapons, used by Klingons and Romulans. Disruptors are available as shipboard
and hand-held weapons. The function principle of disruptors is probably similar to
phasers, however, further information on this issue is "classified". |
| Docking port:
Facility for establishing a physical connection and mutual access between a shuttlepod and
a starship or a starship and a space station. |
| Doppler compensator:
Part of the transporter system that compensates for relative motion of the origin and the
destination of the transport. Without this device, the Doppler effect would lead to a
wavelength shift, thereby distorting the transport pattern. |
| 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. |
| Drydock: Facility
in which starships are maintained and repaired, usually located in a planet orbit in
combination with a starbase. |
| Duck blind:
Cloaked observation post, employed by the Federation for anthropological studies of native
pre-warp civilizations. |
| Duotronics:
Computer technology used aboard Federation starships from the mid-23rd to the beginning of
the 24th century, invented by Dr. Richard Daystrom. Daystrom was also responsible for a
further development, the multitronics. The experiment, however, failed in 2268 because the
M-5 multitronics computer was given consciousness and willfulness (TOS: "The Ultimate
Computer"). The Duotronics was eventually replaced by isolinear technology from 2329. |
Dyson Sphere:
Artificial sphere built around a star in order to take advantage of its energy emissions.
The Dyson sphere is named after Freeman Dyson, who conceived this concept. There are
several types of Dyson spheres. The one featured in TNG: "Relics" is the most
advanced type and completely envelops the star. Its radius is 100 million km so as to
provide moderate irradiation density on its inner surface, maintaining Class-M living
conditions throughout the whole 1.25*10^20 km^2 area, 7*10^11 times the Earth's surface.
In an optimistic estimation the sphere is only 100m thick and any element except for
hydrogen and helium can be employed for its construction. Still, about 12,000 Earth-like
planets would be required in this case. As a result, there should be a large space region
without planets. Only a vastly advanced and superior Q-like race would have the power to
collect planets and put them together to such a huge construction. However, a serious
objection is that a race able to build a Dyson biosphere would actually not need one and a
less advanced civilization with the necessary knowledge would not give up their planet(s),
everything that makes up their history. Summarizing, this type of Dyson sphere is not a
viable concept. Nevertheless, scientists are engaged in a serious search for such objects.
Dyson spheres are supposed to have infrared emissions, because the light coming from the
respective star is absorbed and converted to heat. In order to maintain a constant average
temperature inside the sphere, it would be necessary to allow the outer surface to emit
the excess energy in form of infrared radiation. Unlike the Dyson biosphere a radiation
collector installed in space, inside the orbit of Mercury, could provide all the necessary
energy required for an advanced human civilization.
|
 |
EMH: Acronym for
Emergency Medical Hologram, a holographic replacement for a starship's medical officer.
The EMH is a combination of a projection and forcefields, like most objects created on the
holodeck.
Being only a projection, the EMH seems to be inferior to replicated holocharacters.
However, in this way he is able to change between an opaque and a transparent state, if
required. |
| Eichner radiation: Radiation
emitted by subspace phase inverters. The entity Ian in 'The Child' (TNG) is a source of
this radiation. |
| Einsteinian: 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 theoren: 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). |
| Engineering section:
Also referred to as engineering hull, secondary hull or stardrive section, typically a
separate section of a Federation vessel in which the main power source and control (main
engineering) is located. |
| EPS: Acronym for
ElectroPlasma System, the power distribution network used aboard Federation starships.
Plasma is diverted throughout the ship to supply the warp drive and other systems such as
SIF, life support, computers, shields or weapons. |
Escape pod: Small
vessel that is released from a starship in case of an extreme emergency, also referred to
as lifeboat. All recent Federation starships are equipped with escape pods, a Galaxy-class
vessel has about 400 of them. Escape pods are equipped with RCS propulsion only. The
escape pods can evidently be reintegrated into the ship, as it was shown for the Sovereign
class in "Star Trek: First Contact" and the Intrepid class in VOY:
"Dreadnought". It is obvious that the escape pods do not offer a good chance to
survive, in particular during a battle (DS9: "Valiant"). So evacuation is the
last option in case the ship is out of control. Yet, this applies in the same manner to
sea ships. The STTNG Technical Manual uses the term autonomous survival and recovery
vehicle (ASRV) for the Galaxy-class escape pods. If "escape pod" or
"lifeboat" are just generic terms, an ASRV might be a specific, more advanced
type. This would explain that ASRV's were first used as late as 2337, although previous
starships already did have lifeboats, such as the Constitution refit (lifeboat sign in the
cargo bay in "Star Trek I", mentioned in Kobayashi Maru simulation in "Star
Trek II") and Constellation (mentioned in TNG: "The Battle"). |
Eugene's limit:
Theoretical limit imposed on warp propulsion systems. According to Eugene's limit, warp
factor 10 can not be achieved, since the energy expenditure as well as the speed would be
infinite.
Eugene's limit is named after Gene Roddenberry, who introduced the Warp 10 limit for TNG.
Although it was an arbitrary definition at first, Eugene's limit can fortunately be
explained along with the peak transitional threshold in a way that a 10th layer of the
warp field is not efficient and the complete remaining velocity range is compressed
between Warp 9 (9 layers) and Warp 10 (infinite speed). Any mentioned warp factor of 10 or
more that seems to break this rule is actually attributed to a different definition of
warp factors (either the old TOS scale or the future scale in TNG: "All Good
Things"), where the latter might be connected with a new propulsion technology. In
essence, Eugene's limit expresses the impossibility of achieving infinite speed, and this
fundamental principle has been violated only in VOY: "Threshold". Infinite speed
is impossible, irrespective of the employed propulsion system and probably also for Q-like
beings. Considering that there is nothing beyond infinite speed and therefore no threshold
to cross at Warp 10, even the title of this episode is wrong. This is what Rick Sternbach
says about "Threshold" in his newsgroup Rick Stienbach said (posted
17.03.99): "I think what may have happened with the silly Warp 10 episode was that
there was a coupling of the energy from the shuttle to all of the energy *and* matter of
the universe (which might be possible if we're looking at a finite system), and the
shuttle was able to access any point anywhere by some amazing tunneling phenomenon which
shrank the normal 3D distances to points, much like all the universe being squished into a
pinpoint at the big bang because it was all energy with no need for elbow room.
Whew." |
Event horizon:
Spherical boundary around a black hole inside which any form of mass or energy is
inevitably trapped, unless it can move faster than light. A hypothetical event horizon can
be assumed and calculated for any mass value. It is possible to survive within the event
horizon at least for a few seconds, provided that it is a huge black hole with around a
million sun masses. A person crossing the event horizon in a starship would notice nothing
but a distorted view of the outside world at first. However, while falling towards the
center, the starship and its passenger would be virtually stretched and finally torn
apart because of the strong gravitational force gradient. An external observer outside the
event horizon would perceive the starship and its passenger move slower the closer they
get to the event horizon, corresponding to a time dilation. Eventually, they would
virtually seem to stand still exactly on the edge of the event horizon. Anyway, the
starship would become invisible to the observer because of the red shift of outgoing
radiation. The description of the real-world phenomenon is not consistent with the effects
shown in VOY: "The Parallax". |
| Exocomp: Small
robot designed for multi-purpose tasks in hazardous environments. Exocomps are equipped
with microreplicators for generating whatever tool is currently needed and an extensive
neural system to allow independent decisions. In 2369 Lt. Cmdr. Data proved that Exocomps,
due to this intelligence, had to be regarded as sentient lifeforms. |
| 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. |
Exoskeleton:
Body covering of Borg drones. The exoskeleton serves as armor and is directly connected to
the organic body.
|
 |
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, a parallel universe filled with a biological fluid. |
| Food processor:
Ship system providing the crew of a 23rd century Federation starship with food. The food
processor is possibly the predecessor of the replicator that has been introduced in the
24th century, but it is unknown whether the food processor actually creates and composes
the nutritive substances or only conveys them. |
| 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
quantum singularity, in fact an artificial black hole. |
| Forcefield:
Generic term for an artificially generated electromagnetic or gravitational field. There
is a wide variety of forcefields for different purposes, for instance the deflector
shield, the navigational deflector field, the IDF, the SIF or the artificial gravity.
Containmaint fields are forcefields used to contain dangerous materials. Other types of
forcefields are employed to lock a starship brig or a shuttlebay while the mechanical door
is open. Star Trek episodes often suggest that forcefields can easily be shaped so as to
provide a flat surface and an abrupt border. The force of real electromagnetical or
gravitational fields, however, decays proportional to 1/r^2 in a distance r from the
source. Sources from many directions would have to interact in order to create the
forcefields usually seen in Star Trek. This is almost never the case, especially not in
VOY: "Extreme Risk", where B'Elanna manages to "project" a perfectly
flat and thin forcefield inside the Delta Flyer. |
| FTL: Acronym for
Faster Than Light, applies to warp propulsion and 24th century computer systems. |
Fusion reactor:
Energy source which is based a fusion reaction, usually employing hydrogen/deuterium that
is fused to helium. A fusion reactor is used to power the impulse drive of a Federation
starship. The energized plasma generated inside the reactor is then accelerated, fed into
a driver coil assembly and eventually exhausted, yielding the desired propulsive effect.
The impulse reactor is also used as auxiliary power source for other ship systems. A
similar technology is used to power the station Deep Space Nine. In a single atom scale,
nuclear fusion can be achieved in particle accelerators. However, a technical
implementation requires thermal activation of the fusion reaction, as it takes place
inside the Sun and was developed for the thermonuclear bomb (H-bomb). It is questionable
if a breakthrough in fusion research will be accomplished in the near future, because
fusion is not free of problems concerning shielding, radiation and waste management.
Notwithstanding the fact that nuclear fusion does provide a much higher power output than
nuclear fission, it may be connected with similar risks.
|
 |
| 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 project:
Ambitious terraforming project at the end of the 23rd century. Its key component, the
Genesis device, was supposed to transform desert planets into inhabitable Class-M worlds.
This process was determined by a transformation matrix. The Genesis device is too
omnipotent to be true. Not only did it form a planet out of the gaseous or plasma matter
of the Mutara Nebula, also this planet was immediately turned into a Class-M world and,
moreover, even life was created from inanimate matter ("Star Trek: The Wrath of
Khan"). The Genesis device enables its owner to "play God", and maybe the
Klingon commander Kruge was right to regard it as the ultimate weapon. The amount of
energy required exceeds the capabilities of the small Genesis device by far, so a quantum
uncertainty effect like in the quantum torpedoes might be involved or energy would have to
be produced from part of the reacting matter itself in a kind of chain-reaction. However,
the so-called matrix is much more mysterious. The Genesis process evidently has several
stages that need precise scheduling, which is supposed to be accomplished by the matrix.
Entropy considerations forbid the shown sequence of events, and it was not controlled from
outside, either. At least the instability of the planet in the subsequent movie "Star
Trek: The Search for Spock" is plausible in this respect and attributed to the
explosion of the device within the Mutara Nebula instead of a planet surface. Anyway, if
Federation science had really developed such divine capabilities, nothing would have been
the same after that. Still, never again this incredible advance was taken advantage of and
it was only mentioned in VOY: "The Omega Directive". |
| 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: An
experimental medical device used to stimulate the genetic code of an individual into
growing whatever types of cells are needed by the patients. It temporarily confers the
advantage of Instant Regeneration on patients. Device that replicated a new spinal column
for Worf in 'Ethics' (TNG) |
| Genetic engineering:
Generic term for modification of DNA, illegal in the Federation. See also accelerated
critical neural pathway formation. |
| 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. |
| Gravitic Mine:
Mine used in the 2300s and 2400s. It was intended to have an explosive force of 75
isotones. Weapon that damaged the Kobayashi Maru simulation. ("Star Trek: The Wrath
of Khan") |
| 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 generator:
Device based on the emission of graviton particles that provides artificial gravity in
normally zero-g environments. Artificial gravity is an essential life support system on a
starship, since it allows natural walking and working and enables an "upwards"
and "downwards" orientation. Usually a network of gravity generators is
employed, in order to provide a homogeneous gravity field. In case of an EPS failure, the
gravity generators on Federation starships remain in service for up to 240min. The
existence of gravitons has been confirmed by real world science. Still, there is no viable
theory for generating gravitons without the according mass being involved. Since the
distributed gravity generators keep on working even on heavily damaged ships, the loss of
artificial gravity is a very rare failure ("Star Trek: The Undiscovered
Country", VOY: "Prey"). Of course, this is also attributed to a limited
special effects budget. There are experiments in the real world to shield or change
gravity with superconductors |
| 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. |
 |
| Hailing frequencies:
A broad range of (subspace) communication frequencies which is used to contact alien
ships, in order to ensure that the message is received. Hailing messages are usually sent
in various languages, when an unknown alien ship is encountered. |
| Harmonic chamber: Chamber in
which harmonic waves stabilize Omega. |
| Heading: Flight
vector which is specified relative to the center of the galaxy. A heading consists of the
two coordinates azimuth (horizontal angle) and elevation (vertical angle). Heading
000-mark-0 represents a direction towards the galaxy center. |
| Heisenberg compensator:
Part of the transporter system that is connected to the molecular imaging scanners and
balances out the Heisenberg effect. This effect is a quantum uncertainty that would
otherwise not allow to exactly recreate the state of a complex electronic device or an
organism, in particular a neural system.
|
| 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: A room
aboard a starship or any other facility equipped with a 360 degree projection and
forcefield system to recreate or simulate whatever natural or artificial environment is
requested. The projection system is based on the omnidirectional holodiode. Numerous
holodiodes are arranged in form of an array in the walls of a holodeck. Mere holographic
light projections are employed to recreate remote scenery, while objects likely to be
touched may be replicated. The projection always includes the whole three-dimensional
structure of the environment, of which the visitor only perceives a two-dimensional
cross-section, according to his current visual angle. In order to simulate a much larger
environment than the size of the holodeck, forcefields are moving beneath the feet of the
participants, while the whole
environment is "scrolling". It has been shown in several TNG episodes and
mentioned in the STTNG Technical Manual that the holodeck does not only project light or
forcefields, but is also capable of actually creating matter. It is obvious that the
holodeck includes replicators to generate permanent matter. Only in this way it can be
explained why Wesley remains wet after leaving the holodeck in TNG: "Encounter at
Farpoint" and why the piece of paper with the Enterprise schematic drawn by Moriarty
continues to exist outside the holodeck in TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data". Still,
there is also the so-called "holomatter", that is equivalent to real matter, as
long as it remains on the holodeck. The properties of holomatter (namely Moriarty) and the
possibility to convert it to real matter with the help of the transporter are discussed in
TNG: "Ship in a Bottle". The holomatter characters in TNG: "The Big
Goodbye" do actually vanish just outside the range of the holoprojectors. However,
according to the STTNG Technical Manual this matter does not cease to exist outside the
holodeck, but is only without computer control. Maybe the holdeck has been improved in the
meantime so as to provide "real" characters. The scrolling effect employed to
move within the simulation is plausible, as long as only a few persons are present, and
the holodeck can be split if the two persons or two groups of persons move too far away
from each other in the simulation. The holographic projection system is fascinating, yet
mysterious. 20th century holograms reproduce a surface, which can be viewed from any angle
up to 360 degree. Star Trek holodiodes actually create a volume by suited interference of
electromagnetic beams, and a person is able to move within this projection without
disturbing it. |
| Holoemitter:
Actual device that projects photons and forcefields that make up a Hologram. These are not
onlys on holodecks and holosuites, but most Federation ships have them installed in their
Sick-Bay to allow the use of EMH systems. Some of the newer Starships in the fleet, like
the Prometheus and Galaxy Dreadnought classes have them installed though out the ship to
allow the EMH treat wounded on any deck. |
| Hologram:
Esentually a collection of photons and force fields that take the appearance and feel of
'real' objects and people, like the EMH. |
| 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. |
| Holomatter:
A simulation of matter using force field and holo-imaging technology within the holodeck.
Disintegrates when removed from the holodeck. |
| Holosuite:
Fundamentally the same installation as a holodeck. The difference in the word is minor.
Holodecks are on Starships while Holosuites are on Starbases and Spacestations (IE- DS9,
SB 375, SB Bravo, DS14, etc) |
| Hydrogen collectors: See
Bussard collectors. |
| 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:
Concept of an additional spatial dimension, used to describe a folded 3-dimensional space.
While the term hyperspace is used extremely seldom in Star Trek, in contrast to most other
science fiction, it is included in for instance in the wormhole theory. |
| Hypospray: Medical
device that allows subcutaneous or intravenous injections without syringe. The hypospray
evoporates the medicament and ejects it under high pressure so as to penetrate the
epidermis without damage. |
 |
IDF: Acronym for
Inertial Damping Field, a forcefield that is especially designed to compensate for
acceleration forces within a starship. Several IDF generators are distributed throughout a
Federation starship.
Although the purpose and principle is similar, the IDF works independently of the SIF.
Without the IDF, the crew would virtually be crushed when the ship accelerates. The STTNG
Technical Manual introduces a response delay, so as to justify "why our crew is
occasionally knocked out of their chairs during battle or other drastic maneuvers despite
the IDF." |
| Impulse drive:
Propulsion system for sublight speeds. In Federation starships, the impulse drive usually
consists of a fusion reactor, an accelerator, a driver coil assembly and an exhaust
director. The fusion reaction generates a highly excited plasma <treknology2.htm>.
This plasma can be employed for propulsion, or can be diverted through the EPS so as to
supply other systems. The accelerated plasma is passed through the driver coils, thereby a
subspace field is generated that improves the propulsive effect. In The Physics of Star
Trek Lawrence Krauss discusses the amount of fuel required for impulse speed, based on the
energy gained by the fusion reaction, and considering that mass significantly increases at
relativistic speeds. His result is that much more fuel than the ship's mass is required to
accelerate the ship to high sublight speed. Krauss did not take into account that the
subspace field generated in the driver coils lowers the apparent mass. The STTNG Technical
Manual, however, states that the subspace driver coil was introduced as late as in the
Ambassador class, although it must have existed before according to Krauss's calculations.
One could suggest that the warp coils could generate a subspace field below 1 cochrane in
order to achieve sublight propulsion or at least facilitate impulse propulsion. However,
according to the STTNG Technical Manual, the efficiency of the warp coils is reduced
drastically below Warp 1 and therefore the warp drive is not "wasted" for this
purpose. |
| 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:
Sublight speed which is achieved with the impulse drive, usually measured in fractions of
c. For impulse speeds above approx. 0.25c, relativistic considerations are inevitable. |
| 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. |
| 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 generator:
A cloaking device that manipulates the molecular structure of matter in a way that it is
transferred to a parallel space. Matter cloaked with an interphase generator is not only
invisible to conventional natural and artificial sensors, it is also able to penetrate
normal matter. An interphase generator was installed in the USS Pegasus in 2358, although
cloaking devices are prohibited in the Federation according to the Algeron Treaty (TNG:
"The Pegasus"). The Romulans tested such a cloaking device in 2368. When the
experiment failed and the Enterprise arrived to assist the Romulan ship, Geordi and Laren
were affected by this device and disappeared. However, while being in phase, they were
still able to stand on the floor and breathe normal air (TNG: "The Next Phase").
The shown effects are much too inconsistent to determine whether the cloaked object
disappears to a parallel dimension or to subspace or anywhere else. |
| 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 chip:
Nanotechnical device that serves for data and software storage in 24th Federation computer
systems. Optical signal processing is employed in isolinear chips, and FTL signal transfer
is enabled when installed in a starship's computer core. Isolinear chips also serve as
portable storage devices. It is unknown why these chips are called "isolinear",
maybe this refers to the single (iso-) crystalline structure of the optical layers. |
| Isolinear rod:
Cardasssian equivalent to Federation isolinear chips. |
| Isolytic weapon:
(Subspace weaponry) Weapon technology that uses subspace as destructive force. Isolytic
weaponry is banned by the Federation and more Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers 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') Also see subspace
weapon. |
| Isomagnetic disintegrator:
Large portable energy beam weapon. Such a weapon was used by Picard's crew to defend the
Ba'ku in 2375. |
Isoton:
Unit for the measurement of the explosive force of a weapon, like photon, hellfire, and
quantum torpedoes. This unit might be useful, yet it is not very precise. Since
"iso-" means "equal", it could
represent an equivalent mass of explosives, given in tons. It is very improbable that the
(metric?) tons refer to TNT, because present day fission bombs are already in the range of
hundreds of kilotons of TNT. The unit probably does not apply to antimatter, either, since
a photon torpedo contains only a few kilograms of it and in VOY: "Scorpion II",
Seven of Nine lists "Voyager's weapons inventory: Photon torpedo complement 32,
Class-6 warheads. Explosive yield 200 isotons." Isotons are also mentioned in VOY:
"The Omega Directive", where a single photon torpedo casing can be armed to 80
isotons.
|
 |
| Jefferies tube:
Service corridor in a Federation starship. A network of Jefferies tubes runs through each
starship and provides access to the various conduits (EPS) and waveguides (ODN). Jefferies
tubes are named in honor of Matt Jefferies, the ingenious designer of the original
starship Enterprise. |
 |
| Krieger waves:
Energy source, invented by Dr. Apgar at Tanuga Resarch Station (near Tanuga IV) in 'A
Matter of Perspective' (TNG). |
 |
| Lang-cycle fusion engines:
Propulsion system of the 1000-years old Promellian battlecruiser Cleponji in 'Booby Trap'
(TNG). |
| Laser: Acronym for
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In a laser, the oscillator (a
gaseous, fluid or solid matter) is embedded in a resonator, usually consisting of two
mirrors. Continuous energy supply leads to an occupation inversion of energy levels within
the oscillator, meaning that more electrons are in an excited (higher energy) state than
in the normal state. A large amount of narrow-band light is produced, corresponding to
electrons falling back to their normal states. A small part of the generated photons
generates new excited electrons, while the major part is emitted through one of the
mirrors which is semi-transparent. Laser weapons have been replaced by the more powerful
phasers in the 23rd century, however, lasers are still in use as cutting and welding
tools. The above descrition applies to 20th century lasers, and it can be supposed that
their principle will not change until the 24th century. |
| 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: Acronym for
Library Computer Access and Retrieval System, the common user interface of 24th century
computer systems, based on verbal and graphically enhanced keyboard/display input and
output. The graphical interface adapts to the task which is supposed to be performed,
allowing for maximum ease-of-use. While LCARS-like interfaces are a common feature to date
not only for Star Trek websites,
adaptive graphical user interfaces were a revolutionary idea in 1986 (at least for IBM PC
users), when TNG was being projected. |
| Life support:
Designation for a number of ship systems necessary to maintain living conditions for the
crew, namely atmospheric system, gravity generators and EPS. The life support systems are
distributed throughout the ship and redundant systems are available to provide maximum
safety for the crew. |
| Lightspeed:
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. |
 |
| M5 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). |
Main bridge:
Control center of a starship, usually located atop the saucer hull of Federation ships.
The bridge includes workstations for command (captain and first officer), flight control
(Conn), mission operations (Ops), tactical, science, environment and engineering. Most
bridges on Starfleet vessels are replaceable modules, so that adaptation to special
missions or upgrading the ship is facilitated.
The concept of bridge modules allows the use of different bridge sceneries for the same
starship class and explains why the bridge of the Enterprise-A in "Star Trek: The
Final Frontier" was completely different from the preliminary version in "Star
Trek: The Voyage Home". The Miranda class was seen with as many as four different
types of bridges. |
| Main engineering:
Control center for propulsion, energy distribution, sensor, navigation, environmental and
other ship systems, usually located next to the warp core. |
| Maneuvering thrusters:
See RCS. |
| M/ARA:
(Matter/Antimatter Reaction Assembly) Official name for a warp core in which matter
annihilates with antimatter. |
| Marines: A
fighting force specializing in the attacking role of combat as part of a larger unit.
Marines are also cross trained in Starship operations, including Tactical, Piloting
skills, and other departments. |
| 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). |
Medikit:
The Physician's Medikit is a small, strap-on case designed to carry emergency medical
supplies. A Standard kit should include:
1 - Anabolic Protoplaser
1 - Bandage assortment
1 - Cardiostimulator
2 - Hyposprays
1 - Medical Tricorder
1 - Neural Stimulator
1 - Respirator
1 - Sampling kit
And the following medications:
5 - Vials of Delactovine
5 - Vials of Tricordrazine
3 - Vials of Analgine
4 - Vials of Hyronalyn
3 - Vials of Panamyacin
All doses of any drug type are contained in vials that must be inserted into the
Hypospray. The standard kit may be altered to suit missions or situations, but must be
altered before the mission begins. For example, if the doctor knows that he is going into
a combat zone, he may replace the 3 vials of Panamyacin with more Hyronalyn or Analgine.
|
| Medical tricorder:
The standard medical tricorder is a multipurpose technical and scientific instrument. It
is a modified TR-580 with an extra external medical probe and scanner attachment. It has
the following capabilities: Biosampler, Bioscanner, Chemscanner, Datalink, Environmental
Analysis, Medscanner, Multiscanner, and Radscanner. For its size, the Medical Tricorder
can maintain and store vast amounts of data in its own memory, which it uses to help
evaluate conditions on site. The Medical Tricorder has an external hand-held sensing
device. This peripheral contains over 100 sensors, and the Tricorder contains a
specialized medical database that provides detailed medical diagnostic tools in the field
including tomographic and micrographic imaging. A small diagnosis wand fits into the top
of the peripheral and is occasionally used by the physician to provide close
high-resolution scans. Together, these sensors allow the Medical Tricorder to make very
detailed diagnosis on known species. On unknown species, it is limited to telling if the
life-form is sick or dying. A detailed analysis is not possible in such a situation.
Effective range is about three yards. |
| Metagenic weapon:
Genetic mass destruction weapon prohibited by the Federation. The Cardassians deceived the
Federation in 2368 when they spread rumors about a metagenic weapon, and Jean-Luc Picard
was captured by them when he tried to find proof for it (TNG: "Chain of
Command") |
| 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 shield:
Shield capable of protecting a vessel from the intense radiation and high temperature
inside the corona of a star. The metaphasic shield was developed by the Ferengi scientist
Dr. Regar in the first place (TNG: "Suspicions"). Dr. Beverly Crusher further
promoted this technology and employed it to defeat the Borg in TNG: "Descent". |
Metryon cascade:
Mass destruction weapon used by the Haakonians that killed many of the inhabitants of the
Talaxian moon Rhinax, and left the survivors suffering from a deadly blood disease,
metrymia.
This weapon was featured in VOY: "Jetrel". |
| 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). |
MLSS: Multi-Layered Shielding
System
Layer 3 - The outermost layer manipulates
graviton polarity in a way not typical to shields, creating a graviton flux
disruption that prevents many know designs of threat tractor beam from locking on to
the vessel. This layer also incorporates transport inhibitor technology, helping prevent
an enemy from transporting aboard.
Layer 2 - The middle layer incorporates
automatic rotation of frequency and modulation with meta-phasics, which absorbs enemy
fire, spreads it out along the shield. This shield sends data on what type of weapon is
used and what frequency and phase the weapon uses. Once this is analyzed, the shield can
be configured to have the same frequency as the incoming weapon, but different modulation,
which dramatically increases shield efficiency.
Layer 1 - The innermost shield layer is a
multi-phaseic shield. Based on standard regenerative shielding, this is the ship's last
line of defense. The key to this layer is it's ability to 'wave' while in a state of
temporal flux. This technology was developed in part by the crew of USS Voyager and the
Mannheim Research Station. Instead of a standard oval bubble, this layer 'ripples' or
waves (like the surface of water on a pond) while in a state of temporal flux. This
dramatically increases protection against weapons such as the Hellfire Torpedo and
Chronaton Torpedoes while at the same time helping protect the ship from temporal
anomalies. |
| Mobile emitter:
Device which enables the EMH of the starship USS Voyager to work in environments without
holoprojectors. This device originates in the 29th century. Voyager has sent data on the
emitter to Starfleet in datastream transmissions and Starfleet has designed smiliar, but
not as advanced emitter of it's own. These have been distributed though out Starfleet. |
Mobile Surgical Frame (MSF):
24th century medicine has advanced significantly over the past few years with the
introduction of the EMH and the refinement of micro-surgery.However, we still have a long
way to go in regard to planetary medicine. In the past, severly injured patients in
the field had only two choices, wait to be transported back to a medical facility, or have
an operation in a less-than-sterile environment. The MSF was designed to replace the
latter option. Put simply, the Mobile Surgical Frame is the same as the Surgical
Support Frame integrated into bio-beds on Starships, only on a portable
scale. This technology will be invaluable to field medics and hospitals as well as
starship medical officers. Thank you for considering this proposal.
MSF Specifications:
Casing: Micromilled duranium foam
Height (stowed): 1100 cm
Height (deployed): 1500 cm
Width: 2000 cm
Length: 1500 cm
Weight: 20 lbs.
Power source: 10 replenisable sarium krellide cells, capable of supporting the MSF for 2
weeks without recharging.
Instruments: Embedded into the MSF are biofunction sensors as well as the Medical
Peripheral which is standard in all Medical Tricorders.
Functions: The MSF provides a sterile environment for surgery using a variety of
forcefield generators. It is also capable of automated administration of introvenous
medication as well as cardiovascular support
and emergency defibrillation. The MSF may also be customized to fit a specific
species, the default being humanoid. |
| 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)) |
| Multifire Phaser Strips: New
phaser array for the Galaxy Class Dreadnought, disignated Type-XV. Each strip can lock
onto and fire up to a maximum of ten beams at ten different targets. |
| 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). |
 |
| 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:
Nanotechnical devices developed by the Federation to work in microscopic environments, for
instance on a cellular level in a human body. In 2366, nanites were discovered to have
developed a consciousness. The capabilities and the size of nanites are discussed here. |
| Nanoprobes:
Microscopic devices that are programmed to convert (assimilate) a living organism to a
Borg drone. Once injected to the blood stream, the nanoprobes take control of the organism
and form the first Borg implants. It was amazing and disturbing how fast Lt. Hawk and
other crew members were assimilated in "Star Trek: First Contact". The mere
injection of nanoprobes is obviously sufficient to change the whole metabolism in an
instant and, moreover, form Borg implants that exceed the size of all nanoprobes combined
by far. Maybe the nanoprobes are equipped with some kind of replicator that converts body
tissue to metallic implants. The size of the nanoprobes is probably not in the nanometer
range but larger. |
| Nanosurgeon: A suspension of
nanotechnological assemblies that are typically used to survey cellular genetic damage and
effect repairs. They report to, and are monitored by, the attending physician.
Nanosurgeons are useful to repair additional damage that drugs or other materials cannot
affect. |
Navigational deflector:
Device that deflects potential obstacles in a starship's flight path. The deflector dish
usually produces a low-power static field for deflecting submicron particles and a
concentrated main beam that pushes aside larger objects thousands of kilometers ahead of
the ship. Deflector beams are indispensable at warp speed, for already a submicron
particle could penetrate and damage the hull. Miranda and Constellation-class starships do
not seem to have navigational deflectors. Still, considering the necessity of such a
device, there could be a small emitter that looks different from other designs.
|
| 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. |
| Neurolink: Allows a healthy
"donor" to take over autonomic functions for a patient suffering from brain stem
damage. One link is attached to the head of the "donor" and the other on the
head of the patient. Upon activation, the autonomic functions of the donor control the
patient's heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, etc. |
| Neurostimulator: This device
"jumpstarts" the Central Nervous System of patients who have suffered some form
of neuro-synaptic failure. This is particularly useful to treat a patient who has suffered
CNS shock from the higher settings of a Phaser. |
| 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. Cloaked
ships emit neutrinos. |
| Neutron Radiation: Naturally
occurring. Emitted from older classes of the Klingon Bird of Prey, neutrons not contained
within an atomic nucleus have a half-life of about 15 minutes. |
| 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: 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. Nullifier cores dissipate the energy they
use, so the energy emissions can't be detected from outside the ship. |
 |
| ODN: Acronym for
Optical Data Network, the system of fiber-optics used in 24th century computer systems.
Optical data transfer offers the advantage of a higher bandwidth than electrical
connections and is therefore increasingly employed for long-range transmission as well as
for local networks. |
| 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: Complex
artificial molecule that can be employed for power generation. Not sufficiently contained,
a single omega molecule can disrupt subspace within a range of several lightyears, so that
warp travel becomes impossible. The omega molecule was detected independently by the
Federation, the Borg and an alien civilization in the Gamma Quadrant, however, each time
the attempt to employ it as a power source failed. The Federation issued the Omega
Directive that obliges every Starfleet captain to destroy any detected omega molecule
under all circumstances. |
| 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. |
| Osteotractor: Medical tractor
fields used to set and immobilize a broken bone prior to treatment with a Protoplaser.
They act as a temporary cast during treatment. |
 |
| PADD: Acronym for
Personal Access Display Device, a hand-held access terminal to a computer system. PADDS
are equipped with a display and touch sensitive areas and have limited built-in memory and
computing capability. They are employed to establish uplinks and downlinks to computer
systems and may serve as transporter locks-ons. Apart from Starfleet, PADDs are used by
most other advanced civilizations. Since it is a non-expensive prop, different PADD
designs exist for virtually every civilization in Star Trek. Still, the user interface is
similar for all of them, indicating that a common standard was found for ergonomic design.
This might explain why no one has ever difficulties in using alien PADDs, let alone
reading their letters. |
Parallel universe:
Universe existing outside our normal four-dimensional space-time. The parallel universe
featured in TOS: "Mirror, Mirror" and several DS9 episodes is and has probably
always been similar to ours, but not quite the same. Normally, entropy considerations
would not allow the two universes to develop in a similar way, once there are considerable
differences established, for instance the totalitarian Earth Empire contrary to the
democratic UFP. Nevertheless, there seems to be a possibly bi-directional connection
between the two universes that keeps the development in parallel so as to provide the same
characters on both sides for dramaturgic reasons. The manifold parallel universes in TNG:
"Parallels", however, have a (hypothetic) scientific background. Elementary
particles do not fit into a deterministic
view of the world, since their behavior is unpredictable. It is not determined in the
Quantum Theory whether a particle crosses an energy barrier or not, making it an apparent
random process. In order to maintain determinism, there is a theory assuming that the
particle actually goes both ways, and each time a new universe is created. Worf travels
from one of those quantum universes to another in the TNG episode. The number of potential
quantum universes would be equal to the number of quantum transitions since the Big Bang
or, in other words, quasi-infinite. |
| Particle synthesis:
Advanced matter replication technology, supposedly superior to Federation replicators.
Particle synthesis is employed by Arturis's people and by Species 8472. |
Pattern buffer:
Part of the transporter system, usually located on the deck below the transporter
platform. The pattern buffer is used for short-term storage of the matter stream, thereby
providing a delay necessary to compensate for relative velocity (Doppler compensator,
filter out hazardous organic materials (biofilter) or transfer the pattern to another
pattern buffer in case of a transporter malfunction.
Scotty survived 75 years within the pattern buffer that was set to a continuous diagnostic
cycle (TNG: "Relics"). Normally, the signal decay is too fast to allow storage
for more than a few seconds. |
| Pattern enhancer:
Device that improves transporter pattern recognition in case of electromagnetic
disturbances. The pattern enhancer is a cylinder with a length of approx. 1m and was
introduced in Starfleet around 2369. Usually three pattern enhancers are employed in a
triangular formation around the object that is supposed to be beamed. |
Peak transitional threshold:
Initial power necessary to achieve an integer warp factor. The peak transitional threshold
is much higher than the power to maintain the respective velocity. The introduction of the
peak transistional threshold obviously serves to justify the the strange warp scale, where
the warp factor is not simply WF=v/c or WF=log(v/c), but WF=(v/c)^1/3. For this purpose,
the power to maintain a subspace field is designed to exhibit significant peaks which are
sequentially numbered and designated as warp factor. A simple explanation (which is also
corroborated on Jason Hinson's website is that this behavior is attributed to the
subsequent activation of additional warp field layers for higher velocities, which is
accomplished by a suited warp field activation sequence. Eugene's limit can be included
into this theory in a way that more than 9 layers are not efficient to facilitate
high-warp propulsion, so the complete remaining speed range is compressed within the range
between Warp 9 and Warp 10, the latter equals infinite speed. In fact, the official
diagram of power expenditure shows that the power saving after the peak transitional
threshold decreases from 100 at Warp 1 to 2.75 at Warp 9, suggesting that this
factor would be still smaller at another (imaginary) threshold. It is possible that
Eugene's limit has been found as late as in the 24th century, so previous warp tables
assumed 10 or more layers to be useful. The original diagram in the STTNG Technical Manual
confused power and energy ("power usage in megajoules/cochrane"). Assuming that,
unlike Newtonian propulsion, warp propulsion needs continuous power supply, I have
corrected this error. |
| Phase shift:
Generic term for a movement to a state outside the normal space-time continuum. Phase
shifts are frequently created in Star Trek using either an interphase cloaking device
(TNG: "The Next Phase", "The Pegasus"), a phase discriminator (e.g.
TNG: "Time's Arrow", "Timescape"), an unknown type of phase shifter
(VOY: "Distant Origin") or a chroniton based device (VOY: "The Year of
Hell"). Usually phase shift seems to be an essentially temporal displacement, while
the interphase generator might be based on a spatial shift or parallel space. |
| Phased: 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:
Intermediate state between matter and energy. The term is used for the matter stream
generated in the transporter as well as for excited matter produced in the warp and
impulse reactors, where it seems to be the same as plasma. |
| Phaser: Acronym
for PHASed Energy Rectification, energy discharge weapon used by the Federation. Energy
stored in the Phaser is released within a short time and directed towards the target,
unlike the usually constant energy output of lasers. The phaser's function is based on the
rapid nadion effect, where nadions are subatomic particles that allow to liberate strong
nuclear forces. Shipboard phaser banks are attached to the outer hull of a starship in
form of small apertures or domes in the 23rd century that are extended to segmented strips
and finally rings in the 24th century. Phaser beams travel at light speed, and the maximum
efficient operation range is 300,000km. Hand-held phasers are available in different
sizes, ranging from small Type 1 and larger Ttype 2 to phaser rifles. Since phasers have
to be recharged, it's obvious that continuous firing is not possible, neither with a
hand-held device, nor with the shipboard phasers. |
| Phaser Array:
Liner Arrays of phaser emitter crystals. Ship borne weapons. These were introduced on the
Ambassador Class in the early 2300s, replacing the older Phaser Banks as a ship's primary
weapons system. Improvements over Phaser Banks are shorter recharge times, shorter cool
down times (heat is spread out over several emitter crystals instead of one bank), thus
improving power yields and ranges. |
| Phaser Bank:
Phaser emplacement on early (2200-2300) Federation starships. Ball turret enplacements
normally housed in twos. Phaser Banks had longer cool down, longer recharge times, and
shorter ranges then modern Phaser Arrays. |
| Phase transition coils:
Parts of a transporter, in which phased matter is injected to be converted back to normal
matter. |
| Photon torpedo:
Matter/antimatter annihilation weapon used by Starfleet, the Klingon Defense Force, and
others. A Starfleet photon torpedo contains deuterium and magnetically constrained
antideuterium tanks, target guidance and a warp sustainer. In contrast to phasers, photon
torpedoes can be used at warp speed. Since photons are involved as late as the
device explodes, the term "photon" torpedo is very inaccurate and could apply to
a nuclear weapon as well. Of course, FTL photon torpedoes cannot be tracked with the eyes,
although this was possible in many episodes and in "Star Trek: The Undiscovered
Country". |
| Photonic Missile:
Borg weapon similar to photon torpedoes. |
| Plasma: Ionized
gas, often regarded as the forth state of matter besides the solid, fluid and gaseous
state. Consisting of charged particles, plasma is electrically conductive. Due to this
property and the fact that the excited electrons in a plasma are on higher energy level
than bound electrons in other forms of matter, plasma is suited to transport energy. In
particular, plasma is employed to provide the necessary power for the warp drive and other
systems of a starship. The EPS serves to distribute plasma throughout the ship. The
continuously occuring relaxation of excited electrons from a higher to a lower energy
level becomes obvious in a characteristic glow. Plasma is not a fiction, but is actually
employed in several industrial production processes today. |
| Plasma Infusion Unit: An
instrument used for transfusions of blood, blood plasma, and/or electrolytes into patients
that need them. It is used the same way blood transfusions in the 20th-century. The Plasma
Infusion Unit also provides filtration of the material to be delivered. |
| Plasma injectors:
Part of the warp drive that injects matter in the matter/antimatter reactor. There are
matter- and antimatter injectors. |
| Plasma Torpedo:
Projectile weapon used by Romulans and Krazzle. Shaped plasma charge that uses ionized gas
and trilithium. Original Romulan plasma torpedoes were pure plasma that dissipated the
further it traveled. Current design doesn't suffer from this draw back. It's destructive
force is slightly more then a Photon torpedo. |
| 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. Primary beam weapon used by the Dominion. 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. |
| Polaron torpedoes:
Projectil using polaron particles as an energy source in the warhead. Primary torpedo
weapon used by the Dominion and The Order. |
| Portal: Portals
are like wormholes, gateways to other parts of the Galaxy allowing nearly instantious
traval which could take years at high warp. Portals were designed and built by Iconians,
whom also built smaller personal sized portals (seen in TNG and DS9). |
| Positronic brain:
Neural network type employed as central processing units for androids of the Soong series
(Lore, Data, Lal). Considering that positrons are actually antimatter, it is highly
improbable that these particles are employed in the positronic brain. The concept was
suggested by Isaac Asimov in the 20th century. |
| 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. |
| Primary hull:
Another name for the saucer section on a starship. |
| Probe: Device
fitted with a number of general purpose or mission specific sensors that can be launched
from a starship for closer examination of celestial objects or for reconnaissance. Most
Federation probes are about the size of a photon torpedo, and some of them actually use a
torpedo casing. Probes are a logical consequence considering that the resolution of the
built-in long-range sensors is limited and that there is a signal decay over long
distances. |
| 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'. A
trilithium-tekasite-protomatter explosive device is seen in 'By Inferno's Light' (DS9).
Primary reactant in the Hellfire Torpedo. |
| 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 phaser cannon:
Phaser weapon used in Defiant, Raptor and Titan class starships as well as all Federation
FIghters. This system takes a large amount of phased matter from warp or impulse engines,
then it's bundled in a solid shell. An emitter, using artificial crystals, fires rapidly.
The pulse phaser cannon is more powerful than a conventional phaser beam.
|
| 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 Continuum: Realm
of the Q entities. The Voyager episodes "Death Wish" and "Q and the
Gray" show the Q Continuum, or more precisely, a simplified representation of it. It
could be a parallel space or time or anything else. |
| Quad: Unit for the
measurement of the amount of computer data, usually expressed in the multiples of 1000
(kiloquad), 1 million (megaquad) or 1 billion (gigaquad). Since the storage capacity and
computing velocity of contemporary computers is exponentially increasing, the TNG episodes
would have become ridiculous after a few years, if computer data aboard the Enterprise had
been measured in bytes. In this respect it was a wise decision to introduce quads instead
and to veil the conversion factor from bytes to quads. |
| Quantum Filament:
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)). |
| Quantum singularity:
Also referred to as black hole. Romulan ship, like the Warbird employ a quantum
singularity as their power source, and the Hirogen communications network too. Basically,
a black hole is supposed to accumulate energy, never ever emitting anything of it. Stephen
Hawking, however, postulated that black holes do actually emit radiation, or shrink in
terms of mass. This strange behavior is attributed to the quantum uncertainty. According
to quantum mechanics, it is in no way prohibited that a particle/antiparticle pair is
generated from nothing, as long as their lifetime is so short that it is not noticed. If
this happens at the event horizon, one particle might fall into the black hole, whereas
the other could escape. In this case it would seem as if the black hole does emit
radiation, and the Romulans obviously take advantage of this effect. |
| Quantum slipstream drive:
Propulsion technology exceeding the capabilities of conventional warp drive. The quantum
slipstream drive was introduced in VOY: "Hope and Fear" as the propulsion system
of the fake Federation ship Dauntless. According to Seven of Nine, the technology is akin
to Borg transwarp (TNG: "Descent"). In this case a kind of space fold would be
created to bridge large distances similar to a wormhole. A satisfactory theory is missing,
and the shown effects are contradictory. While it was possible to change course like with
a normal warp drive in "Hope and Fear", the Delta Flyer remained in slipstream
in "Timeless" without being equipped with such a drive. |
Quantum torpedo: Torpedo
that employs a release of energy from a quantum vacuum energy (also known as zero point
energy, in real life) as a distructive force.
|
| 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. |
 |
| Raktajino:
Klingon coffee. Much stronger then coffee from Earth. Very popular with
many Starfleet Officers like Ben Sisko, Tom Paris, Mike Bremer, and many
others.
|
| RCS: Acronym for
Reaction Control System, also referred to as maneuvering thrusters. The RCS is a low-power
propulsion system for low-velocity attitude and translational control. Depending on the
starship type, the system consists of a number of thrusters mostly located at the edge of
the saucer hull. Although the Star Trek RCS is based on a fusion reaction, its principle
has not changed since the early days of space travel in the 1960's, and similar thrusters
were attached e.g. to the hull of the Apollo spaceship. |
| 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 technology first employed for the prototype USS Prometheus, NX-59650, and later
included on the Sovereign Class. |
Relativistic speed:
Speed at which relativistic effects such as mass increase and time dilation become
evident. While the warp drive is inherently free of such effects, they have to be
considered if the ship is powered by the impulse drive only. According to Einstein's
Special Relativity Theory, a movement at a speed v leads to a mass increase by the factor
(sqrt(1-v^2/c^2))^-1. For small v values, this increase is negligible, however, for 0.25c
it yields 6.7% and increases strongly for higher speeds. Finally, at v=c mass would become
infinite if c could be achieved without warp drive. Actually, this effect prevents
a starship from being accelerated to high speeds with conventional propulsion, because
such a ship would virtually consist of nothing but fuel. Star Trek solves this problem
with a subspace field that lowers the effective mass. Time dilation is another
relativistic effect that occurs if two objects have relative speeds to each other. For
instance, a starship moving at a speed v from the perspective of an observer is assumed.
The observer will perceive time in the starship slowed down as if time were stretched by
the factor (sqrt(1-v^2/c^2))^-1. Fundamentally, vice versa the starship passengers will
see the observer's time dilated, as long as both stay in their respective frames of
reference. However, as the traveler accelerates and decelerates their starship and
reverses its course, their frame of reference is changed. This explains the often
discussed twin paradox. The traveling twin does actually age slower than the one who stays
on Earth. |
| Replicator: Device
which is capable of creating matter from raw matter. The working principle of this device
is related to the transporter. The replicator diassembles and assembles matter in a
similar way, the main difference is that its resolution is limited to the molecular level.
Compared to the transporter, the requirements for a replicator are rather simple, and it
is not plausible why it has been invented about a century after the transporter. The
replicator works on a molecular base, which is sufficient to create food or articles for
daily use. It is necessary to store suited raw matter, i.e. matter with the molecular
composition required. Usually waste is employed for this purpose. Up to 87% of waste on a
starship can be recycled to consumables. |
| 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 phaser frequency:
Method of changing the phaser frequency employed by the Federation,so as to prevent
adaptation of Borg shielding. |
| Rotating shield frequency:
Method of changing the deflector shield frequency at random to avoid penetration by enemy
weapons. |
Runabout:
Vessel of small size, slightly larger then a shuttlecraft, mainly used for mid-range
personnel transport. Danube Class Runabouts are equipped with warp and impulse drive,
shields, phasers and optional photon torpedoes, while Repulse and Blackhawks have improved
shielding and weapons. They are used for many purposes where a shuttlecraft is too slow
and uncomfortable, while a starship is either not available or is supposed to perform more
important tasks.
|
 |
| Safety protocol:
Subroutine that prevents a holographic projection system from creating harmful objects,
substances or situations which may cause a user's injury or even death. |
| Saucer Section:
The saucer of a starship. It has the bridge in it. |
| Saucer separation:
Disconnection of engineering hull and main hull (saucer) of a Galaxy-class starship.
Saucer separation is employed in emergency situations, e.g. in order not to endanger
civilians in a battle or in case a warp core breach breach is inevitable. A number of
other starship classes can perform saucer separation as well, however, in most cases
reconnection is not possible. A saucer separation was originally planned for the
Enterprise in the movie "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". Since the engineering
hull of the Constitution class has no impulse drive, it is obvious that the two sections
are not independently operational, so separation is only an option in extreme emergency
situations (warp core breach). |
| Scalpel: There are three
varieties to choose from, traditional cutting blades with a monomolecular edge, laser
scalpels that cauterize as they cut, and nanotech scalpels that separate tissues along
cellular lines without damage. Each has different uses. Laser scalpels help the surgeon
because of bloodlessness, but can dazzle anyone unwary enough to look into the beam, even
though the scalpel can only cut within its focal length. Monomolecular blades require no
power supply and quickly slice through most matter with minimal effort. Finally, Nanotech
scalpels cause minimal disruption of tissue but operate slowly. There is current research
in an experimental scalpel that utilizes Transporter technology. |
| Secondary Hull:
Other name for the Star Drive section on a starship. |
| Self-sealing stem bolt:
Mysterious device that even O'Brien does not know what it is useful for. |
| Self-replicating mine:
Explosive device, equipped with a matter/antimatter warhead and a replicator system.
Deployed in a shell, the self-replicating mines are able to fill in gaps by replicating
new mines. The mines were first suggested by Rom in 2373 to prevent the Jem'Hadar fleet
from entering the Alpha Quadrant through the Bajoran Wormhole. |
| Sensor: Collective
name for a variety of devices for gathering data about electromagnetic radiation and
particles and for chemical, biological and medical analysis. External sensors are attached
to the outer hull of a starship. Among them are navigational sensors which determine the
ship's position and velocity and scientific sensors for astronomical observation,
planetary surface analysis and remote lifeform analysis. Internal sensors are used to
control life support and detect hazardous environmental conditions as well as to track
potential intruders. Finally, sensors are also included in tricorders and other hand-held
devices which can perform similar tasks, however, their range is limited. Real world
sensor systems will soon accomplish the functionality shown in Star Trek. However,
subspace sensor beams traveling faster than light are as utopian as warp drive. The
Ferengi ship attacking the USS Stargazer did not have FTL sensing capability, so Picard
could fool its sensors with his famous "Picard Maneuver" (TNG: "The
Battle"). |
| Shields: See
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. |
| Shuttlebay:
Facility on a starship where shuttlecrafts can land, be stored and maintained. The space
door is usually closed, and is replaced by a forcefield when a shuttle is about to land or
to be launched. This forcefield can be penetrated by the shuttlecraft itself, while it
prevents decompression of the shuttlebay. Each shuttlebay is equipped with a tractor beam
generator in order to facilitate the landing procedure. |
| Shuttlecraft:
Small space vessel for short-range transport with a typical capacity ranging from 2 to 10
persons. Shuttlecrafts are equipped with impulse drive, some types also with warp drive.
The TOS shuttlecraft was not supposed to have warp drive (although its nacelle looked
quite similar to the Constitution-class warp nacelle). Anyway, if the shuttles of TNG, DS9
and Voyager are really capable of no more than Warp 2 (Star Trek Fact Files) it would take
about a year to cross the distance between neighboring star systems, and their warp drive
would be useless. |
| Sickbay: Medical
facility aboard a starship or space station. Also known as an Infermery on a space
station. |
| Sickbay Overhead Sensor Cluster:
This is a circular arrangement of sensors located above the primary Bio-Bed in sickbay. It
augments the sensors of the Bio-Bed, and also provides an emergency containment field to
prevent contamination. |
| SIF: Acronym for
Structural Integrity Field, a system of forcefields built up around and within a starship
in order to counterbalance acceleration forces and gravitational forces. The SIF actually
keeps the spaceframe in one piece. Many Federation starships cannot even sustain the
gravity of a planet, and the USS Voyager would virtually fall asunder, if standing on the
surface without SIF. |
| Slingshot effect:
Time travel that occurs if a starship approaches a star at high warp and then turns round
again. This method is used in TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday", TOS:
"Assignment: Earth" and "Star Trek:The Voyage Home". The effect is not
supported by real world physics, yet, a much higher gravity like in a black hole could
enable time travels. |
| Soliton wave:
Method of warp travel without shipboard warp drive. The soliton wave is generated by a
stationary generator on a planet and directed towards the ship in order to accelerate it
to warp speed. A second wave generator at the destination is required to dissolve the wave
generating a counterwave with matching frequency, phase and amplitude. The concept of the
soliton wave seems to be quite similar to conventional warp propulsion, considering that a
wave is nothing but a traveling field. Notwithstanding the simpler ship construction,
soliton wave propulsion is questionable, since the ship is dependent on at least two wave
generators, so it would only be useful for frequently used trade routes. Moreover, the TNG
episode "New Ground", where the soliton wave was featured, demonstrated the risk
of the wave that is hard to control once it is released and cannot be dissipated in the
worst case. |
| Spaceframe:
Skeletal structure of a starship. The spaceframe of a large vessel is usually designed to
provide sufficient mechanical stability while the ship is at rest in orbit or open space.
Stability during acceleration by propulsion systems or gravity can only be accomplished
through the SIF. Mechanical stability is a decisive obstacle when designing large
structures such as a Galaxy-class starship. Simply inflating all dimensions of a smaller
starship by a constant factor is not possible, considering the fact that the volume will
increase by the third power and the cross-section only by the second power. Hence, a
strength deficit occurs if an object is scaled up, and a strength surplus if it is scaled
down. |
| Spacesuit:
Pressurized garment for work in open space. |
| 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 |
| 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)) |
| Starbase:
Extensive Starfleet facility which serves for maintaining and resupplying starships, for
recreation and exchange of ship crews, for research, for medical supply, as a military
base, as a place for interstellar trade and for administration as well as a base of
operations for the sector. Starbases are either partially located on a planet surface,
huge space stations. |
Stardate: The
system for time measurement commonly used in the Federation, yielding a continuous date
instead of e.g. DD:MM:YY format. The stardate obviously serves as a common standard within
the Federation, taking into consideration different day and year durations on different
planets that would make such references useless if applied to other planets. The system of
stardates has been the subject of
extensive discussions throughout the years. Originally, the stardate possibly refers to
the Julian Date, which was introduced for easy calculation of time differences for
astronomy and consists in a continuous day count. The stardate used in Star Trek, however,
exhibits many inconsistencies, in particular concerning the differences between the new
5-digit stardates in the 24th century and the 4-digit scheme in the 23rd century. The 24th
century system is quite easy, because an increase of 1000 corresponds to one year or one
season of a TNG, DS9 or Voyager production, but the TOS stardates do not fit into this
system. Most likely we have to accept the fact that a new system has been introduced in
the 24th century. |
| Stardrive section:
The section of a starship in which Main Engineering and the propulsion systems are
located. Also called the Engineering Hull or Engineering section. |
| Starship:
Designation for a large type of space vessel with warp drive. A starship typically
consists of more than one deck and has separate departments such as the bridge,
engineering or sickbay. |
| 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. |
| Stasis Field Generator: This
device is used in emergencies when a patient cannot be stabilized and requires treatment
that is not immediately available. It significantly slows all biological activity within
the perimeter of the field, placing the patient in a sort of suspended animation. The
patient will not be aware of any passage of time while under the influence of a stasis
unit, since the biochemical activity of the patient's brain is effectively halted. |
| 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). |
| Sub-impulse speed:
Another term for sublightspeed. The term 'sub-impulse raider' is used for Bajoran raiders
without warp capabilities. |
| Sub light speed:
Speed lower than lightspeed. |
Subspace: A domain
outside the normal three-dimensional space, rather than another dimension. Effects of
mass/energy transition to subspace allow apparent FTL velocities and are used by the warp
drive, computer system and subspace radio. Although subspace is probably the most
frequently used Treknology term and seems to be involved in almost any 24th century
technical device, it is not further explained, neither in the show nor in official
publications. Subspace has to be accepted as a basic concept necessary to enable the
miraculous 24th century technology. According to the ingenious subspace field theory by
the physicist Jason Hinson, subspace is "a continuum that exists in conjunction with
our own space-time continuum. Every point in our universe has a corresponding point in
subspace. Also, at every point in our
universe, subspace has a particular frame of reference." |
| Subspace barrier:
Line that divides subspace and normal space-time. |
| 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:
Special type of forcefield that extends into subspace and is able to change its structure
or geometry. A subspace field facilitates propulsion and signal transfer. The subspace
field strength is measured in cochrane untis. Above a subspace field stress of 1 cochrane,
the subspace field becomes a so-called warp field, allowing FTL travel of starships and
signals. Like the definition of subspace itself, the subspace field is better explained by
Jason Hinson. According to his theory, a subspace field generator produces a subspace
distortion that is counterbalanced by subspace itself, so the actual subspace field is the
resulting field of both. The impact of a subspace field is that any mass within the field
partially "submerges" into subspace, allowing propulsion of a starship with less
energy expense, for instance. |
| Subspace funnel:
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 ship-to-ship or interplanetary communication that takes advantage of subspace
physics and allows faster-than-light (FTL) signal transmission. The maximum possible
velocity of signal propagation is Warp 9.9997, which is significantly faster than any
starship. A network of subspace relays within the Federation territory ensures that no
inadmissable signal decay occurs in case of long distance communication. While subspace
radio obviously existed when the Romulan Neutral Zone was negotiated in the 2160's (TOS:
"Balance of Terror"), the contemporary U.S.S. Horizon sent a conventional radio
signal that arrived about 100 years later (TOS: "A Piece of the Action"). |
| 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 type which transfers patterns through the subspace domain. Although their
operation range may cover many lightyears and they are able to penetrate shields, subspace
transporters are not reliable and therefore not employed by the Federation or other major
species. DaiMon Bok used a subspace transporter to get to the Enterprise in TNG:
"Bloodlines", and the Enterprise crew managed to modify their transporter to
beam Capt. Picard to Bok's ship. It is obvious that this type of transporter can penetrate
conventional shields, since they do not extend into subspace. |
| 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 weapon: Weapon
whose destructive force is based on the disruption of subspace. Subspace weapons are
outlawed by the Federation because of their irreparable damage to subspace, however, the
Son'a use such a weapon in "Star Trek: Insurrection". |
| Super conducting 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. |
| Super light speed:
Speed above lightspeed, also known as 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. |
| Surgical Support Frame:
Surgical Support Frames attach to Bio-Beds providing aid and assistance during surgery and
emergency life support. Littered with biosensors, the SSF has a large display of the
surgical area. |
 |
| 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. |
| Tactical Display
Unit: The
T.D.U. can be added to your standard tricorder. This unit will relay information
from the tricorder to a monocular eye peice that covers the user's eye. The
infomation presented to the monocular lense is a direct feed from the tricorder which
would be attached to the waist line of the user. Attached to the user's weapon is a
targeting laser. This laser will be represented on the monocular lense as a red
crosshair. The tricorder offers no more information than it's setting is capable
for. The lense has a slight green tint to it. Other than that it does not
hinder the natural vision of the user. The TDU can be used with any Federation
Phaser Rifle. It is not standard to use with a type II phaser. However,
versions can be adapted to function with the type II. |
| 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 incursion:
Method of altering history by erasing a target object from space-time in a way that it has
never existed. Temporal incursion is equivalent to traveling back in time and removing or
destroying the respective object. The Krenim scientist Annorax carried out countless
incursions in order to restore the Krenim Imperium. |
| 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:
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. |
Terraforming:
Generic term for technologies employed to convert a desert planet into an inhabitable
Class-M world. In TNG: "Home Soil" the terraforming project had to be stopped
after intelligent life had been
detected on the allegedly desert planet. Still, it is not reasonable why the Federation
dropped the Genesis project that was far more advanced and powerful than all subsequent
methods. |
| 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. 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. |
| Time dilation:
General or special relativistic effect that occurs either in the vicinity of a mass
concentration (see black hole, event horizon) or at high relative speeds (see relativistic
speed), respectively. |
| Time travel:
Usually any movement through time that is not equivalent to the normal course of time, in
particular a person's travel leading to the past or faster as usual to the future. Time
travel to the past may be connected with paradoxes or causality loops, if an effect
becomes apparent before the cause exists. Traveling at relativistic speeds will allow time
travel to the future, however, with no return. A kind of time travel to the past is
evident in the case of two correlated photons, when one photon immediately changes to a
certain state, once the state of the other photon is determined. This is only possible
with an FTL signal transfer or a wave function traveling to the past. |
| Timeship: Vessel
capable of traveling through time generating temporal rifts. The 29th century Federation
timeships Aeon (VOY: "Future's End") and Relativity (VOY:"Relativity")
are part of a Federation institution seeking and preventing manipulations in the timeline. |
| Time stream: 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,
quantum, hellfire, and tri-cobalt. |
| 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:
Device used by Federation starships to tow other vessels. Apart from the main emitter and
optional auxiliary emitters located around the hull, a small tractor beam emitter is
located in each shuttle bay to control the landing procedure. Tractor beams are based on a
subspace field assisted emission of gravitons, their direction can be reversed so as to
push away an object. |
| Trajector:
Transporting device used by the Sikarians with a range of 40,000 light years. This device
was featured in VOY: "Prime Factors" and was possibly based on space folding. |
| Transceiver:
Long-range communications device. |
| Translocator:
Nyrian device to transport objects or persons across distances as great as 10ly. Nothing
more is known about the device, but it may work similar as the subspace transporter. |
| Transparent Aluminum: An
invisible metal that is artificially generated. |
| Transporter:
Device that is able to dematerialize, transmit and reassemble an object. Cargo
transporters have limited resolution and are employed for transport of inanimate objects.
Personnel transporters work on the quantum level and employ Heisenberg compensators
<treknology1.htm> to enable secure transport of lifeforms. A transporter room
typically consists of an operator console, a transporter platform and an overhead
molecular imaging scanner, primary energizing coils and phase transition coils. A pattern
buffer with a biofilter is located on the deck below. The outer hull of a starship
incorporates a number of emitter pads for the transporter beam. A typical transport
sequence for the beam-down of a person begins with a coordinate lock during which the
destination is verified and programmed. Next, the lifeform to be beamed is scanned on the
quantum level and simultaneously converted to a matter stream. This process is determined
by an annular confinement beam (ACB). The matter stream is briefly stored in the pattern
buffer tank and then transmitted through an emitter pad. Finally, the person is
reassembled at the destination. Transporters cannot be used while the deflector shields of
the ship are active. The transporter is the most questionable regular device in Star Trek,
and some of its many oddities are discussed on the page. The fact that transporter
patterns are often handled the same way as computer data, although they are supposed to be
a matter stream, is unfortunately not addressed in the STTNG Technical Manual. An
explanation on how a person can be reassembled on an unknown planet is missing as well.
Transport at warp velocities is regarded possible, as long as both starships travel at
exactly the same warp factor. Smaller relative motions can be compensated by a Doppler
compensator. While the normal recommended transportation range is 40,000 km, it can be
assumed that under ideal condidtions, in particular if two transporter systems are
involved, this range can be significantly extended. Rick Sternbach said this, (posted
07.04.99): "The transporter definitely uses the person's (or object's) own matter and
transmits it over a jacketed beam. While it uses a lot of the same field manipulation
technologies as a replicator, it doesn't replicate the person (or object). The fact that
we've heard people talking in the transporter beam seems to say that you don't get
unzipped in a linear fashion (like from the top of your head to your toes), but more like
atoms taken from all over, randomly, but with all the quantum state and position data
temporarily recorded for reassembly. It's pretty analogous to the difference between
recording a television broadcast (replicator) and simply sending out a live broadcast
(transporter), because in the case of the latter, there's just too much data to record, at
least with Federation technology." |
| 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: Basic
device of Federation technologies, including transporters, phasers and communicators. |
Transwarp:
Fundamentally a generic term for technologies that overcome the limitations of
conventional warp drives, in particular an experimental propulsion principle tested with
the USS Excelsior NX-2000. The experiment failed, and the Excelsior as well as subsequent
ships were equipped with a standard warp drive. Transwarp technology is also used by the
Borg in TNG: "Descent", however, it is not known if it
is the same principle as in "Star Trek: The Search for Spock". The Voth are
another race using transwarp (VOY: "Distant Origin"). |
| 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. |
| Treaty of Algeron: Around the
year 2160 the Romulan Wars between Earth and The Romulan Star Empire ended with the
signing of the Treaty of Algeron. This treaty established what is known as the Romulan
Neutral Zone, an area of space approximately one light year across. The treaty was
negotiated by sub space radio and stated that entry into the zone by either the Federation
or the Romulans would constitute an act of war. Throughout the years, the Neutral Zone has
been invaded several times by both sides but diplomacy has prevented conflict. The signing
of the treaty also prevented the Federation from developing or using cloaking technology
on Federation Starships. This began to change in the early 2370s. With the Dominion
becoming a threat, the Romulans 'loaned' a Clock to the Federation ship Defiant for use in
the Gamma Quadrant. When Bravo Fleet was formed in 2373, she was charged with not only
defending against the Borg, but exploring the hostile areas beyond Klingon and Romulan
space in Beta Quadrant, including Sector 349. Starfleet requested an amendment to the
Treaty of Algeron (Which said the Federation could not use cloaks, period) because of the
Borg threat (later the Krazzle threat too) as well as the hostile nature of the area
itself. They sited the Defiant and cooperation between the two governments over the
Romulan Cloak used aboard her for missions in the Gamma Quadrant. The Romulans agreed, IF,
they were given all Stellar Cartography and Astrometerics data learned and Romulan ships
were members of the Fleet. This was agreed to, thus amending the treaty. However the
Romulans wouldn't give the Federation any cloaks, but the Klingons did. Since the war with
the Dominion, this treaty has been all but 'thrown out' in the sprit of cooperation with
the new alliance...even though there are still tensions. |
Tricobalt device:
Explosive device used on the planet Eminiar VII and later adopted for Federation
starships. Tricobalt devices seem to be rather old-fashioned, yet efficient weapons, if
they are employed
to destroy targets with limited or no defense, as in TOS: "A Taste of
Armageddon" and VOY: "The Caretaker". |
| Tricorder:
Hand-held sensing, computing and communication device for use by Starfleet personnel. The
tricorder incorporates sensor and computer systems in a miniaturized version with limited
capabilities, yet, sufficient for away missions. Considering the ongoing miniaturization
of computer as well as sensor elements, it will soon be feasible to design a fully
functional tricorder. However, it is questionable if there will be a need for such a
device, at least in the near future, for it would be too sophisticated for a consumer
product and not specialized enough for a scientific apparatus. |
| Trilithium:
Substance used as an 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). Trilithium is also used in Romulan
Plasma Torpedo warheads. |
| 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:
Transportation system within a starship. The turbolift system consists of a network of
turboshafts and the single turbolift cars. A turbolift is driven by linear motors.
Acceleration up to 10m/s^2 is possible and can be partially compensated for the passengers
by damping fields within the car. The turbolift is a nice example for real world
technology adapted for Star Trek. Linear motors have actually been developed for
transportation purposes, for instance in the German Transrapid project. Fundamentally,
such a motor works in a similar way as a conventional cylindrical electric motor, where a
rotor is located inside a stator. The linear motor has the stator unrolled, and the rotor
can be replaced by a simple magnet in the car that is free to move along the stator in the
roadway. Propulsion is achieved by powering the stator so as to generate a traveling
field.
|
| Tyken's Rift: Rift
in the space-time continuum that trapped the Enterprise in 'Night Terrors' (TNG). |
 |
| Ultrasonic shower:
Personal cleaning system in crew quarters aboard Federation starships. Besides ultrasonic
showers, old-fashioned bathtubs are usually available as well. Ultrasonic cleaning is
widely employed in dental laboratories, precision mechanics or semiconductor
manufacturing, where a detergent or pure water is employed as the transducer for the
ultrasonic vibrations (>20kHz) and also serves to solve and carry away dust or grease
particles. The showers featured in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and VOY:
"Juggernaut", however, seem to be dry. Since mere air does not provide the
desired efficiency in transducing the waves and washing away the dirt, an additional
forcefield probably takes over the role of the detergent. |
| Unimatrix shielding:
Type of shielding, invented by Lt.Cmdr. Tuvok aboard Voyager, based off Borg Shielding.
The Delta Flyer runabout was equipped with unimatrix shielding. |
| Universal translator:
Computer program employed for communication among persons who speak different languages.
The universal translator performs a pattern analysis of an unknown language based on a
variety of criteria in order to generate a translation matrix. It is obvious that the
universal translator will never work the way shown in Star Trek. First of all, an exactly
simultaneous translation is definitely impossible, considering that grammar is
significantly different for human languages, let alone alien forms of communication. So a
delay of up to several seconds until the end of the respective sentence is required before
it can be properly translated. Second, the translator voice would be superimposed to the
original voice and, if both are located in the same room, result in a confusing babble.
The original voice could be filtered out, however, in this case the translated version
could not have the same spectrum, and Picard might sound like Janeway. Third, the
universal translator is definitely useless in a first contact situation. Even the most
sophisticated program will never decypher a language based on the knowledge of only a few
sentences. The episodes TNG: "Darmok" and DS9: "Sanctuary", where the
universal translator fails, are remarkable in this respect. |
 |
| 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: Acronym for
Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement, a device Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge used
until 2373 to overcome his blindness. The VISOR was not only sensitive to the visible
spectrum, but to a wide range of electromagnetic radiation. By 2373, the VISOR has been
replaced by bionic eye implants. In the real world the basic functionality of Geordi's
VISOR will possibly be achieved within the
next decades, provided that our understanding of seeing (which takes place in the brain as
well as within the eyes) is improved. Suited sensors will be available very soon. However,
subspace physics will most probably not be involved. The subspace technobabble obviously
serves to emphasize that the VISOR is a 24th century high-tech device, and allows stories
in which Geordi is abducted and his VISOR misused for espionage (TNG: "The Mind's
Eye", "Star Trek: Generations"). Still, the question arises why virtually
any gadget is subspace-based, as if there were no other technologies. Geordi is blind
since his birth, so he got used to see the wide spectrum provided by the VISOR, while his
view was confusing for the other crew members, as was shown in TNG: "Heart of
Glory". In TNG: "Hide and Q", Q fulfills Geordi's wish to perceive his
environment the same way as other people. However, the same could be achived with a simple
set of filters available in any photography shop or with an electronic bandwidth reduction
of the sensor element. |
 |
| 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. |
| Warp 5 speed limit:
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. Since the limit went into effect, new technology
has been introduced that eliminates the damage to subspace, allowing ships to freely
travel faster then Warp 5 again. |
| 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 coil: 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. |
| Warp core: 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
disastreous explosion that most probably destroys the ship. In case of a containment
failure, the warp core offers the possibility 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 already been destroyed by warp core breaches, though they were
supposed to have a lifetime of 100 years. |
| 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:
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
vist 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 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.
warp factor velocity(c)
comment
1
1
Speed of light
2
10
3
39
4
102
5
214
Federation speed limit
6
392
7
656
Cruising speed of standard Galaxy Class
8
1024
9
1516
Maximum speed Class 8 and 9 probes
9.2
1649
Maximum cruising speed of the standard Galaxy Class
9.6
1909
Maximum speed of standard Galaxy Class
9.9
3053
9.975
6667
Maximum of Intrepid Class
9.99
7912
9.9997 198696
Subspace communications speed
9.9999 199516
Subspace communications speed, maximum boosted and relayed
10
infinite |
| Warp field:
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. Jason Hinson provides a more specific 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." |
Warp nacelle: Part
of the warp drive that holds the warp coils, plasma conduits and injectors, usually in a
separate housing. Almost all Federation starships employ 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, Europa, and the USS
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 and the Galaxy Dreadnought and
Intimidator classes sport three. 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 so as 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 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
and Krazzle - yellow, Ferengi - orange, Dominion - purple. |
| 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 propulsion system:
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 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 misunderstanding 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 SS
Valiant reached the edge of the galaxy only two years later, according to official Trek
history. |
| 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. See Warp Factor for
more information. |
| Warp sustainer engine:
Propulsion system of a photon, hellfire, quantum, and tri-cobalt torpedoes, allowing warp
flight for a short period after the launch. |
| Weather net:
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. |
| Wormhole:
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, but they
are theoretically possible. |
 |
| |
 |
| 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. |
 |
| Zero-point energy:
Quantum fluctuation effect that is employed to enhance the explosion of Federation quantum
torpedoes. Zero-point energy (ZPE) is a real theory which assumes that there is a
significant amount of energy below what we use to measure as the zero level, because of
quantum fluctuations. It was believed that there is no practical use of ZPE, since it it
should not be possible to transfer this energy to a higher level. However, if two metal
plates are put very close together, the range of possible waves of the quantum
fluctuations between the plates can be restricted such that the zero-point energy is
smaller than in the surrounding area. The result is an attractive force between the plates
which will move towards each other. This is known as the Casimir effect. |