Forcefields. Fields of force. Plains of pushing particles. Anxious atoms aligned by algorithms.
What are they. Hi Ric here and this video is looking briefly into the different types
of forcefields in use aboard most Star Trek starships, now I’m not a scientist let alone
a shield technician, so this is mostly speculation. Force fields are similar but different from
a Starship’s deflector shields which are raised to protect a vessel from energy and
physical attacks, so I’ll not be looking at how that technology works, as I’ll be
saving that for another video. The earliest known force fields, from Stafleet
at least, date back to around the 2150s when they were referred to as EM Barriers and still
in development by the organisation which at the time was Humanity’s exploratory arm
and not a Federation institute. This perhaps gives us some idea as to how they work as
the EM likely stands for Electro-Magnetic suggesting some form of magnetic containment
field inside which is a form of energy or particle that acts as the physical barrier.
If it were simply particles contained within a magnetic field somehow, this might also
offer an explanation as to how the force field can be varied in strength and serve a myriad
of different purposes. The most frequently seen force field are those
used as containment whether deployed in the junctions of a corridor, or as cell doors
to a brig or prison, these shields prevent matter and energy from passing through them
and can deliver a slight shock (possibly electric in nature) to anyone who touches it. Most
force fields are invisible when active unless something comes into contact with it. Then
we can then see the effect of particles manifesting around the point of pressure. Some variations,
such as those favoured in the 2250s were in fact visible. I’d speculate that this was
probably a safety feature to show that there was actually an invisible field of energy
right in front of you, like putting a sticker on a glass door. Health and safety and all
that. These sorts of barriers are also used in research
labs to contain hazards. Most vessels have a network of force field
emitters across all decks for the purposes of containing an individual, fire, hull breach
or any number of hazards and many are erected automatically if the computer detects the
need. Although under duress, say in a firefight, the emergency containment system can take
precious seconds to respond, especially if its emitters are damaged, so it has to calculate
a new method of containment or dig up power reserves from somewhere, usually when power
was already in demand. This is why manual activation is sometimes required. Such fields
can be activated by anyone from most control panels but only certain individuals of rank
can lock or override them. These also tie into the structural integrity
field of a starship which can deploy these energy fields around the framework or supports
of a ship to take pressure of certain areas. Rather painfully, if a force field activates
across a person, they will usually receive severe burns and then be flung clear, but
not actually be bisected or anything so gruesome. Another use of force fields can be seen in
the shuttle bay and cargo bay doors which have low intensity energy barriers that allow
for a shuttlecraft, solid matter under thrust, to pass through, but prevent air from rushing
into the void of space. Very low force fields are a common use in
holograms to give them a physical presence. This force field is so low in power that it
delivers negligible shock but is also only one aspect of a holo-projector which is a
complex enough myriad of technologies to simulate different substances, such as the warmth of
skin, the coldness of ice or the softness of a bed.
So if a force field is an electromagnetically contained stream of particles, could this
be “sci-fi-science’d” into explaining the versatility of how they function? I guess?
Imagine that the EM containment walls go up then the space in between is flooded with
particles. In real life research, the answer to force field technology seems to be plasma,
the energized matter can be magnetically manipulated and even electrically conductive.
So these fictional particles (or some maybe plasma) is then energized by the emitters
and begins to vibrate more and more, within its containment, creating a dense wall of
high energy points that are repelling anything that they touch. At low intensity, perhaps
they’re only strong enough to keep out air molecules which are lazily drifting around
waiting for a vacuum that they can abhor. But the denser, more robust matter of, say
a shuttlecraft is solid enough to pass through this barrier with the added force generated
by its impulse drive. At higher settings, even matter cannot pass
through creating the sort of containment fields that emergency systems and prison cells use.
We’ve also seen that sometimes sustained energy weapons can disable force fields and
I’d speculate again that they’re adding to the energy already present within the vibrating
molecules within the force field. This increases the load on the emitters and they short out,
deactivating the field. As for the use to reinforce the structural
integrity of a starship itself? What if somehow you could get all the molecules moving in
unison, thus applying force to the top and bottom, or even the sides of the shield, countering
any force or pressure from the bulkhead its reinforcing?
There are a couple holes in this idea though. Ignoring the notion that such accurate magnetic
fields are as far as I know, impossible, one is that if a force field suddenly drops like
that then the contained energized atoms would surely explode in all directions with a burst
of energy. Another problem is that such an energised field would be very hot. The friction
of the molecules might well exceed tolerable levels and turn a containment cell into an
oven, which would admittedly make Brig time far more feared. And shorter. A lot shorter.
Although this does tie into the notion that anyone too close to an activating force field
would be seared but while researching for this video, I found an analysis from a channel
called “Up and Atom” that also points out how hot plasma would have to get to act
as an effective repelling force. I’ll link it in the description but another issue is
that plasma is gives off a lot of light too, so a solid wall of plasma would be blindingly
bright. For this reason, I think Star Trek has taken its own approach to Force field
tech and uses some form particle that would not reach these temperatures nor plasma’s
brilliance. This is my notion on how force fields would
work in Star Trek, but like a lot of its science, it doesn’t bare up under too close a scrutiny,
but has just enough of an understanding to make for a feasible sounding technology. Just
don’t get me started on the murder machine that is a transporter.
Thanks for watching this energized ion of a lore theory, I’m Ric and if you’ve got
your own ideas on how this would all work, let me know and I’ll maybe compile a list
of ideas? Until the next video, thanks again for watching, and goodbye!