Philip Culmer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:41 pm
Interesting. I don't have the physics to dissect their work, but the idea of "softening" space-time seems rather suspect in terms of real-work drives, though as a framework for a fictional technology, the Alcubierre-White drive sounds ideal. I noticed that they also had a video on the EM drive, which is also "contraversial".
Phil -
Perhaps this is the result as in so many efforts to describe what, in today's lexicon, does not have a recognised term. May I try to explain?
By using the term "softening", what I believe the writer of the script meant was "relaxing" the normal 4-dimensional (length, breadth, depth, & time) constraints of our physical universe to include the possibility that the physical dimensions can be distorted enough to allow two very distant points in space to approach each other (bent or folded space theory) , thus reducing the time necessary to travel between them. If we consider that spatial dimensions normally are 'rigid', then anything that contorts them to bring distant places closer could be envisioned as 'softening' space. It's rather like a long, narrow strip of 1/2" Lexan. Normally the plastic is quite rigid, and it can not be bent without breaking it. However, apply the right amount of heat, and it "softens" and becomes very pliable. Then any point on its surface can be brought into close proximity to any other. In another example, if we take a disk (360°) of this plastic, cut it along its radius, heat it and pleat it, we can reduce its circular span (sweep) from 360° to, say, perhaps 180°. Doing the same thing to another similar disk, we could obtain a construct that contains 720° of circular span in only 360° of sweep (circumference). Any point on either the upper or lower surface of the plastic plane would be much "closer" to the same relative point on the next fold of the same surface than it would be on a flat disk. If you are able to travel in a straight line between the resulting points, the relative time for travel thus is 'shorter'.
By the same concept, applying the right "heat" to space might allow it to "soften" and become pliable ... and even manipulable. Of course, there are several issues that would need addressing. Perhaps the most significant one is, does distorting space to create such 'warps' (particularly for frequent travel between a particular point of origin and a particular destination) create a permanent distortion? Or does space/time return to its normal state when the 'warping' factor is removed? The writers in ST-TNG explored this possibility in at least one episode where Picard had been advised by his Admiralty to limit use of the Enterprise warp system to (ABIR) under Warp 5. He found it necessary to ignore that precaution during that episode. His Nibs has avoided that whole thing by not having any of his starships actually exceed the speed of light. They only approach it closely, drastically cutting down the transit times.
Now before everyone jumps me about the idea that he writes about FTL drives. consider how crafty he was. Faster than light from whose perspective? From the perspective inside the ship, it's not. Also, even from the perspective of someone floating along in the environment surrounding the starship it's not, because that observer also is traveling in gravity waves or streams that are traveling near to (or faster than if we accept the hypothesis that gravity transmission is nearly instantaneous) the speed of light. However, even Mr. Weber specified in
At All Costs) that gravity propagates only about 60 times the speed of light, so in the Honorverse it does have finite speed.
His use of the concept of (Warshawski) energy 'sails' that interact with gravity 'winds' really is quite ingenious. Even if it turns out that gravity itself does not propagate faster than light, it is a fact that fluid-based (wind) sails can be set and trimmed to cause an attached object to travel faster than the propelling force - which would indicate that the same would hold true of gravitic currents, meaning FTL travel by the vessel.
It will be most interesting to see if FTL travel actually proves to be feasible as we get a better handle on just what the energy of gravity is all about. Due to the gravity/time pulse resulting from the double-neutron star collision in September, we now know that gravity
is a part of the Unified Field of energy. We have learned to control all other forms of the Unified Field about which we are aware, so I presume that we can and will learn to control this one as well.