nuny@bid.nes
2014-06-11 18:11:53 UTC
According to the ST:TNGTM, impulse engines are basically fusion reactors that feed hot plasma through warp coils just strong enough to reduce ship mass without generating a warp field, and the resulting "depleted" plasma is exhausted through usually red or red-orange glowing ports that point aft.
OK, so it would seem that much of the plasma's energy goes into generating the subspace field that reduces ship mass, and the red color indicates a fairly cool exhaust temperature.
Any idea how cool? I don't *think* the exact color is consistent from ship to ship, nor even from one shot to another of the same ship, so "color temperature" doesn't seem to be a valid approach.
Any ideas at all? Do I have this completely sideways, even allowing for the TNGTM's known departures from earlier canon?
For that matter, is there anything in earlier canon that would give a hint about exhaust temperature?
Mark L. Fergerson
OK, so it would seem that much of the plasma's energy goes into generating the subspace field that reduces ship mass, and the red color indicates a fairly cool exhaust temperature.
Any idea how cool? I don't *think* the exact color is consistent from ship to ship, nor even from one shot to another of the same ship, so "color temperature" doesn't seem to be a valid approach.
Any ideas at all? Do I have this completely sideways, even allowing for the TNGTM's known departures from earlier canon?
For that matter, is there anything in earlier canon that would give a hint about exhaust temperature?
Mark L. Fergerson