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From: mnw@trwrba.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Hot Potatoe
Message-ID: <1187@trwrba.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 17-Dec-84 15:46:28 EST
Article-I.D.: trwrba.1187
Posted: Mon Dec 17 15:46:28 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 03:32:58 EST
Organization: TRW EDS, Redondo Beach, CA
Lines: 74

>We all know that antimatter is a difficult material to handle; contact with
>any matter (even gases) produces an, uh, energetic reaction.  From
>"Obsession": "Imagine--an ounce of antimatter, more powerful than 10 000
>cobalt bombs."  Also , we're told that the resulting blast will "rip half
>the atmosphere from the planet."  Remember that this antimatter was 
>drained from the warp drive--presumably Enterprise carries much more than
>an ounce.  (Someone else can argue for the definition of an ounce of 
>antimatter.)  So the reaction of all the antimatter carried by Enterprise
>would produce a big bang indeed, if not moderated.
>
>Now the problem with antimatter is that you can't store it in a reactive
>container i.e. a container made of matter; even Teflon coated polyethylene
>is out.  Fortunately, it is possible to create electromagnetic (and even
>gravitational-field) "bottles" which can effectively isolate the antimatter
>from contact with any matter.  All you need is the FIELD GENERATOR, and a
>POWER SUPPLY.
>
>So now the warp drive is damaged beyond repair, the Klingons are coming, and
>you'd like to abandon ship.  You'll initiate a sequence of commands that
>will effectively destroy your ship--let's say you set off "controlled"
>explosions on the bridge, computer center, engineering, etc.  These ex-
>plosions will disrupt power supplies.  But what happens to the antimatter
>field-isolation bottles, and the antimatter stored in them??
>
>			    B   O   O   M   !!
>
>Once you destroy your ship, you destroy the only thing that keeps your
>matter and antimatter apart. PLEASE don't argue that the field bottle
>would survive the self-destuct; electromagnetic bottles are difficult
>at best to maintain, and are notorious for their power consumption!  And
>remember--the field-generating equipment has to be OUTSIDE this force
>field, or else!
>
>One bonus, however; you wouldn't need a distress signal!!
>
>				Cheerfully ruining everyone's day,
>
>				George Raiche
>				Dept. of Chemistry
>				Dartmouth
>
>
>				"Take great care; the police
>					are everywhere!"
>

I know that this has been addressed quite a few times on the net,
but here is my two cents worth.

First, you could blow up the saucer (bridge) without disrupting the
anitmatter in the narcelles.  You can separate the saucer from the
rest of the ship and proceed using only the impulse engines.  So,
power would still be available to keep the antimatter from touching
any of the matter parts.  Otherwise as soon as you separated, the 
engineering section would blow up and you with it!

The actual problem with the destruction sequence was when the ship
entered the atmosphere and started breaking up, the anitmatter would
have been unleashed and a great explosion should have ensued.  Of
course this would have destroyed the Klingon ship and the planet!
Harve did not handle this quite right.  Also, I don't believe that
the Enterprise would have been close enough to the planet to fall
into it's atmosphere.  If I were going to destroy my ship and had
to beam down to the planet, I would definitely have the ship pointed
away from the planet!

Any other thoughts out there?

"Live Long and Prosper!"

Michael N. Washington
TRW E&DS  Redondo Beach, Ca.  90278

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