Changes: Polarized hull plating

Revision as of 13:34, 19 January 2014

Polarized hull plating was a defensive armored hull technology used on shuttles and starships. Before the development of deflector shielding, hull polarization was the primary defensive measure for starships against enemy weaponry.

In the January 2002 -issue of Star Trek Monthly, according to André Bormanis: "To minimize potential damage from weapons fire and other space hazards, NX-01 incorporates a polarization matrix in its armored hull plating. Through the application of electromagnetic power, the metal hull of the ship can be made several orders of magnitude harder than it is in its non-polarized state."

Unlike with deflector shields, transporters could be used by a starship when its hull plating was polarized. ^{(citation needed • edit)}

History

In the 22nd century, this technology was used on Earth starships such as the J-class and the NX-class and on smaller auxiliary vessels such as the shuttlepods. During the months the Enterprise was in the Delphic Expanse, polarization technology on Earth had been improved by 12%. (Star Trek: Enterprise; ENT: "Horizon", "Vanishing Point", "Home")

Polarized hull plating was presumably invented by 2102, as that was the year the ECS Horizon was commissioned.

In the 24th century, starships still occasionally polarized their hull plating, though not typically as a defensive countermeasure. One example was disrupting a tractor beam lock by rotating the frequency of the hull plating's electromagnetic field. Ships also sometimes polarized their hull plating to help mask their sensory signature, which worked by interfering with enemy sensor scans. Polarizing the hull was also done by downed vessels to help their mothership locate them. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow"; VOY: "Once Upon a Time", "Equinox, Part II")

In 2372, Chakotay used a magnetic field to cushion the impact of proton bursts on the USS Voyager's hull, but it was not long before the hull began to depolarize. (VOY: "Deadlock")

In 2373, Garak suggested that Worf repolarize their runabout's hull to free them from a Jem'Hadar fighter's tractor beam. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow") (VOY: "Once Upon a Time")

In 2375, Tuvok and Tom Paris attempted to polarize the Delta Flyer's hull after it had crash landed in order to make it easier for the USS Voyager's sensors to locate them. (VOY: "Once Upon a Time")

In 2376, Voyager's hull was polarized in order to mask their approach towards the errant USS Equinox. (VOY: "Equinox, Part II")

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Polarized hull plating''' was a defensive technology that preceded [[shield]]s.  In a battle situation, electromagnetic power could be applied to the [[hull]] materials, making them several orders of magnitude harder.  This technology was used on [[starship]]s of the [[Starfleet (Earth)|Earth Starfleet]] such as the [[NX class|NX-class]] in the [[22nd Century]].  Unlike shields, polarization cannot be amplified to reinforce a specific direction.  The amount of polarization on the [[ventral]] sections of the ship is the equal on the [[dorsal]]. (''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'')
+'''Polarized hull plating''' was a defensive armored [[hull]] technology used on [[shuttle]]s and [[starship]]s. Before the development of [[deflector shield]]ing, hull polarization was the primary defensive measure for starships against enemy weaponry.
-During the months the ''Enterprise'' was in the [[Delphic Expanse]], polarization technology back on [[Earth]] had been improved by 12% ([[ENT]]: "[[Home]]")
+{{bginfo|In the [[Star Trek Monthly issue 87|January 2002 -issue]] of [[Star Trek Monthly]], according to [[André Bormanis]]: "''To minimize potential damage from weapons fire and other space hazards, NX-01 incorporates a polarization matrix in its armored hull plating. Through the application of [[electromagnetic]] power, the [[metal]] hull of the ship can be made several orders of magnitude harder than it is in its non-polarized state.''"}}
-(The fictional technology derives from late 20th century discoveries in the real world of ceramics which become harder when an electrical current passes through them.)
+Unlike with deflector shields, [[transporter]]s could be used by a starship when its hull plating was polarized. {{incite}}
-Polarizing a hull on a [[24th century]] starship can be used as a method of disrupting a [[tractor beam]] or masking a starship's approach. ([[DS9]]: "[[In Purgatory's Shadow]]", [[VOY]]: "[[Equinox, Part II]]").
+==History==
+In the [[22nd century]], this technology was used on [[Earth]] starships such as the {{class|J}} and the {{class|NX}} and on smaller auxiliary vessels such as the [[Shuttlepod (22nd century)|shuttlepods]]. During the months the ''Enterprise'' was in the [[Delphic Expanse]], polarization technology on Earth had been improved by 12%. (''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]''; {{ENT|Horizon|Vanishing Point|Home}})
+{{bginfo|Polarized hull plating was presumably invented by [[2102]], as that was the year the {{ECS|Horizon}} was commissioned.}}
+In the [[24th century]], starships still occasionally polarized their hull plating, though not typically as a defensive countermeasure. One example was disrupting a [[tractor beam]] lock by rotating the frequency of the hull plating's electromagnetic field. Ships also sometimes polarized their hull plating to help mask their sensory signature, which worked by interfering with enemy [[sensor]] scans. Polarizing the hull was also done by downed vessels to help their mothership locate them. ({{DS9|In Purgatory's Shadow}}; {{VOY|Once Upon a Time|Equinox, Part II}})
+In [[2372]], [[Chakotay]] used a [[magnetic field]] to cushion the impact of [[proton burst]]s on the {{USS|Voyager}}'s hull, but it was not long before the hull began to depolarize. ({{VOY|Deadlock}})
+In [[2373]], [[Garak]] suggested that [[Worf]] repolarize their [[runabout]]'s hull to free them from a [[Jem'Hadar fighter]]'s tractor beam. ({{DS9|In Purgatory's Shadow}})  ({{VOY|Once Upon a Time}})
+In [[2375]], [[Tuvok]] and [[Tom Paris]] attempted to polarize the ''[[Delta Flyer]]'''s hull after it had [[crash land]]ed in order to make it easier for the {{USS|Voyager}}'s sensors to locate them. ({{VOY|Once Upon a Time}})
+In [[2376]], ''Voyager'''s hull was polarized in order to mask their approach towards the errant {{USS|Equinox}}. ({{VOY|Equinox, Part II}})
+==See also==
+* [[Hull plating relay]]
+* [[Polaric discharge]]
+* [[Polarization cloak]]
+[[cs:Polarizovaný pancíř]]
 [[de:Hüllenpolarisation]]
-[[Category:Starship components]]
+[[Category:Technology]]