Post by Chairman Ryan on Oct 20, 2008 19:32:43 GMT -5
Jump Gates
A Theoretical Approach to Stabilization of Wormholes
Let me begin this article by saying that jump gates, and thusly the wormholes attached to them, are mathematically possible, but cannot be proven in the field for simple lack of materials. Einstein proved in his formulae that the establishment of a wormhole is possible by bending spacetime to the point where it rips. This is also how a black hole works. But since data cannot be gathered from inside a black hole, nor can black holes be seen (only detected through observation of materials surrounding them), we can only speculate on how to approach the construction of a jump gate. It has been stated by astrophysicists that, through the use of an as-yet-unknown exotic material, building a structure with this material around a black hole could stabilize it and/or allow materials to be sent through it. But since even light cannot escape the pull of a black hole; no material is known to be capable of surviving the journey intact.
Wormholes are significantly smaller anomalies. Einstein showed they could exist on a mathematical basis, but only remain stable and open for 1042 of a second. To put this in better perspective, the human eye blinks at a rate of about 103 per second. Thus the idea of sending a person or some other object through the wormhole, as suggested by so many popular science fiction shows, is impossible unless some sort of stabilizing mechanism is in place to keep the wormhole open. This is where things begin to traverse from mathematical astrophysics to theoretical astrophysics.
Stabilization will occur if an opposing force can balance the bending of light and at the event horizon of a wormhole. The event horizon, or edge of a wormhole, is where light can no longer escape the pull of the wormhole and is thus pulled down inside of it. At this point the light, and any other material reaching the edge, is pulled through the wormhole to the other side. Scientists have no idea what happens when it reaches the other side. But there have been many speculations, including those shown in science fiction shows. Theoretically, if the wormhole is stable long enough, a large object shot directly through the center of the wormhole opening can be ejected out the other side without being ripped apart to bare atoms. Since light (and all other debris pulled in) bends at the event horizon, if this region is avoided material could pass through in a mere fraction of a second without any damage. That is theoretically.
To create this stable event horizon is another matter of theory. Many people have proposed the idea of jump gates. In recent times they have become popular in many movies and television shows. A jump gate is basically a mechanism that can produce a stable wormhole, either by being built around an existing one, or by having one started in the center of an active (pre-built) gate. At the event horizon light and mass bend and begin to be torn apart as they are sucked down in a circular fashion – similar to a sink draining water – into the wormhole and then ejected at another point on the opposite side. To negate the pull of the event horizon one would have to use equally strong forces to oppose the event horizon. Positive charged ions and photons emitted in a circular fashion opposite the flow of the wormhole could theoretically create this stability. Obviously this could only be achieved by nuclear reactors and a large amount of fissionable fuel. Particle accelerators could be used to emit positive charged photons and/or ions in the opposite direction of the wormhole’s natural flow. Once the opposing forces are balanced, a stable wormhole will be achieved.
Since no material known to man, and no material observed by astronomers studying black holes, have survived entering a black hole intact, it is safe to assume that unless stabilized, a wormhole would have the same effects. Therefore constructing a jump gate around an existing wormhole is nigh impossible unless some gigantic force were able to project positive particles against the flow of the event horizon from a distance. This, however, would cause damage to the immediate planetary system, not to mention the operators projecting the positive particles. In essence it would be like fighting fire with fire, which while it may work, is exceedingly destructive in the process of establishing control. This leads us to look at creating a new wormhole within an existing (pre-built) jump gate.
To create a wormhole within an existing gate would mean detonating an uncontrolled nuclear reaction and allowing it to consume all of its mass in order to nova and condense into a negative form of energy, thus retracting instead of exploding. This again poses a problem since the amount of energy needed to achieve this is immense. Theoretically, a small nova could be established and then “fed†fissionable fuel in order to slowly expand it. This then could be a possible approach to take within the confines of a jump gate. Careful control would need to be maintained to keep the balance of flow between the negative particles at the event horizon with those positive particles emitted by the jump gate. A gradual increase in power of both negative and positive particles would then increase the size of the wormhole until it occupies the entire breadth of the jump gate. At this point it would only be a matter of maintaining the balance so long as it is desired to keep the wormhole open.
The notion of opening and closing wormholes on a whim is a fancy that is not possible if it is desired to access a particular point; as in traveling from Point A to Point B in a straight line. Once a wormhole is opened, a parallel opening at the opposite end will also open where any material entering from Point A will be ejected at Point B. A jump gate can then be constructed around the wormhole opening at Point B. But in order to maintain the constant locations of Point A and Point B, the wormhole must remain open. For if it closes at Point A, it will then close a Point B. Re-opening the wormhole at Point A will cause the opposite Point B to open at another location randomly and uncontrollably. Therefore it is essential to keep the gates open at all times.
Traveling backwards is also fantasy, since this would basically be like trying to swim against the flow of a stream that has the strength of a thousand suns. The only possible option would be either to open a parallel gate in the hopes that it would open near the same location, or to use an immense amount of power to reverse the flow of the wormhole without closing it. Either option is risky. The first would be a matter of trial and error, and the error in this case could very well be catastrophic. The second would involve detonating a nova at Point B and forcing the flow of positive particles to reverse the flow of the entire wormhole. Alternately, this could also be achieved by an immensely powerful gate with enough positive emission force to reverse the entire flow; although the possibility of achieving this is questionable at best. Overall the best long-term option would be to establish a parallel gate that flows in the reverse direction. But the simple logistics and material use/consumption involved in building dual gates, virtually acting as two lanes of a road, are immense and would require a great deal of maintenance.
The entire prospect of building and using jump gates to control wormholes is a risky and expensive process. In the opposite spectrum however, the amount of fuel they can theoretically save in reducing interstellar transportation costs and time cannot be measured for there simply is no comparison. If, through mathematical calculation, Point B can be pre-established when opening Point A, then a jump gate could virtually open a portal to anywhere in the universe. But in the bare bones form of traveling from Point A to Point B, as a constant it is simply a form of bending spacetime so that two distant points effectively touch, making transit between the two instantaneous. In the abstract of future interstellar travel, such means of transportation will be essential unless FTL (Faster Than Light) travel is achieved by conventional spacecraft engines. Under present circumstances however, it would take years, even decades, for a spacecraft to reach another star system. Wormholes could make such trips take only a matter of minutes.
Negating costs and fuel consumption on the part of the jump gates could be achieved by utilizing nuclear fusion, which is more powerful than nuclear fission. But this would require a strengthening of the jump gate structure itself to withstand even greater forces pulling at it. Even still, the amount of fuel consumption would be significantly reduced while the power of the gate itself increased. Reversing the flow of the gate would also be much harder and dangerous, thus the construction of dual gates using fusion would be more sensible. Otherwise there is little that can be done to negate the costs incurred both by construction and maintenance.
The hazards of such an operation also suggest that high maintenance costs will continually plague jump gates. Nuclear power plants already have many fail-safe devices and numerous staff to insure the safety of the plant, its workers, and those living near to it. In this case, the amount of power involved creates a situation at least ten times as hazardous. Like nuclear power plants, a jump gate’s particle accelerator would produce significant amounts of radiation – even if fusion were used. Significant barriers and containment cells would need to be placed around the accelerator and the reactor exteriors. Physical waste would be minimal besides spent fuel cells, which could easily be deposited on a dead planet. Above all else would be the stringency needed to maintain safety protocols and procedures, along with adequate staff, to insure that the reactors are kept running properly and that the particle flows do not become unbalanced.
In conclusion, while many of the main points concerning jump gates have been addressed here, this is still a minimum amount of information on the topic. That information is also heavily reliant on theoretical astrophysics. Therefore at best we can only continue to speculate the real outcome of such endeavors until a time when future science makes such projects feasible. In the meantime however, such theories as these may be used to establish models and add to the compendium of material that continues to grow on this particular topic. Even so, we must continue to strive towards maintaining the utmost care in our work. As Einstein stressed when working on atomic theory, such matters must be tempered by caution against the long term effects of delving into such a dangerous science.
Scientific Notes: I would like to thank Dr. Peter Roming of Penn State University and Dr. Stephen Hawking for their input and research (respectively) on this topic. A good portion of this document was written taking into consideration the material presented in Dr. Roming's "The Dark Side of the Universe" at Berkshire Community College.
Micronational Application Note: When applying this to the micronational scene, a wormhole jump gate, while mathematically feasible, at least partially, this document can serve as a basis to expand upon for establishing fixed stories regarding the often spoken of "Micras-Giess Jump Gate" and its relative maintenance and construction. In the continued efforts to maintain a semblance of realism, this document is intended to help move things in that general direction as micronational space exploration continues to expand.
A Theoretical Approach to Stabilization of Wormholes
Let me begin this article by saying that jump gates, and thusly the wormholes attached to them, are mathematically possible, but cannot be proven in the field for simple lack of materials. Einstein proved in his formulae that the establishment of a wormhole is possible by bending spacetime to the point where it rips. This is also how a black hole works. But since data cannot be gathered from inside a black hole, nor can black holes be seen (only detected through observation of materials surrounding them), we can only speculate on how to approach the construction of a jump gate. It has been stated by astrophysicists that, through the use of an as-yet-unknown exotic material, building a structure with this material around a black hole could stabilize it and/or allow materials to be sent through it. But since even light cannot escape the pull of a black hole; no material is known to be capable of surviving the journey intact.
Wormholes are significantly smaller anomalies. Einstein showed they could exist on a mathematical basis, but only remain stable and open for 1042 of a second. To put this in better perspective, the human eye blinks at a rate of about 103 per second. Thus the idea of sending a person or some other object through the wormhole, as suggested by so many popular science fiction shows, is impossible unless some sort of stabilizing mechanism is in place to keep the wormhole open. This is where things begin to traverse from mathematical astrophysics to theoretical astrophysics.
Stabilization will occur if an opposing force can balance the bending of light and at the event horizon of a wormhole. The event horizon, or edge of a wormhole, is where light can no longer escape the pull of the wormhole and is thus pulled down inside of it. At this point the light, and any other material reaching the edge, is pulled through the wormhole to the other side. Scientists have no idea what happens when it reaches the other side. But there have been many speculations, including those shown in science fiction shows. Theoretically, if the wormhole is stable long enough, a large object shot directly through the center of the wormhole opening can be ejected out the other side without being ripped apart to bare atoms. Since light (and all other debris pulled in) bends at the event horizon, if this region is avoided material could pass through in a mere fraction of a second without any damage. That is theoretically.
To create this stable event horizon is another matter of theory. Many people have proposed the idea of jump gates. In recent times they have become popular in many movies and television shows. A jump gate is basically a mechanism that can produce a stable wormhole, either by being built around an existing one, or by having one started in the center of an active (pre-built) gate. At the event horizon light and mass bend and begin to be torn apart as they are sucked down in a circular fashion – similar to a sink draining water – into the wormhole and then ejected at another point on the opposite side. To negate the pull of the event horizon one would have to use equally strong forces to oppose the event horizon. Positive charged ions and photons emitted in a circular fashion opposite the flow of the wormhole could theoretically create this stability. Obviously this could only be achieved by nuclear reactors and a large amount of fissionable fuel. Particle accelerators could be used to emit positive charged photons and/or ions in the opposite direction of the wormhole’s natural flow. Once the opposing forces are balanced, a stable wormhole will be achieved.
Since no material known to man, and no material observed by astronomers studying black holes, have survived entering a black hole intact, it is safe to assume that unless stabilized, a wormhole would have the same effects. Therefore constructing a jump gate around an existing wormhole is nigh impossible unless some gigantic force were able to project positive particles against the flow of the event horizon from a distance. This, however, would cause damage to the immediate planetary system, not to mention the operators projecting the positive particles. In essence it would be like fighting fire with fire, which while it may work, is exceedingly destructive in the process of establishing control. This leads us to look at creating a new wormhole within an existing (pre-built) jump gate.
To create a wormhole within an existing gate would mean detonating an uncontrolled nuclear reaction and allowing it to consume all of its mass in order to nova and condense into a negative form of energy, thus retracting instead of exploding. This again poses a problem since the amount of energy needed to achieve this is immense. Theoretically, a small nova could be established and then “fed†fissionable fuel in order to slowly expand it. This then could be a possible approach to take within the confines of a jump gate. Careful control would need to be maintained to keep the balance of flow between the negative particles at the event horizon with those positive particles emitted by the jump gate. A gradual increase in power of both negative and positive particles would then increase the size of the wormhole until it occupies the entire breadth of the jump gate. At this point it would only be a matter of maintaining the balance so long as it is desired to keep the wormhole open.
The notion of opening and closing wormholes on a whim is a fancy that is not possible if it is desired to access a particular point; as in traveling from Point A to Point B in a straight line. Once a wormhole is opened, a parallel opening at the opposite end will also open where any material entering from Point A will be ejected at Point B. A jump gate can then be constructed around the wormhole opening at Point B. But in order to maintain the constant locations of Point A and Point B, the wormhole must remain open. For if it closes at Point A, it will then close a Point B. Re-opening the wormhole at Point A will cause the opposite Point B to open at another location randomly and uncontrollably. Therefore it is essential to keep the gates open at all times.
Traveling backwards is also fantasy, since this would basically be like trying to swim against the flow of a stream that has the strength of a thousand suns. The only possible option would be either to open a parallel gate in the hopes that it would open near the same location, or to use an immense amount of power to reverse the flow of the wormhole without closing it. Either option is risky. The first would be a matter of trial and error, and the error in this case could very well be catastrophic. The second would involve detonating a nova at Point B and forcing the flow of positive particles to reverse the flow of the entire wormhole. Alternately, this could also be achieved by an immensely powerful gate with enough positive emission force to reverse the entire flow; although the possibility of achieving this is questionable at best. Overall the best long-term option would be to establish a parallel gate that flows in the reverse direction. But the simple logistics and material use/consumption involved in building dual gates, virtually acting as two lanes of a road, are immense and would require a great deal of maintenance.
The entire prospect of building and using jump gates to control wormholes is a risky and expensive process. In the opposite spectrum however, the amount of fuel they can theoretically save in reducing interstellar transportation costs and time cannot be measured for there simply is no comparison. If, through mathematical calculation, Point B can be pre-established when opening Point A, then a jump gate could virtually open a portal to anywhere in the universe. But in the bare bones form of traveling from Point A to Point B, as a constant it is simply a form of bending spacetime so that two distant points effectively touch, making transit between the two instantaneous. In the abstract of future interstellar travel, such means of transportation will be essential unless FTL (Faster Than Light) travel is achieved by conventional spacecraft engines. Under present circumstances however, it would take years, even decades, for a spacecraft to reach another star system. Wormholes could make such trips take only a matter of minutes.
Negating costs and fuel consumption on the part of the jump gates could be achieved by utilizing nuclear fusion, which is more powerful than nuclear fission. But this would require a strengthening of the jump gate structure itself to withstand even greater forces pulling at it. Even still, the amount of fuel consumption would be significantly reduced while the power of the gate itself increased. Reversing the flow of the gate would also be much harder and dangerous, thus the construction of dual gates using fusion would be more sensible. Otherwise there is little that can be done to negate the costs incurred both by construction and maintenance.
The hazards of such an operation also suggest that high maintenance costs will continually plague jump gates. Nuclear power plants already have many fail-safe devices and numerous staff to insure the safety of the plant, its workers, and those living near to it. In this case, the amount of power involved creates a situation at least ten times as hazardous. Like nuclear power plants, a jump gate’s particle accelerator would produce significant amounts of radiation – even if fusion were used. Significant barriers and containment cells would need to be placed around the accelerator and the reactor exteriors. Physical waste would be minimal besides spent fuel cells, which could easily be deposited on a dead planet. Above all else would be the stringency needed to maintain safety protocols and procedures, along with adequate staff, to insure that the reactors are kept running properly and that the particle flows do not become unbalanced.
In conclusion, while many of the main points concerning jump gates have been addressed here, this is still a minimum amount of information on the topic. That information is also heavily reliant on theoretical astrophysics. Therefore at best we can only continue to speculate the real outcome of such endeavors until a time when future science makes such projects feasible. In the meantime however, such theories as these may be used to establish models and add to the compendium of material that continues to grow on this particular topic. Even so, we must continue to strive towards maintaining the utmost care in our work. As Einstein stressed when working on atomic theory, such matters must be tempered by caution against the long term effects of delving into such a dangerous science.
Scientific Notes: I would like to thank Dr. Peter Roming of Penn State University and Dr. Stephen Hawking for their input and research (respectively) on this topic. A good portion of this document was written taking into consideration the material presented in Dr. Roming's "The Dark Side of the Universe" at Berkshire Community College.
Micronational Application Note: When applying this to the micronational scene, a wormhole jump gate, while mathematically feasible, at least partially, this document can serve as a basis to expand upon for establishing fixed stories regarding the often spoken of "Micras-Giess Jump Gate" and its relative maintenance and construction. In the continued efforts to maintain a semblance of realism, this document is intended to help move things in that general direction as micronational space exploration continues to expand.
