Cloaking device

A federation Phase Cloaking Device

A Cloaking Device is an energy screen generator used to render an object (typically, a space vehicle) invisible to the eye and to most sensor systems. This is accomplished by gravitational lensing, the creation of a distorted image of an object when it's light is focused by gravity. In the case of a cloaking device, the light is focused so that the object's index of refraction (the phase velocity of radiation in free space divided by the phase velocity of the same radiation in a specified medium) matches its surroundings, making the object basically transparent. Cloaking a ship requires precisely balancing the radioactive emissions from the warp drive nacelles, dissipating all electromagnetic radiation, gravitational fields and other energy emissions emanating from the ship, and distorting space in such a way that electromagnetic radiation and energy emissions are directed around the ship through subspace at velocities faster than light.

Components

Off Axis Warp Field Controller

This component balances the radioactive emissions from the warp drive nacelles. This is necessary because the power source must be in phase with the cloaking device. These devices are used on warp-capable ships without cloaking devices, as well as warp-capable ships with cloaking devices, because they increase the engine operating efficiency. If any one of these controllers are misaligned or in some way damaged it would produce a polarized, magnetic distortion, detectable by other ship's sensors. When a cloaked ship is traveling faster than light in warp, the fact that the ship is moving so quickly makes it difficult to pin-point the location of a ship even if one of the controllers are in some way damaged or misaligned.

Nullifier Core

The Nullifier Core dissipates all electromagnetic radiation and other energy emissions produced by the ship and it's crew. This is done by remodulating the energy signature to have the appearance of background radiation energy, as well as reducing the apparent output. The amount of energy required by the nullifier cores to mask a certain amount of energy is not directly proportional to the amount of energy to be masked. For increasingly larger amounts of energy to be masked, the amount of energy required by the nullifier cores to mask that energy becomes ever closer to being equal the amount of energy to be masked. Providing shielding against the entire electromagnetic spectrum is energy-costly, but necessary if a ship is within close proximity. However, if there are no ships within the immediate vicinity, then the nullifier cores are capable of dissipating electromagnetic radiation on the wavelengths that would only be detectable on long-range scanners, ignoring the wavelengths detectable on only short-range scanners. The green coloration of a ship is necessary on cloaking devices Mk 3.0 through Mk 3.2, because of problems with energetic effects occurring inside the cloak as a result of trapped spurious thermal emissions within the cloaking field. Another necessary function of the nullifier cores is to create a null area of gravity between the ship and the cloaking field. So that any gravity coming from the ship does not interfere with the cloaking field, or be detected by a gravimetric distortion mapping scanner on another ship.

Cloaking Generator Coils

Cloaking generator coils use a coherent graviton emission to distort space so that incident electromagnetic radiation and other forms of energy are directed around the ship through subspace at velocities faster than light, making the appearance that the light or energy never left it's original course. One of the main parts of a cloaking generator coil is a graviton polarity source generator. Graviton polarity source generators create a highly focused spatial distortion which directs the course of the energy and light. The graviton polarity sources in each generator feed into subspace field distortion amplifiers that are phase-synchronized with each other by a network of small conduits that allow field bleed for gravitational stability between the graviton polarity sources. These conduits are equipped with tetryon compositors, to prevent a build-up of tetryons in the conduits, which would decrease the operating efficiency and eventually significantly damage the subspace field distortion amplifiers. The flux energy output is directed and focused by a series of subspace field generator coils, according to the energy dispersal pattern. The energy dispersal pattern, or the energy transformational matrix, is the way in which the energy and light is directed around the ship. The actual subspace field generator coils are similar to warp field coils, but they create a multi-layered field in the space around the ship, not also within it. The propulsive, asymmetrical, peristaltic field distortion propels the energy faster than light. This compensates for the extra distance that the energy has to travel around the ship before returning to it's original course, and any red shift or blue shift caused by the Doppler effect, or a gravitational field.

The cloaking generator coils are controlled by special purpose, or dedicated, computers designed to perform this specific task. They are extremely fast computers that contain a complex arrays of processors each designed to perform a specific function. These computers must handle huge databases, and perform complex mathematical operations in order to provide an accurate energy dispersal pattern. Input data is provided for the computers by a network of refractometers placed on the hull of the ship. The more refractometers placed on the hull of the ship, the more effective the energy dispersal pattern. The only limiting factor is the speed of the computers, which must provide a real-time energy dispersal pattern to effectively cloak the ship. These computer are completely separate from the computers that perform other ship functions, because they are limited to the specific function built into them. These computers are only required on fine tuned cloaking devices Mk 3.2 and higher.

Magnetic Constriction Coils

Magnetic constriction coils create a localized magnetic waveguide plane for the energy to pass through in subspace, which ensures proper alignment of the energy when the ship is in warp. If a ship was using the magnetic constriction coils while not in warp, an active magnetic interferometry scanner could detect the use of the coils.

Plasma Coils

All of the parts of the cloaking generator coils are powered by plasma coils. These coils must all have an identical energy frequency. This is accomplished by a plasma buffer. If there is no plasma buffer, then the cloaking generator coils could easily be disrupted, by something like an ionic pulse.

Dispersal Fields

There are many forms of energy dispersal patterns, some more energy efficient or more anti-detection effective than others. The energy dispersal pattern for a ship must be very carefully calculated. There are generally two classifications of energy dispersal patterns: spherical cloaking, and wavemapped cloaking.

Types of Cloaking Fields

Spherical Cloaking

On the spherical cloaking mode the cloak is generated at a constant distance from the center of the graviton polarity source generators. However, as the gravitational effect is less significant, the shape of the field becomes more elliptical, i.e., less spherical. This distance is controllable up to a point, when the power system of the ship the can no longer support a field of that size, and the cloak chaotically collapses, causing powerful gravitational waves. This setting is intended for use during warp travel, whereby the cloak surrounds the warp fields and effectively cloaks it also. The spherical cloaking mode produces a noticeable distortion of visible light with some energy dispersal patterns. This is because the field behaves as a lens, focusing light in places and diffusing it in others. This is especially noticeable as the cloak engages and disengages.

Wavemapped Cloaking

On the wavemapped cloaking mode the cloak is generated at a constant distance from the surface of the ship. It is possible to create an energy dispersal pattern, on a very well tuned vessel, less than thirteen millimeters from the hull by emitting the cloaking field from a series of conformal transmission assemblies on the hull which are connected to the cloaking generator coils. Constant computer monitoring is required at this level, and cannot be performed at warp. Wavemapped cloaking cannot be instantly engaged or disengaged, because of the complexity of the field geometry. The cloak is carefully powered down to avoid damaging the cloaking device. In an atmosphere, gas will get trapped inside the cloak if wavemapped. This will cause sound vibrating between the hull and cloaking field, making an audible noise.

Subspace Listening Posts

Subspace listening posts are designed to listen for any subspace radio, subspace field distortions (these indicate the presence of a warp drive), any subspace compression (a possible warp drive error), or subspace shock waves small enough to be undetectable by standard sensor arrays (these indicate a spontaneous warp field collapse.) Subspace relay stations, which boost subspace radio transmissions, can be converted to subspace listening posts without much difficulty.

Gravitic Sensor Nets

Gravitic sensor nets are a network of detection devices that are partially effective in detecting cloaked ships. Gravitic sensor nets utilize highly sensitive gravimetric distortion mapping scanners to map the gravitational forces throughout the area in which it would be probable that a cloaked ship would pass. If a cloaked ship's nullifier cores were not creating a complete area of null gravity around the ship, then it would be possible to observe the changes in the space around the ship.

Tachyon Detection Grids

Tachyon heterodyne detection grids are a network of active tachyon beams used to detect cloaked ships passing through the net. Tachyon heterodynes are charged tachyons having alternating currents of two different frequencies that are combined to generate a new frequency equal to the sum or difference of the two.

Dangers and Limitations of using a Cloaking Device

Spatial Ripple

As a cloak engages and disengages, a momentary gravitational wave forms from the graviton polarity sources, while the subspace field distortion amplifiers phase-synchronize with each other. (Gravitational waves also called gravitational radiation or spatial ripples.) A gravitational wave is a ripple in the curvature of space-time In other words, it is a propagating gravitational field, or propagating pattern of strain, traveling at the speed of light. It carries energy and can exert forces on matter in its path, producing, for instance, very small vibrations in elastic bodies. As the ripple forms, the ships inertial damping system will attempt to respond. But because, on average, the inertial damping system lags 295 milliseconds to respond, there is a slight strain of the Physical spaceframe of the craft. If the ripple is fairly limited, no considerable effect will result, but, should the ripple be large, the systems will fail to adequately compensate and the ripple can cause a significant effect on the ship and crew. This distortion, although the relatively weak interaction between gravitational radiation and matter, can create an effect similar to that of spatial interphase, which alters the neural pathways in the brain, effectively rendering any humanoids exposed to the spatial radiation insane, or worse. Statistically, on a Mk 3.2a cloaking device, a ripple large enough that it cannot be adequately compensated for, should occur some 0.00007854% (39,271/50,000,000,000) of the time. A build-up of tetryons in the conduits that allow field bleed between the graviton polarity sources will significantly increase the chance of a spatial ripple occurring. A neural disturbance should occur approximately 0.0000001386% of the time, with a 0.000000000341% (341/100,000,000,000,000 ) chance of complete structural failure due to spatial ripple stress.

Power Requirements

If a ship had the ability to generate enough energy to maintain the cloaking device as well as defensive shields, the nullifier cores could neither mask all of the energy required to accomplish this, nor the interference created by defensive shields. In addition, the spatial distortions created by defensive shields would mean that the shield itself would have to exist within the cloaking field, and the larger the cloaking field is, the more energy is required to generate it. These reasons completely eliminate the possibility of using defensive shields.

Other Limitations

Phased energy weapons make use of the rapid nadion effect. This is very disruptive to the cloaking device's plasma coils, even with a plasma buffer, and therefore cannot be used. If a cloaked ship did use their phasers, the beam would be bent off course and hit the ship at a diametric point and angle. In addition, the nullifier cores would attempt to dissipate the phaser beam and remodulate its energy signature to give the appearance of background emissions. The cloaking field would most likely collapse, causing powerful gravitational waves. However, it is possible for a phaser to penetrate the cloak from the outside if it is tuned to the frequency of a window opened in the cloak for sensory input.

Although the transporter system could be tuned to the same frequency as the cloaking device, the gravitational distortions usually prevent usage of the transporter system.

Warp drive operation is considerably affected by the cloaking device. The geometry of the warp field must be significantly altered because of the spatial distortions created by the cloaking device. Warp drive control software works in parallel with the cloaking generator coil's dedicated computer to minimize the effect on both systems. The translational field interaction between the cloaking device and the warp drive is somewhat chaotic, creating potentially catastrophic effects. Such as a spontaneous field collapse of the warp field or subspace compression. This is why subspace listening posts are an efficient way of tracking cloaked ships.

Because the navigational deflector dish radiates significant amounts of both subspace and electromagnetic radiation, it cannot be used when cloaked without an extremely powerful network of nullifier cores, which would consume a considerable amount of energy. Instead of this, a variant of the transporter system is used. This device converts the micrometeorite particulates to energy, lets the energy be directed around the ship as with all of the other light and energy, and then converts the energy back to matter. This method is only used when a ship is in very close proximity. Otherwise the magnetic constriction coils are tuned with the cloaking generator coils to reflect interstellar gases and micrometeoroid particulates. This method is more energy efficient than the method using a variant of the transporter system.

Cloaking Classification

Cloaking devices have been classified into the following categories according to their overall effectiveness:

• Mk 1 Cloak: Original usage, early Warbirds only. Used electromagnetic radiation shielding quite effectively to cloak only visible and near-visible radiation. Can instantaneously cloak and decloak, but required large amounts of power.

• Mk 2 Cloak: A major improvement on the Mk 1, this device cloaked all electromagnetic radiation, except high energy Gamma rays. Can instantaneously cloak and decloak, but was remarkably inefficient. Craft: Romulan Scouts and Warbirds, also Klingon D-7 Cruisers, and later the joined Romulan/Klingon scout and Bird Of Prey.

• Mk 3.0 Cloak: The first gravity distorting cloak. The early prototype craft had problems with energetic effects occurring inside the cloak as a result of trapped spurious thermal emissions within the cloaking field. This was overcome by giving the craft a green coloration. This tuned the thermal energy to a frequency where it could leak very slowly through the cloak without revealing the ships presence, still common practice on most cloaked vessels. This early Mk 3 had only the spherical field setting and could not be effectively wavemapped. It could not instantly cloak and decloak, but saw much use on most Romulan craft and the Bird Of Prey.

• Mk 3.1 Cloak: This improved device featured instantaneous propagation of the spherical cloak, and first saw use of the wavemapped cloak. It is reported to have been used as above and as an upgraded cloak for D-7 Cruisers. A green coloration was still necessary.

• Mk 3.2 Cloak: This version saw the creation of the fine tuned cloak, using the special dedicated computers. This device was perhaps first created by the Klingons, but required large power reserves. The Romulans later reworked the idea into a more efficient form (officially designated the Mark 3.2a). The old cloak is still in active service on older Klingon craft.

• Mk 3.2a Cloak: Romulan reworking of the 3.2. No special coloration of the craft is necessary, although the nullifier cores require less energy when the ship has a green color. The cloak is still extensively used by Romulans and Klingons alike.

• Mk 3.3 Cloak: This latest version allowed powering down of all non-finely tuned cloaks instantly. It is only fitted, as far as is known, to Romulan Warbirds. Klingons claim to still use the 3.2a.

• Experimental Mk 4 Cloak: There is an experimental cloaking device which utilizes a highly-wavemapped, adaptive, asymmetrical dispersion pattern. This cloaking device's cloaking generator coils are equipped with field actuators that change the dispersion pattern, to be most efficient in any interstellar condition, considering many variables, such as gas density, electric and magnetic fields, and fluctuations in the subspace domain. These field actuators compensate for any of these variables or active scans if the vicinity of the cloaked ship is being probed. There is no danger of a spatial ripple occurring. This would render a ship undetectable, except with a tachyon heterodyne detection grids, which, if powerful enough, could detect a ship that was cloaked in this manner.

Federation Cloaking Devices

The Interphase cloaking device

The Treaty of Algeron did not stop Starfleet Intelligence from secretly and illegally developing the Interphase Cloaking Device, a device which not only rendered a starship invisible, but also allowed it to pass through solid matter unimpeded. The device was lost in 2358 when the testbed vessel, the USS Pegasus was presumed destroyed by a warp core breach in a mutiny by members of the crew concerned about the legality of the test. In 2370, the Pegasus was found not to have been destroyed and the existence of the illegal device was made public to the Romulans. (TNG: "The Pegasus")

In the early 2360s, the Klingon Empire experimented with interphase cloaking technology but the research was abandoned due to several accidents.

In 2368 the Romulans also unsuccessfully experimented with phased cloaking technology, developing a prototype. The USS Enterprise-D had received a distress signal from the testbed vessel and Captain Picard ordered an away team sent over to assist. During the mission, due to a malfunction in the device, Ensign Ro Laren and Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge were phase-cloaked during beam-out and rematerialized on different parts of the Enterprise. After attempting to bring them back, the crew gave up, believing them dead. Eventually, Ro and La Forge succeeded in revealing what had happened to them to the crew and Lieutenant Commander Data managed to reverse the effects of the cloak, bringing them back into phase. (TNG: "The Next Phase")

The Spectre Class Starship was the First Federation Vessel to possess a functional and stable Phase Cloak. The USS Spectre (NCC-8741) is a ship in the 52nd Fleet and is Commanded by Captain T'Vhor. A newly renegotiated Treaty of Algeron no longer prevents the pursuit of Cloaking technology by the United Federation of Planets in the Star Trek :Freedom Universe.