Enterprise D power generation

[User2005]

What is cannon on Star Trek power generation. Geordi LaForge states that the Enterprise runs in the petawatt range, yet the deflector shields can handle 100 of its own photon torpedoes, equating to about 10^20 watts?

[Lucky]

What is cannon on Star Trek power generation. Geordi LaForge states that the Enterprise runs in the petawatt range, yet the deflector shields can handle 100 of its own photon torpedoes, equating to about 10^20 watts?

Could you please provide the quotes or at least the episode names?

[Mike DiCenso]

Both quotes and episode attribution are preferred, really.
-Mike

[Praeothmin]

Well, Data at one point states the E-D generates 12.75 Billion GW, and Voyager ran 5 MW or was it GW in one Plasma Conduit...

[359]

It was VOY:"Revulsion"; as Seven was about to stick her hand into a conduit Kim said:

Kim: "Wait! What are you doing? There are five billion gigawatts running through there!"

[Mike DiCenso]

Actually, Kim says "five million gigawatts", not "billion", 359.

Geordi also never says at any point in TNG that the E-D generates pettawatt-range power. The closest you can find is when he says this in "The Masterpiece Society":

LAFORGE: We have a matter-antimatter warp reaction system, the most powerful in the Starfleet. Normally, it kicks plasma up into the terawatt range. Why?

This was in reference to needing to divert a stellar core fragment several kilometers across that was stated to mass out at one hundred billion kilograms per cubic centimeter. Later on, the ship's combined impulse power and warp core is ramped up four hundred percent over their standard ratings to power the tractor beam emitters. So the ship at bare minimum in a pinch can generate with all power systems 400 terawatts. If we assume a higher end of terawatt range, and figure the impulse engines seperately, then the E-D can manage well into the single digit petawatt range of power.

However that still runs contrary to the aforementioned "True Q", and to "Revulsion" by several orders of magnitude. It also runs contrary to other episodes, like VOY's "Riddles", "One Small Step", and "Fair Haven" where millions of terawatts or terajoules are mentioned for ship generation, or Voyager withstanding that much energy at close range from spatial anomalies.
-Mike

[mojo]

well, at least we know why it's so easy to travel through time in st now. i mean, all you need is 1.21 gigawatts.

[359]

Actually, Kim says "five million gigawatts", not "billion", 359.

With respect, I disagree. Played back slowly it sounds much sharper like a "b" compared to a soft "m". Several others I asked came to the same conclusion. But I'll agree to disagree, as it is not particularly relevant because we do not know wether it is a major conduit or a minor one. In either case it would still work for the power level stated in TNG: "True Q".

On the topic of "True Q", one thing rarely mentioned is that the Enterprise is idily orbiting a planet, not demanding much power from the warp systems. It would make sense the the power out would increase when using the warp engines or while in combat.

[Mike DiCenso]

If you look back through one of the recent threads, I pointed out to Lucky that the dialog establishes that there was nothing abnormal and that the warp core breech was due solely to Q's interference. But up until that point, all was operating normally, and there is no indication they ramped up power for some test or what-have-you.
-Mike

[359]

I'm sorry, you misinterpreted what I meant. I agree that the warp core was normal at the time, no test, no ramp up. What I did mean is that orbiting a planet does not require much power, especially from the warp engines. So logically the power output of the warp core would increase to greater levels when demands, such as combat or warp flight, are put upon it.

[Praeothmin]

I'm sorry, you misinterpreted what I meant. I agree that the warp core was normal at the time, no test, no ramp up. What I did mean is that orbiting a planet does not require much power, especially from the warp engines. So logically the power output of the warp core would increase to greater levels when demands, such as combat or warp flight, are put upon it.

That was the consensus in the thread as well, IIRC...

[Mike DiCenso]

I'm sorry, you misinterpreted what I meant. I agree that the warp core was normal at the time, no test, no ramp up. What I did mean is that orbiting a planet does not require much power, especially from the warp engines. So logically the power output of the warp core would increase to greater levels when demands, such as combat or warp flight, are put upon it.

Actually you misunderstood me again. I was actually agreeing with you on that, and showed links back to a thread where the proper episode context is given for the warp core breech and Geordi saying that until Q's interference, everything was perfectly normal, and there is no dialog indicating they were running any kind of high-energy experiment or what have you that necessitated a ramped up warp core while the ship was sitting in orbit of the planet.
-Mike

[Lucky]

Actually, Kim says "five million gigawatts", not "billion", 359.

Geordi also never says at any point in TNG that the E-D generates pettawatt-range power. The closest you can find is when he says this in "The Masterpiece Society":

LAFORGE: We have a matter-antimatter warp reaction system, the most powerful in the Starfleet. Normally, it kicks plasma up into the terawatt range. Why?

This was in reference to needing to divert a stellar core fragment several kilometers across that was stated to mass out at one hundred billion kilograms per cubic centimeter. Later on, the ship's combined impulse power and warp core is ramped up four hundred percent over their standard ratings to power the tractor beam emitters. So the ship at bare minimum in a pinch can generate with all power systems 400 terawatts. If we assume a higher end of terawatt range, and figure the impulse engines seperately, then the E-D can manage well into the single digit petawatt range of power.

However that still runs contrary to the aforementioned "True Q", and to "Revulsion" by several orders of magnitude. It also runs contrary to other episodes, like VOY's "Riddles", "One Small Step", and "Fair Haven" where millions of terawatts or terajoules are mentioned for ship generation, or Voyager withstanding that much energy at close range from spatial anomalies.
-Mike

I'm not sure spacial anomalies are a good judge of ship power. There are just too many unknowns about them.

LAFORGE: this is the main control area. We can access any of the primary circuits from all of these panels. Over here is a Jeffries tube. 

AMANDA: Where most of the major conduits are routed. 

LAFORGE: You've been doing your homework. 

AMANDA: It's hard to imagine how much energy is being harnessed in there. 

DATA: Imagination is not necessary. The scale is readily quantifiable. We are presently generating twelve point seven five billion gigawatts per (an alarm goes off)

HANNAH: Your ship. What kind of energy output is it capable of generating? 

LAFORGE: We have a matter-antimatter warp reaction system, the most powerful in the Starfleet. Normally, it kicks plasma up into the terawatt range. Why?

.-.-.-.

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: Transferring warp power to tractor beam generator. 

HANNAH: Graviton generators operating normally. Surge pulse now synchronised. Emitters radiating at three hundred twenty percent over standard. 

LAFORGE: Bridge, we need more power.

[Bridge]

RIKER: Reduce life support to minimum requirements, Mister Data. 

DATA: Aye, sir.

[Engineering]

HANNAH: Three hundred ninety percent over standard. 

LAFORGE: Come on, come on. 

HANNAH: No change in the fragment's course. 

LAFORGE: We've got to increase the pulse frequency. 

HANNAH: The emitter circuits won't hold for long. 

LAFORGE: We won't need them for long. 

HANNAH: Four hundred percent over standard. 

LAFORGE: Okay. Now we're getting there. 

HANNAH: The fragment's moved point four degrees off its previous heading. Point six five. It's working.

X Terawatts*400%

DATA: There were no errors, Geordi. The variance must be no more than point zero six terawatts.

They are talking about .6 terawatts being a small power fluctuation in the Enterprise-D's Phaser output.

SEVEN: It is. The optical assembly is properly aligned. I'm ready to access the main power supply. 

KIM: After you. Wait! What are you doing? There are five million/billion gigawatts running through there! 

SEVEN: The exoskeleton on this limb can withstand it. 

KIM: That's all well and good, but there are safety procedures we've got to follow.

Some people hear Kim say billion and others hear Kim say million.

Captain's log, supplemental. The computer has analysed Tuvok's diagram and identified the Ba'Neth cloaking frequency. We've narrowed the search to a handful of systems.

[Bridge]

KIM: Here we go, Captain. A nine million terawatt cloaking field in grid two one six. 

CHAKOTAY: Nine million terawatt. Whatever they're hiding, it's huge. 

JANEWAY: Alter course, Mister Paris. 

PARIS: Yes, ma'am. 

JANEWAY: Bridge to Astrometrics. Status. 

SEVEN [OC]: The deflector array is ready, Captain. 

JANEWAY: Raise shields. 

KIM: Aye, Captain. 

PARIS: We're within range. 

JANEWAY: All right, Seven. Light them up. 

KIM: It's an armed outpost. Approximately three thousand life signs, twenty two ships. 

JANEWAY: Hail them. 

KIM: No response, Captain. 

CHAKOTAY: They're charging weapons. 

JANEWAY: Open a channel, all subspace bands. 

CHAKOTAY: They're firing. 

JANEWAY: Cease fire immediately, or I'll transmit the co-ordinates of this outpost to the Kesat homeworld. 

PARIS: That got their attention.

Voyager can take weapons fire from something that has an output of nine million terawatts.

[Bridge]

JANEWAY: It's two in the morning, Ensign. This better be more than a little turbulence. 

KIM: You won't be disappointed. We've got level nine gravimetric distortions closing on our position. 

TUVOK: They're emanating from subspace. 

JANEWAY: On screen. Shields. 

PARIS: It's heading right toward us. 

JANEWAY: Evasive manoeuvres. 

CHAKOTAY: Captain. 

JANEWAY: Say good morning to thirty million terajoules of subspace energy. 

PARIS: This thing is following us. I can't outrun it at impulse. 

JANEWAY: Go to warp. 

PARIS: It's disrupting our warp field. 

KIM: If it gets any closer the gravimetric stresses are going to rip the plating off our hull. 

SEVEN: Captain, I recognise this phenomenon. It's Borg designation is spatial anomaly five two one. It's attracted to objects that emit electromagnetic energy. We have to cut power and reverse our shield polarity. 

JANEWAY: Do it. 

PARIS: That was close. 

JANEWAY: I recognise this anomaly too. It's called a graviton ellipse. According to the Federation Database it travels through subspace, emerging occasionally without warning. Ellipses have only been observed a handful of times.

I'm not sure you can honestly get any information out of this beyond gravity and subspace seem connected.

[Bridge]

KIM: The neutronic gradient's rising. Thirty million terajoules. Forty million. 

JANEWAY: Shields? 

TUVOK: Holding. 

KIM: Sixty million. 

TORRES [OC]: Torres to Bridge. The inverse warp field is destabilising. We're losing our anchor. 

JANEWAY: Acknowledged. How long before we're clear? 

PARIS: At least another five minutes. 

KIM: That's about four minutes too long. The gradient's rising fast. Ninety million. 

PARIS: Stabilisers are offline. 

CHAKOTAY: Thrusters. 

PARIS: No effect. 

TUVOK: Shields are failing. 

CHAKOTAY: How close are we to the perimeter? 

PARIS: A thousand kilometres, but we're being pulled along with the storm. 

JANEWAY: What have you got in mind? 

CHAKOTAY: The deflector beam. We might be able to cut a path through the wavefront.

Again I'm not sure you can honestly use this to judge reactor output.

Objection!

[Engineering]

LAFORGE: Bridge, this is Engineering. 

PICARD [OC]: Yes, Lieutenant. 

LAFORGE: Now that we're out of warp, I'd like to use this time to make some routine adjustments on the deuterium control conduit. We're overdue.

[Bridge]

PICARD: How much time will these adjustments require, Lieutenant? 

LAFORGE [OC]: A couple of hours, sir. 

RIKER: Proceed, Lieutenant La Forge. Standard orbit, Ensign.
.-.-.-.-.-.
WORF: Captain, I'm receiving an audio signal. 

PICARD: Audio on. 

VOICE [OC]: Come in Enterprise. This is Command Headquarters of Daled Four. We have been expecting you. 

DATA: Sir, sensors indicate the communication originated from a terawatt source on the planet. 

RIKER: That's more power than our entire ship can generate. 

DATA: It is what is needed to penetrate the atmosphere. 

RIKER: Which means we lack the ability to respond, sir. 

WORF: Sir, there are beam-down coordinates encoded within the carrier signal. 

PICARD: Splendid. 

RIKER: I'll arrange for our guests to beam down.

Some would say Riker's statement about the Enterprise-D not being able to generate a single terawatt should be taken over the many quotes above, but if what Riker said was true then how are they going to beam down.

What relevance does the maintenance to the deuterium control conduit have to Riker's statement?

[Mike DiCenso]

I'm not sure you can honestly get any information out of this beyond gravity and subspace seem connected.

We can get a lot of information from "One Small Step", thanks in part due to the FX and relevant dialog:


http://voy.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/ ... ep_061.jpg
http://voy.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/ ... ep_299.jpg

The graviton ellipse is described by Kelly:

KUMAGAWA [OC]: John, what's going on?

KELLY: There's an object closing on my position, azimuth one twenty one point six. Whatever it is, it's huge. It's over a thousand metres across.

So we have a diameter and the thing is nearly spherical in shape. Which means we can calculate a surface area and the amount of subspace energy per square meter radiating from it. From the visuals, we know that Voyager got within a few hundred meters or closer to the thing in order to rescue the Delta Flyer with a tractor beam. Some years ago I calculated the surface area of the ellipse and how much energy would be intercepted by Voyager in this thread here.

So 30 million terajoules divided by 5,277,875.6 square meters is 5.68 TJ per meter^2. That's a lot of energy per square meter that Voyager is intercepting! As you can read in the older thread the shields have the potential of absorbing some 48,666 TW of subspace energy.
-Mike

[Lucky]

I'm not sure you can honestly get any information out of this beyond gravity and subspace seem connected.

We can get a lot of information from "One Small Step", thanks in part due to the FX and relevant dialog:


http://voy.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/ ... ep_061.jpg
http://voy.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/ ... ep_299.jpg

The graviton ellipse is described by Kelly:

KUMAGAWA [OC]: John, what's going on?

KELLY: There's an object closing on my position, azimuth one twenty one point six. Whatever it is, it's huge. It's over a thousand metres across.

So we have a diameter and the thing is nearly spherical in shape. Which means we can calculate a surface area and the amount of subspace energy per square meter radiating from it. From the visuals, we know that Voyager got within a few hundred meters or closer to the thing in order to rescue the Delta Flyer with a tractor beam. Some years ago I calculated the surface area of the ellipse and how much energy would be intercepted by Voyager in this thread here.

So 30 million terajoules divided by 5,277,875.6 square meters is 5.68 TJ per meter^2. That's a lot of energy per square meter that Voyager is intercepting! As you can read in the older thread the shields have the potential of absorbing some 48,666 TW of subspace energy.
-Mike

That sounds like Voyager was being hit with 30 million terajoules rather then 30 million being the total output of the object.

And what about the gravitational energy, and the electromagnetic energy? There is more going on then simply the subspace energy.

For that matter, what is subspace energy, and how does it interact with the ship and its systems, or mundane normal-space matter and energy for that matter?

I don't doubt your math, but I think you are over simplifying things and some details are debatable. They talk about the thing being able to rip off hull plates, and yet this is a ship that can enter and leave black holes. I don't see how the thing is quantifiable really