Star Trek technology mechanics and physics background

[Picard]

I know that there is topic on SpaceBattles comparing Trek and Wars technology, however, this topic should be about how Star Trek technology really works, including underlying physics.

For example, we know how photon torpedoes work - by annihilating matter and antimatter, producing photons in process. But how, for example, quantum torpedoes work? Or transphasic torpedoes? Or any other piece of technology whose underlying principles are not immediately apparent?

P.S. Standard canon - no Technical Manuals or any such books.

Let me start with Quantum torpedoes. There are several possibilities:
1) They are using theory of uncertainity to rotate shield frequency so as not allow Borg to adapt to them It might also be reason behind Sovereign-class shielding being so effective against Borg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_principle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_indeterminacy
That may include some free particle being used to determine frequency changes.

2) Quantum torpedoes may be some kind of gravitational weapon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_gravity

Also, quantum tunneling may be what allows for instanteneous communication speeds; however, it seemingly necessitates static relays.
http://physics.about.com/od/quantumphys ... hysics.htm

If you get any ideas about Star Trek tech mechanics, post them here. Discuss if possible.

[Lucky]

I know that there is topic on SpaceBattles comparing Trek and Wars technology, however, this topic should be about how Star Trek technology really works, including underlying physics.

For example, we know how photon torpedoes work - by annihilating matter and antimatter, producing photons in process. But how, for example, quantum torpedoes work? Or transphasic torpedoes? Or any other piece of technology whose underlying principles are not immediately apparent?

P.S. Standard canon - no Technical Manuals or any such books.

Let me start with Quantum torpedoes. There are several possibilities:
1) They are using theory of uncertainity to rotate shield frequency so as not allow Borg to adapt to them It might also be reason behind Sovereign-class shielding being so effective against Borg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_principle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_indeterminacy
That may include some free particle being used to determine frequency changes.

2) Quantum torpedoes may be some kind of gravitational weapon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_gravity

Also, quantum tunneling may be what allows for instanteneous communication speeds; however, it seemingly necessitates static relays.
http://physics.about.com/od/quantumphys ... hysics.htm

If you get any ideas about Star Trek tech mechanics, post them here. Discuss if possible.

Quantum Torpedos contain plasma warheads as stated in "For The Uniform".
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Quantum_torpedo

[Picard]

So does that eliminate possible gravitational element?

And why it seems to me that I'm only one interested in this? Last time I did such thread I was only one posting theories, everyone else just came in to discuss them, but posted no theories of their own.

[Kor_Dahar_Master]

So does that eliminate possible gravitational element?

Not entirely but it does not support it either and they already have things specifically called Gravimetric charges that they put into torpedoes.

And why it seems to me that I'm only one interested in this? Last time I did such thread I was only one posting theories, everyone else just came in to discuss them, but posted no theories of their own.

The problem is that the theories have little or no actual canon support so will be rather useless in vs.

[Picard]

So, it's only vs that matters? I thought that people got into STvsSW by being actual fans of Star Wars / Star Trek / both, not the opposite.

As for torpedoes, I'd say that leaves us with uncertainity principle.

[Kor_Dahar_Master]

So, it's only vs that matters? I thought that people got into STvsSW by being actual fans of Star Wars / Star Trek / both, not the opposite.

As for torpedoes, I'd say that leaves us with uncertainity principle.

I preferred it as a weapon that got its effect from extracted vacuum energy from a region of subspace.

[Picard]

Possible.

[KSW]

From what I know, the "duotronic computers" basically are like binary computers, but rather than 1's and 0's, they consider everything in between as well. This sounds exactly like Quantum Computing.

Most other Trek physics involves the "transstator" mentioned at the end of "A Piece of the Action;" this seems to be a gizmo that converts EM-energy to gravitational.
As we know in physics, there are four types of energy: EM, gravitational, strong nuclear forces, and weak kinetic forces. We can currently use three of these, but not gravity; so the transstator makes the next leap, allowing people to use gravitational energy to do all sorts of neat things.

Warp-drive involves stretching and bending space, so as to move the space around the ship rather than vice-versa, and to make the ship longer in comparison to normal space so as to cheat relativity by multiplying the ship's velocity by thousands of times-- i.e. so that the ship is actually moving only about 0.1C in terms of relativity, but actually it's moving over 1000C.
Of course there are factors which limit this speed, but they keep getting better at it.

Deflectors/tractors simply move objects outside the ship in the same manner, and phasers do so in a disruptive manner.

Subspace communications would seem to produce a small wormhole, which only carries information, but does so over long distances.

Sensors might work in a similar manner.

Torpedoes are just that: i.e. self-propelled warheads which are launched at warp-speed, and which generate a warp-field/shield to sustain the speed and to penetrate enemy-shields, and then detonate either on impact or in proximity.

Transporters are the most difficult technology to explain, but it might use a short-range version of the subspace communications and warp-technology in order to scan an object from one place to another by creating a holographic 3-D image of the object at the landing-site, and gradually interchanging it by tractor-beam with the real one through the "wormhole" using Quantum-computing to control the massive calculations and information-processing required.
Since this involves the transportation of matter rather than information, it can only be done over a short distance in comparison to the light-years involving communications.

[KSW]

So, it's only vs that matters? I thought that people got into STvsSW by being actual fans of Star Wars / Star Trek / both, not the opposite.

As for torpedoes, I'd say that leaves us with uncertainity principle.

I preferred it as a weapon that got its effect from extracted vacuum energy from a region of subspace.

As in "quantum singularity?"
That could do hella damage.

[Picard]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_singularity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole

I don't see much difference there. But if that's true, they should do more damage, althought size of singularity and its duration are probably limited by size of warhead and singularity-creation apparatus.

BTW, nice theories, Maurice.

[mojo]

GRANDMA! NO!

[KSW]

I forgot to mention Einstein's observations that gravity is simply a space-warp, and so if you can control gravity then you can affect space; so that's the next logical step in technology. That's why Star Trek was always so far ahead of its time compared to old Sci-Fi.

In DS9, they reveal that Romulan warp-engines create an artificial quantum singularity; so quantum torpedoes must work on that principle, creating a very brief but huge black hole to disrupt the space around the target. This is contrast to photon torpedoes, which just release lots of photon-energy. You're right, though: the singularity would be limited by the size and power of the warhead, but again they could keep refining it.

As for replicators, scientists have already built replicators that work like printers, which can create simple objects like working crescent-wrenches by spraying polymer instead of ink, and spraying it in a 3-D format until it's completed and solid. There's a video on it, the tech actually produced a working crescent-wrench.

To make food, it's likewise just a matter of simple chemical engineering to make things out of edible carbohydates, polypeptides and lipids; we don't do it now, simply because it's not considered cost-effective, but that could change as demands and supply shifted.

Star Trek replicators would work like this, but they'd use transporter-based methods instead of mechanical.

[Picard]

Nice.

[Lucky]

From what I know, the "duotronic computers" basically are like binary computers, but rather than 1's and 0's, they consider everything in between as well. This sounds exactly like Quantum Computing.

Where does this come from?

Most other Trek physics involves the "transstator" mentioned at the end of "A Piece of the Action;" this seems to be a gizmo that converts EM-energy to gravitational.
As we know in physics, there are four types of energy: EM, gravitational, strong nuclear forces, and weak kinetic forces. We can currently use three of these, but not gravity; so the transstator makes the next leap, allowing people to use gravitational energy to do all sorts of neat things.

Universal Translators read thought. Strange, but they are psionic technology it seems.

Warp-drive involves stretching and bending space, so as to move the space around the ship rather than vice-versa, and to make the ship longer in comparison to normal space so as to cheat relativity by multiplying the ship's velocity by thousands of times-- i.e. so that the ship is actually moving only about 0.1C in terms of relativity, but actually it's moving over 1000C.
Of course there are factors which limit this speed, but they keep getting better at it.

In order to go to warp they need to reach a certain threshold like breaking the sound barrier, and the speed they need to get to is light speed or near enough.

They often cruse at speeds like .7c as if it is nothing.

Deflectors/tractors simply move objects outside the ship in the same manner, and phasers do so in a disruptive manner.

Well this is seemingly how they are described to work at least.

Subspace communications would seem to produce a small wormhole, which only carries information, but does so over long distances.

Sensors might work in a similar manner.

Where are you getting this information?

Torpedoes are just that: i.e. self-propelled warheads which are launched at warp-speed, and which generate a warp-field/shield to sustain the speed and to penetrate enemy-shields, and then detonate either on impact or in proximity.

Well we actually don't know how torpedos travel at FTL speeds. We only know they do.

Torpedos have shield penetrating technologies built into them as we see in Generations.

Torpedos try to embed themselves into the hull, and have been known to drill into planets.

Transporters are the most difficult technology to explain, but it might use a short-range version of the subspace communications and warp-technology in order to scan an object from one place to another by creating a holographic 3-D image of the object at the landing-site, and gradually interchanging it by tractor-beam with the real one through the "wormhole" using Quantum-computing to control the massive calculations and information-processing required.
Since this involves the transportation of matter rather than information, it can only be done over a short distance in comparison to the light-years involving communications.

There is some sort of matter to energy thing going on, then you get sent through subspace, and then there is a energy to matter thing going on.

[Praeothmin]

Universal Translators read thought. Strange, but they are psionic technology it seems.

Not in ENT and not in TNG they don't...