Zero Point Module (ZPM)
在這就分享一下ZPM這東西的介紹，一定有很多人都需要知道這項神秘的東西。
Summary
A Zero Point Module (abbreviated ZPM) is an immensely strong and very long-lived energy source capable of powering entire cities and intergalactic spacecraft. The ZPM was invented by the Ancients, and units have been found both on Earth and in the Pegasus galaxy. In Pegasus, finding non-depleted ZPM's is so important that there is a standing order for the members of the Atlantis expedition to retrieve them whenever possible. Having a ZPM in Atlantis means the difference between survival and defeat, and between isolation and the ability to travel home to Earth.
Quantum Mechanics Primer
Zero Point Modules are so named because they use zero point energy. Zero point energy is present in all quantum mechanical systems (i.e. everything that uses energy and converts it to entropy). Zero point energy is the lowest amount of energy that such a quantum mechanical system can have. It is also commonly referred to as vacuum energy and remains when all matter is removed from a region of space. Since by definition zero point energy can never be depleted (a region of space can never have less than that amount), it is theoretically an unlimited and free energy source.
The energy is said to arise from various particles that spontaneously emerge, exist for fractions of a second, and are then annihilated by anti-particles. At very small distances (~10-35 meters) this particle/anti-particle turbulence is known as quantum foam, and it is theorized to be a remnant of the birth of the universe carried over to this day. (Also partially explained in the hypothesis is that not all matter in the universe is evenly distributed). This variation in energy is somewhat 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).
Despite the two particles annihilating each other, a small amount of energy is detectable (demonstrated by the Casimir effect). Because of the immensely small scales of time and size, as well as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, the existence and subsequent annihilation of these particles does not violate the conservation of energy. The individual particles are thought to be generated perhaps by photons interacting with the space.
As built by the Ancients, a ZPM is a container of a large region of vacuum subspace instead of normal space, so that its size is manageable. The ZPM draws power from the zero point energy, a tiny amount from each small bit of the enclosed subspace that adds up to unimaginable power in total. Theoretically the ZPM should never become depleted, but since all mechanical devices have imperfections, it is likely there is a miniscule amount of loss in the system that eventually leads to the last of the energy leaving the ZPM. There is also the issue of entropy eventually winding the system down, but our understanding of physics does not extend to such large-scale thermodynamics.
The energy is said to arise from various particles that spontaneously emerge, exist for fractions of a second, and are then annihilated by anti-particles. At very small distances (~10-35 meters) this particle/anti-particle turbulence is known as quantum foam, and it is theorized to be a remnant of the birth of the universe carried over to this day. (Also partially explained in the hypothesis is that not all matter in the universe is evenly distributed). This variation in energy is somewhat 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).
Despite the two particles annihilating each other, a small amount of energy is detectable (demonstrated by the Casimir effect). Because of the immensely small scales of time and size, as well as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, the existence and subsequent annihilation of these particles does not violate the conservation of energy. The individual particles are thought to be generated perhaps by photons interacting with the space.
As built by the Ancients, a ZPM is a container of a large region of vacuum subspace instead of normal space, so that its size is manageable. The ZPM draws power from the zero point energy, a tiny amount from each small bit of the enclosed subspace that adds up to unimaginable power in total. Theoretically the ZPM should never become depleted, but since all mechanical devices have imperfections, it is likely there is a miniscule amount of loss in the system that eventually leads to the last of the energy leaving the ZPM. There is also the issue of entropy eventually winding the system down, but our understanding of physics does not extend to such large-scale thermodynamics.
Technical Summary
ZPMs are power generation devices created by the Ancients. No other known race is known to have harnessed Zero Point Energy without using ZPMs or ZPM-based technologies (as in the case of the Project Arcturus, or the later project developed by Dr. McKay and his sister). The devices are also one of the few known technologies that can power Ancient technology. (Mark I naquadah generators are capable of powering Atlantis enough for day to day operations, and Mark II generators are capable of powering the Ancient Control Chairs for a limited time, with a pair of Mark IIs achieving a somewhat greater success, but the full functionality of an Ancient City Ship requires ZPMs) The majority of the defensive measures of Atlantis, not to mention the massive shield, were inoperable under naquadah generator power (7.22 "The Lost City, Part 2", SGA 1.01 "The Rising Part 1", SGA 2.06 "The Tower, SGA 3.08 "McKay and Mrs. Miller").
A ZPM is shaped like a rough cylinder, perhaps twelve to eighteen inches in length, and six to eight inches diameter. They are made of a yellow/orange crystalline material, with black etchings of some unknown material. The crystalline nature of a ZPM is similar to other forms of Ancient technology, but is a likely nod to the third law of thermodynamics (entropy of a system approaches a minimum value or zero in case of a perfect crystalline substance). To use an analogy, it may be similar to making electrical wiring out of silver or gold, as the materials are better conductors of electricity, than the cheaper and more commonly used copper. Small sections of the crystalline material are tinted red and green, but do not appear to be separate pieces of the ZPM, as by visual inspection it appears to be a single solid crystal.
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. 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 ( 7.22 "Lost City Part Two", 8.19 "Moebius Part One", 8.20 "Moebius Part Two", Stargate: Atlantis 1.01 "Rising Part One").
ZPMs are installed onboard consoles of Ancient design that are built to contain them. In times when the Ancients had possession of Atlantis, the ZPMs were housed in a triangular shaped console, with three circular niches for the ZPMs to rest. However, the Atlantis Expedition has not been able to draw power from their ZPM unless the ZPM is fully within the niche. The reason for this is unknown, although it could be theorized that the console, normally operating in simultaneous draw of energy, and modified by Janus to only drain one at a time, has not been reset to normal operations. There could also be a worn part, considering Atlantis had sat at the bottom of the Lantean ocean for 10,000 years (SGA 1.01 "The Rising Part 1", SGA .1.15 "Before I Sleep").
To date, ZPMs have been found in the Pegasus Galaxy with a much higher frequency than compared to the Milky Way Galaxy. Pegasus Galaxy ZPMs have been found in a variety of settings, including powering an Ancient City Ship encrusted with vegetation, powering an energy field designed to disable advanced forms of technology for a sanctuary against the Wraith, and in another Wraith sanctuary powering a time dilation field (SGA 2.15 "The Tower", SGA 1.06 "Childhood's End", and SGA 2.12 "Ephiphany", respectively)
ZPMs are not the epitome of power generation by the Ancients. Project Arcturus was the Ancient equivalent to the Manhattan Project, and was an attempt to draw zero point energy directly from this universe, which in the words of Dr. Radek Zelenka, would have made it "potentially as powerful as the scope of the universe itself." However, the idea was not as simple as it sounds. Apparently, when drawing zero point energy from a universe, exotic particles are created. Particles are eventually created which cannot be contained by any method, which breach containment as hard radiation. The fact that ZPMs are closed systems prevents the exotic particles from harming this universe, albeit at the impossibility of a ZPM to be recharged. Apparently, the Ancients working on the project were killed during the experimentation. One Atlantis scientist died within seconds of radiation exposure, giving severe burns to 70% of his skin. Later, after McKay's further experimentation, five-sixths of the solar system where Project Arcturus was housed was destroyed (SGA 2.06 "Trinity").
A ZPM is shaped like a rough cylinder, perhaps twelve to eighteen inches in length, and six to eight inches diameter. They are made of a yellow/orange crystalline material, with black etchings of some unknown material. The crystalline nature of a ZPM is similar to other forms of Ancient technology, but is a likely nod to the third law of thermodynamics (entropy of a system approaches a minimum value or zero in case of a perfect crystalline substance). To use an analogy, it may be similar to making electrical wiring out of silver or gold, as the materials are better conductors of electricity, than the cheaper and more commonly used copper. Small sections of the crystalline material are tinted red and green, but do not appear to be separate pieces of the ZPM, as by visual inspection it appears to be a single solid crystal.
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. 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 ( 7.22 "Lost City Part Two", 8.19 "Moebius Part One", 8.20 "Moebius Part Two", Stargate: Atlantis 1.01 "Rising Part One").
ZPMs are installed onboard consoles of Ancient design that are built to contain them. In times when the Ancients had possession of Atlantis, the ZPMs were housed in a triangular shaped console, with three circular niches for the ZPMs to rest. However, the Atlantis Expedition has not been able to draw power from their ZPM unless the ZPM is fully within the niche. The reason for this is unknown, although it could be theorized that the console, normally operating in simultaneous draw of energy, and modified by Janus to only drain one at a time, has not been reset to normal operations. There could also be a worn part, considering Atlantis had sat at the bottom of the Lantean ocean for 10,000 years (SGA 1.01 "The Rising Part 1", SGA .1.15 "Before I Sleep").
To date, ZPMs have been found in the Pegasus Galaxy with a much higher frequency than compared to the Milky Way Galaxy. Pegasus Galaxy ZPMs have been found in a variety of settings, including powering an Ancient City Ship encrusted with vegetation, powering an energy field designed to disable advanced forms of technology for a sanctuary against the Wraith, and in another Wraith sanctuary powering a time dilation field (SGA 2.15 "The Tower", SGA 1.06 "Childhood's End", and SGA 2.12 "Ephiphany", respectively)
ZPMs are not the epitome of power generation by the Ancients. Project Arcturus was the Ancient equivalent to the Manhattan Project, and was an attempt to draw zero point energy directly from this universe, which in the words of Dr. Radek Zelenka, would have made it "potentially as powerful as the scope of the universe itself." However, the idea was not as simple as it sounds. Apparently, when drawing zero point energy from a universe, exotic particles are created. Particles are eventually created which cannot be contained by any method, which breach containment as hard radiation. The fact that ZPMs are closed systems prevents the exotic particles from harming this universe, albeit at the impossibility of a ZPM to be recharged. Apparently, the Ancients working on the project were killed during the experimentation. One Atlantis scientist died within seconds of radiation exposure, giving severe burns to 70% of his skin. Later, after McKay's further experimentation, five-sixths of the solar system where Project Arcturus was housed was destroyed (SGA 2.06 "Trinity").
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