Zero Point Module (ZPM): Difference between revisions

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==Episodes==
==Episodes==
* [[7.22 "Lost City Part 2" Episode Guide|7.22 "Lost City Part 2"]]
* [[7.22 "Lost City Part 2" Episode Guide|7.22 "Lost City Part 2"]]
* [[Stargate: Atlantis]]
* [[Stargate Atlantis]]
* [[8.04 "Zero Hour" Episode Guide|8.04 "Zero Hour"]]
* [[8.04 "Zero Hour" Episode Guide|8.04 "Zero Hour"]]
* [[8.19 "Moebius Part 1" Episode Guide|8.19 "Moebius Part 1"]]
* [[8.19 "Moebius Part 1" Episode Guide|8.19 "Moebius Part 1"]]

Revision as of 11:05, 31 March 2006

Zero Point Modules (ZPMs)

Summary

A Zero Point Module (abbreviated ZPM) is an extremely powerful energy source, created and harnessed by the Ancients. They produce energy by way of a peculiar aspect of quantum physics, harnessing zero point energy created by quantum foam, which are minuscule wormholes constantly opening and closing in extremely small scales (around the smallest measurement possible, the Planck length, 1.61624 x 10-35 meter).

The ZPMs contain an artificially constructed and contained region of subspace. Because of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, this system cannot be recharged or extended in anyway, and eventually the region reaches maximum entropy and the ZPM is discharged. Three ZPMs are enough to power a forcefield big enough to cover Manhattan for at least 10,000 years, quite possibly more. ZPMs were first introduced in 7.22 "Lost City Part 2", but were not referred as such until Stargate: Atlantis 1.01 "Rising Part One".

Crash Course in Quantum Mechanics

Zero Point Modules are named because they use zero point energy. Zero point energy is present in all quantum mechanical systems, and is also commonly referred to as vacuum energy. Energy from them is said to arise from various wormholes that spontaneously emerge, exist for fractions of a second, and destroy themselves. This is known as quantum foam, and is a result of the inhomogeneous nature of the universe at its first moments. It is also analogous to observing common objects under very small scales. For example, ordinary glass under extreme magnification is porous. Marbles, if expanded to the size of the earth, would have more variation in radius than the Earth does(including the Himalayas and Death Valley).

Because of the immensely small scales of time and size, as well as the Heisenberg Uncertainty principle, the existence of these wormholes does not violate the conservation of energy. In addition, the wormholes and their annihilation is said to be because of a particle-antiparticle interaction. The energy released from this interaction is what presumably from where the ZPM draws its power. The individual wormholes are created through photons interacting with the space. However, because a ZPM is an isolated system (energy, matter, nor work may transfer to or from the system), eventually the contained region will be completely in thermodynamic entropy, and the ZPM will be considered drained of all power.

Stargate References

ZPMs are power devices created by the Ancients. Today, they are one of the few devices capable of powering Ancient technology. (Mark I and Mark II naquadah generators are known to power small sections of Atlantis for periods of time, but the majority of the defensive armaments, as well as the full functionality of the city itself, were still inactive) They are shaped like a rough cylinder, perhaps one foot to eighteen inches tall, and around six inches in diameter. It appears to be made of a yellow/orange crystalline material, with black etchings of some material.

The crystalline nature of the ZPM is perhaps indicative of other Ancient technology, or perhaps to the third law of thermodynamics, which states that the entropy of a system approaches a minimum value or zero in the case of a perfect crystalline substance. There is also what appear to be small shapes within the ZPM, but the precise shape or purpose of them is unknown. ( 7.22 "Lost City Part Two", 8.19 "Moebius Part One", 8.20 "Moebius Part Two", Stargate: Atlantis 1.01 "Rising Part One"). To get a sense of scale of the power generation provided by ZPMs, the following is known. One square centimeter of the space that is artificially contained within a ZPM (if the assumption made that the artificial space is identical to "normal" space), contains enough energy to boil all the world's oceans.

Three ZPMs were enough to power a defensive forcefield for Atlantis (regarded as approximately the same size of Manhattan, New York) for at least 10,000 years, and quite possibly more. One ZPM is currently enough to power the shield of Atlantis for a length of time, as well as activate many other dormant systems on the planet. A ZPM also gives enough energy to dial a Stargate to another galaxy, roughly defined as ten times normal operational power. A single ZPM also has the ability to supercharge a Daedalus-class Carrier, enabling a journey normally taking twenty days via hyperspace to take only four days. Another ZPM also powered a sanctuary for those who sought time to ascend. The protection was granted by producing a time dilation effect of 250:1. The effect would destroy any matter attempting to enter the sanctuary. (Stargate Atlantis: 1.01 "Rising Part One", 1.20 "Siege PartTwo", 2.12 "Epiphany").

ZPMs are not the end all of power generation for the Ancients. Before the plague that nearly wiped out their race, they were working on a plan to replace ZPM use, called Project Arcturus. Project Arcturus was an idea developed to draw zero point energy from the entire universe, instead of an artificial region. If successful, this would have resulted in utterly infinite power generation for the Ancients. Unfortunately, the technology was still volatile and was abandoned before the Ancients ascended. (Stargate: Atlantis 2.06 "Trinity").

A ZPM was first discovered on the planet Praclarush Taonas, at the site of an Ancient outpost. O'Neill, under the influence of an Ancient Knowledge download, was able to determine that the Ancients used syllables to represent the various Stargate addresses. Upon arrival, they discovered the coordinates to find Atlantis; however, they were 30 million years out of date. Atlantis was not there, only a small outpost. At this small outpost, numerous devices of Ancient design were discovered. The ZPM was connected to a control throne, and weapons fired at the Anubis fleet, utterly defeating the armada. The ZPM, almost depleted of energy, was able to power the Stargate long enough to connect to the Atlantis outpost in the Pegasus Galaxy once.

The Goa'uld Camulus provided the SGC with the location of another, partially powered ZPM. However, Dr. Lee discovered that the ZPM had been tampered with; Camulus had sabotaged the power source. They sent Camulus to Ba'al with the depleted and unusable ZPM from Atlantis, the Goa'uld believing he still had his sabotaged device. Another, fully powered, ZPM was recovered from Ancient Egypt, where it was regarded as a religious artifact and in the possession of Ra. This device was transported to Atlantis in the Daedalus, where it is used to power the city's pivotal systems. In the Pegasus galaxy, it is a standing order of the Atlantis expedition to retrieve them whenever possible. (7.22 "Lost City Part Two", 8.04 "Zero Hour", 8.19 "Moebius Part One", Stargate: Atlantis).


Episodes

Gallery

Depiction of ZPM being worshipped in Ancient Egypt
Time traveling SG-1 with ZPM
SG-1 with ZPM in crate

Related Characters

Related Articles

Further Reading

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-point_energy
(It should also be stated that these devices are purely of a theoretical proposal, and almost no hard science exists for actually creating such a device. Many mainstream scientists consider zero point energy to be analogous to perpetual motion and free energy.)


--Article written for Stargate Solutions by Jordan Kreiger.