Plasma

Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter. To be more exact, plasma is an ionized gaseous state, which is commonly seen in an electrical arc. Plasma was the main energy medium used to channel power to systems via EPS conduits in almost all starships. A plasma relay technician was responsible for rerouting plasma to systems to which they were not allocated. (VOY: "Good Shepherd")

In physics, studies of plasma included plasma dynamics and plasma physics. (TNG: "Peak Performance", "True Q") Individuals who specialized in these fields, and more, included plasma specialists and EPS control specialists. (TNG: "The Game"; ENT: "The Forgotten")

History and use[]

In 2032, John Kelly's Ares IV command module was equipped with an ion distributor, a primitive form of an EPS conduit, which could be adapted for use with the warp plasma from the Delta Flyer. (VOY: "One Small Step")

Typically, warp drive-capable civilizations used super-energized electro-plasma in their power transfer systems, EPS for short. The electro-plasma was used as warp plasma for the engines and was also converted into standard electrical energy when fed off an EPS tap. Federation EPSes were designed around matter-antimatter reaction assemblies (usually warp cores) or fusion reactors (sometimes the impulse reactors). Besides the large warp plasma conduits, there were smaller plasma conduits, with EPS couplings that transferred power as electricity to all subsystems connected to the power transfer grid. If a plasma conduit or EPS tap ruptured, the contents could set off a plasma fire. (ENT: "The Forgotten"; VOY: "Investigations")

In 2151, Enterprise NX-01 was hit in the port nacelle by an unidentified alien vessel and lost drive plasma. (ENT: "Silent Enemy")

In 2259, a farmer who had survived a Gorn attack on Finibus III reported seeing streaks in the sky like "rain on fire", which Una Chin-Riley suggested could have been from a sub-orbital plasma bombardment. (SNW: "Memento Mori")

Aboard the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D, in the Engineering Systems Database, there was a folder named "High Energy Plasma Constriction". This folder contained technical manuals relevant to the topic. (TNG: "Booby Trap", okudagram)

In 2368, the crew of the Enterprise-D managed to turn dust particles in the atmosphere of Penthara IV into plasma by means of a phaser beam and electrostatic energy. (TNG: "A Matter Of Time")

Aboard Deep Space 9, plasma was transported through the power conduits. In 2369, Ensign Aquino detected an irregularity in the plasma flow and investigated it. (DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets")

Storage[]

Plasma could be stored in warp plasma canisters or plasma infusers for mobile use, and was used in plasma torches and plasma weapons (such as plasma charges, plasma waves, plasma rifles, and plasma torpedoes). It could also be found naturally occurring, such as the energetic anomalies found in plasma storms and plasma fields. The Badlands were one such example of both anomalies. (VOY: "Caretaker")

Accidents[]

Plasma could also pose a threat, such as in the form of a plasma surge.

In 2369, a plasma surge caused a fire in corridor H-12-A of the habitat ring aboard Deep Space 9. In this corridor, no fire suppression system was working. (DS9: "The Forsaken")

The Ferengi Doctor Reyga was thought to be the victim of a plasma surge from an apparent suicide in a science lab aboard the Enterprise-D in 2369. (TNG: "Suspicions")

Plasmas[]

• Ambiplasma
• Electro-plasma
• Tetryon plasma
• Tripolymer plasma

Plasma study[]

• Plasma dynamics
• Plasma physics
• Plasma specialist

Plasma based lifeforms[]

• Anaphasic lifeform
• Calamarain

See also[]

• Plasma burn
• Plasma extinguisher
• Plasmic fiber
• Plasma field
• Plasma network
• Plasma phaser
• Plasma torch
• Plasma torpedo
• Plasma wave
• Plasma wave probe
• Plasma weapon
• Tricyclic plasma drive

External link[]

• Plasma at Wikipedia