What is a ZPM?

[crazylizzie]

this is probably answered on another thread but i couldn find it; what exactly is the zpm?

is the zpm, the zero point module, a sorta stargate version of what could be constructed if the zero point field theory was in fact true? of course, if thats the case, the theory also states that if the zero point field actually existed it would almost certainly have the potential to be an infinite source of energy (because, in theory it is self-regenerating on the scale of the entire universe/quantum size of course), which obviously is not the case in the series....anyway, rambling...was just wondering what the zero point module is actually supposed to be....

maybe this is gone over in sg1, but i am not all the way through that series but watch sga religiously and dont believe an explanation of it is given there. is an explanation given at any point? and if not...what do you think?

(i posted this in another zpm thread, but no one gave me answers )

hint hint---

[freyr's mother]

this is probably answered on another thread but i couldn find it; what exactly is the zpm?

is the zpm, the zero point module, a sorta stargate version of what could be constructed if the zero point field theory was in fact true? of course, if thats the case, the theory also states that if the zero point field actually existed it would almost certainly have the potential to be an infinite source of energy (because, in theory it is self-regenerating on the scale of the entire universe/quantum size of course), which obviously is not the case in the series....anyway, rambling...was just wondering what the zero point module is actually supposed to be....

maybe this is gone over in sg1, but i am not all the way through that series but watch sga religiously and dont believe an explanation of it is given there. is an explanation given at any point? and if not...what do you think?

(i posted this in another zpm thread, but no one gave me answers )

hint hint---

Its explained in Rising Part 1, Trinity, and probably McKay and Mrs. Miller.

[crazylizzie]

lol...maybe i dont watch it as religiously then...i will go back and snoop.
thanks.

[Major Tyler]

Basically a ZPM creates an artificial universe-in-a-bottle and draws energy from it. Since I'm not a physicist I can't really explain in too much detail. What I can talk about is just based on dialogue and observations. Apparently when ZPMs die, it's not because the energy ran out, but because the actual device begins to degrade.

Also, ZPMs have a nearly infinite potential to generate energy, but can only do so in (relatively) small amounts. This explains why Atlantis needs three ZPMs to fully function, and why ZPMs can be drained by sustained weapons fire. If they try to pull more vacuum energy than they are supposed to, the ZPM overloads and goes boom.

I hope this made sense.

[Cory Holmes]

Bluntly, a ZedPM is a device that extracts energy from a self-contained region of subspace. In plain english, the device contains a micro-universe. It takes the Zero Point Energy from that universe and transfers it to ours in the form of useable energy.

The only downside to this is that said micro-universe is really tiny and doesn't have an infinite amount of energy to give us. The more we use, the less it has to give, until we've eventually sucked every last bit of useable energy out of it and the ZedPM becomes a nifty corner decoration that you put up on a pedestal.

[crazylizzie]

so, really, its similiar but not really the zpf theory, rather than harnessing quantum foam made up of virtual particles (which, by the very definition of what a virtual particle is, means there is an infinite source of energy, popping in and out of existence) sga's version is suggesting the use of a subspace and a micro-universe, pulling from that created universe to create energy...though by a physic's stand point, a micro-universe is comparable to a macro-universe, which is HUGE and, as far as we know non-ending, but well...different discussion, different debate

anyway...thank you...sorry i used up a thread on this, but that answered my question

[Commander Ivanova]

Questions like this are what Omnipedia is for.

[crazylizzie]

Questions like this are what Omnipedia is for.

i apologize...i am new to this site, this forum, and fandom in general and didnt know the omnipedia existed. will use it for future reference.

[Commander Ivanova]

i apologize...i am new to this site, this forum, and fandom in general and didnt know the omnipedia existed. will use it for future reference.

Not a problem. Omnipedia won't help with everything, but it will with a lot of factual stuff.

[kymeric]

In season 2 they found a power station that tried to create zero point energy within our universe as a limitles spower source and it had..... unfortunate consequences. Seems making a subspace bubble and draining its zp energy is the safest way to do it, but uses up all the zp energy in that bubble.

[Boxytheboxed]

I wnat a ZedPM prop REALLY bad. and not a fake one. A real glass one. WHat would happen if you smashed a ZedPM with it still having energy in it?

[ACharmedAsgard]

Here is Gateworld's Omnipedia description

"Ancient power source, cylindrical in shape and containing energy compatible with Ancient technology -- including the Stargates. A Z.P.M. derives its enormous power from vacuum energy, derived from a self-contained region of subspace time, and has a potential life of many millions of years.

Some Ancient technology requires Z.P.M.s, and the city of Atlantis relies on three of the units for its primary power generation. A Zero Point Module or equivalent power source is required for a Stargate to establish a wormhole to a gate in another galaxy. It is possible to construct a version of the device from Earth-based materials, as Jack O'Neill (under the influence of the Ancients' library of knowledge) once did to reach the Asgard when he needed their aid."

[Atlantean Engineer]

WHat would happen if you smashed a ZedPM with it still having energy in it?

Probably nothing. I would guess that the subspace bubble would collapse, and you'd be left with pieces of colorful glass. I doubt it would acutally cause an explosion or anything, since there's been no indication that its a danger.

However, if the subspace window remains open, and the energy is drawn out of the subspace window . . . that could be catastrophic. That's probably the basis of the 'tainted' zpm in Zero Hour.