posted
Here's the deal -- I'm part of a group that's writing a script-based series that's set in the beginning of the 25th century aboard a Starfleet ship. It's a new class that represents all of the technological advances that were made over the past 25 years, including a bunch of cool toys that were brought back by Voyager.
One of the biggest changes is that the ship is not powered by a traditional matter/antimatter warp core. In fact, the new ship carries no antimatter at all!
The new power source is called the Quantum Induction Core, and it's based on the zero point energy principle.
I'm trying to come up with some background technobabble that explains how the thing works. I used the DS9 Technical Manual as a basis (the workings of the quantum torpedo) but I wanted to run this by the "experts" and get some input.
quote:A fusion reaction is used to generate a sufficient volume of high-temperature EPS plasma, which is introduced to the induction core. Two subspace field generators located at bipolar position form an eleven-dimensional space-time membrane, also known as a quantum filament. By manipulating the shape of the filament, a new particle pair can be called into existence. The process of generating large numbers of particles results in the induction of high-energy plasma which can be bled off from the main reaction chamber and transferred to other parts of the ship via the EPS network, and also to the engine nacelles to power the quantum slipstream drive.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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Anyways, I don't know much about ZPE, so I can't really be of much help. I think Cargile's read up on alternative forms of power, and he's done some pretty good writeups on them. Might be a good idea to look him up.
BTW, those are some interesting uniforms.
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Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I think the problem is that NO ONE knows much about ZPE theory. That being said, I'd simplify what you wrote, and reword it somewhat using M/AM as a basis for comparison. That way, people have at least an inkling of where you're coming from.
As for the cutaways, to critique them I gotta say that I don't like 'em all that much. Quite an inefficiant use of space IMO, especially with the second level. The core itself isn't that bad though, but I'd have made it a little more solid-looking. And I don't think ANY previous engineering set has had that many stations...
Hey! Why are you worrying about this when you could be worrying about Sector Beta, huh? Time for the teacher to bug the pupil!
Mark
[ March 09, 2002, 17:48: Message edited by: Mark Nguyen ]
quote:Hey! Why are you worrying about this when you could be worrying about Sector Beta, huh? Time for the teacher to bug the pupil!
I'll have you know I've been working on that invasion plan since I first read the "assignment." It's a damn tough job with all those annoying defense stations scattered throughout the system. I've got to take a break every now and then...
[ March 10, 2002, 06:40: Message edited by: MinutiaeMan ]
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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the cutaways look good, definately better than anything i could have ever done.....not that i can do anything but yeah they're COOL!
IMHO i think that slug of text u quoted for us. sounds believable.
Buzz
-------------------- "Tom is Canadian. He thereby uses advanced humour tecniques, such as 'irony', 'sarcasm', and werid shit'. If you are not qualified in any of these, it will be risky for you to attempt to decipher what he means. Just smile and carry on." - PsyLiam; 16th June
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Unfortunately, using ZPE as a power source may not be the best idea. Martin Gardner had a very interesting chapter in his book "Did Adam and Eve Have Navels?" about the whole ZPE debate. He quotes several physicists who raise major problems with ZPE. The Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Weinberg said that the total amount of ZPE available in a space the size of the earth is about the same as the energy obtainable from a gallon of gasoline. So much for quantum drive (and quantum torpedoes).
posted
Well, I suppose that depends on how it's handled. I don't know enough about the principle of ZPE to know how it works.
I just copied what I read in the DS9 Tech Manual -- and basically uses a quantum filament to create particles from nothing. That might not be ZPE as today's physicists understand it, though.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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Phycro Onyx
Ex-Member
posted
i might be able to help you with that, i am in the process of writing a novel that includes the thoery of warping time instead of space like warp cores do. if you need help contact me, and where did you get the pic from did you make it? it is extremly thorough.
I mentioned this to a friend of mine who runs a PBeM sim and he took a look and wanted me to post this on his behalf.
quote:Actually in all reality,
The space represented by a single cup of coffee holds enough energy in the form of ZPF to boil off all of the Earth's oceans instantly and completely.
That is the kinda power that they are talking about and a gallon of Gasoline can not and will never be able to do that. Even if you were to encrease the current efficiency rating for a gasoline engine with something like a Fuel Cell engine; from 30-40% to something near 99%
Sorry but I find Woodside Kid's statement to be absurd... For my Source of this information, I quoted Doctor H.E. Puthoff, PH.D. who is currently the leading researcher into the field.
In fact, the idea that ZPF represents that much energy is based upon mathematics. Which is Why NASA has opened up it's own research into the concept now.
Given this I really don't know who you're talking about or how in the world they came up with what you are quoting. I say that because why would NASA invest millions and possibly billions in the future to something that doesn't give them more power than their current solid state rocket propellant? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
Furthermore, most of the techo babble that I have read on Quantum Torpedoes is that it is a ZPF reaction. The explosions in the show from that doesn't look like a Gallon of Gasoline blowing up either. sorry but I couldn't resist saying that, no offense meant though. Really though, the technobabble for ZPF already has an open door into Star Trek because of that.
Well that's all. He says that he's gonna sign up, but wanted to get this said ASAP. I'm more than happy to help my friends out!
-------------------- If you cant convince them, confuse them.
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
Er...some scientists think that you can pull lots of energy from a vacuum, some think you can't. There isn't any consensus, and there certainly isn't any hard theory about it.
Registered: Mar 1999
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Merenzine Gold
Ex-Member
posted
I don't know about drawing energy from a vacuum but ZPF has been proven to exist actually. If you don't believe me, then go into any Physics text book and look up 'Plank's Constant'. I do not mean the abreviated version that Electrical Engineers, and such, use. I mean the true/full version of what Doctor Plank wrote.
You see the reason that nobody has taken ZPF into account is because it exerts a 'zero' net force. The reason for that is because of what ZPF is and not because it's 'weak'. ZPF is radiated everywhere, in everydirection, in equal sense. Where it comes from, they don't know but they know its there. Yet because it radiates onto any object from all directions, its net force is zero. So the abereviated version takes the ZPF side of the equation out.
However they have conducted experiments have taken two mental (I forget the actual substance at the moment) plates and put them parrallel to each other. At a certain distance from each other, they are propelled together by ZPF. The problem of turning that into a generator is because it takes the same force to pull them apart as it does for ZPF to push them together.
:: shrugs:: you can not believe me all you want on this but I can even show you the A I got from my Physics professor for writing my paper on ZPF that included this information. If you still don't believe me... well everyone is stubborn at somepoint in their life.
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Welcome to Flare Merenzine Gold - glad you decided to join our ranks. (Looks at profile) Ah! So that's what you look like You only need another 249 posts to become a Senior Member and get your own personalised status line (50 to use html if I remember correctly). So get posting and addin' to these (sometimes heated, but always funny) debates! HEHE!
And yes, my previous post was on behalf of this person . . . in case you were wondering.
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EdipisReks
Ex-Member
posted
quote:However they have conducted experiments have taken two mental(I forget the actual substance at the moment) plates and put them parrallel to each other.
where did they get these cool mental plates? plank's constant and actual, real zero point energy are two totally different things. last time there i saw articles in the journal nature about this, the concensus was that zero point energy probably doesn't exist as an actual, practical phenomena. and these articles were done by physicist with more credentials than an A paper in physics class.
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sorry but I couldn't resist saying that, no offense meant though. Really though, the
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