Minovsky Thread

A threaded dedicated to everyone who's ever made Minovsky Physics to explain some weirder items in series!

Go right ahead and start posting!

Well, one thing I've mentioned in another thread is the concept of the transdimensional entropic reactor. Basically, it abuses the second law of thermodynamics to draw power from a parallel plane or dimension roughly analogous to hyperspace. This plane naturally exists at a higher energy state than our physical universe, so by opening a small portal between the two, entropy causes energy (not sure in what form: heat? charged particles?) to seep through on its own, thus allowing the extraction of energy seemingly from nothing without violating the first law of thermodynamics (as the energy is not created, merely drawn from somewhere else).

The reactor also uses a fraction of its own power output to keep the portal open, thus it essentially becomes a perpetual motion machine. However, the very nature of the reactor's operating principles presents a problem I will explain in a moment.

Another piece of unusual technology from the same story are gravimetric sensors. According to the theory of general relativity, the very presence of mass causes a warping/distortion effect in the fabric of spacetime; this has been confirmed by experiments and observations. Gravimetric sensors can detect these spacetime distortions, allowing them to spot the presence of mass even through the most advanced and sophisticated stealth measures. However, they are not infallible. It is possible to hide from a gravimetric sensor by piggybacking against a larger and heavier object, as the sensor cannot distinguish between the two. Small-to-moderate-sized objects may also mask their presence by hiding in a relatively dense particulate cloud (like the rings of a gas giant) where the sensor's resolution cannot distinguish between individual objects. Due to these weaknesses, gravimetric sensors only supplement radar instead of replacing it.

The other weakness of gravimetric sensors is that they react to ANY spacetime-distorting phenomenon, not just mass. An FTL-transit can and usually will be picked up from halfway across a star system. While this doesn't sound like a drawback, close proximity to an FTL-transit causes a complete whiteout in the sensor; attempting to activate the gravimetric sensor of a ship inside a wormhole is just asking for Readings Blew Up the Scale.

And now back to the drawback of the transdimensional entropic reactor. Its very nature causes whatever vehicle the reactor is bolted onto to have a significantly higher gravimetric signature than it should otherwise have, all but guaranteeing immediate detection as soon as the reactor is turned on. The other main drawback of the reactor is imperfect technology. Using currently-existing construction materials, the reactor has a very limited output that is still safe to use; going above that threshold causes the reactor to become unstable. The higher above the threshold it goes and the longer it stays there, the higher the chance that it will cook off and when it does, the effect can be anything from fizzling out with a shower of sparks and a cloud of smoke to going prompt supercritical and erupting into a multi-megaton fireball.

Bugshield - a semi-spherical shield that will stop any projectile travelling at more than ~98 mph, including plasma bursts. It can be penetrated by objects travelling slower than 98 mph, and by EM radiation, plus it doesn't do a thing about thing exploding inside the shield. Also, the energy of deflected impacts is transferred to the generator, so a sufficiently large impact can be enough to damage the generator, causing it to shut down.

The Triton Particle. Discovered by a Marian Triton, this is a particle which when charged emits a sort of "pull" this has seen use in specialized emitters in space stations and moonbases as artificial gravity.

Luft or Lift Particles. Discovered by accident in 1874 by a German scientist doing experiments on new conductive materials for transmission of power. It is discovered that when electricity is applied to the pinkish Falsen Luft metals, it creates propelling forces. It is a pseudo anti-gravity effect that can not only provide lift but directional thrust. The higher above the earth and thus the center of gravity the effect becomes increasingly weaker requiring more power. This particular idea was hashed out with other tropers in the Air Ship thread to come up with an interesting and not too unreasonable hand wave for air ships that don't have balloons or exterior propulsion.

edited 25th Mar '15 8:09:53 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Mana is a form of energy that converts easily into other forms-including life force-with very high efficiency; and is psycho-reactive. This allows people (for a very loose definition of the word) to shoot fireballs and thunderbolts, or raise a horde of zombies through force of will. Mana is generated through the resonance between Orichalcum and Mithril, and can be controlled by Cold Iron rods placed between them-a Magitek nuclear reactor. "Spells" are more-or-less Powers as Programs as described accross several branches of study. Basically, this is a way to have Functional Magic without just saying "You don't need to explain magic. It's magic".

edited 17th Dec '14 3:02:38 AM by dvorak

"Quicksilver" refers not actually to mercury, but to a semiconducting metal which is similarly liquid at room temperature but solidifies in the presence of an electric current.

Another setting has a "fundamental torque" which acts similarly to electromagnetism - when two appropriately-charged objects move towards each other, it produces a torque on both which induces them to spin in opposite directions (each rotates counterclockwise from the other's perspective); when moved away from each other, they reverse direction. (If they don't move relative to each other, there is no torque.)

Teufel: I may steal that. Do you mind? (And/or, could you link me to that discussion?)

edited 17th Dec '14 2:39:57 PM by Noaqiyeum

Noa: Given the idea was openly hashed out feel free to use it. Here is the thread Feel free to chip in. I have since expanded on some ideas just not shared them with the thread.

Stixm.

Derived from the acronym STIXM, which means Synthetic Telepathy Interface Exotic Matter. Basically, I was trying to find a scientific explanation for the Dresden files magic. Then I came across the movie Interstellar, and I realized that the Bulk beings could be used to explain how magic works. Basically, magic is a utility fog that interfaces with certain people who are born with a sort of brain-computer interface. This utility fog is composed of "foglets" of exotic matter that behave similarly to electricity in some ways. For instance, water is considered a "ground" (in electricity) for most wizard magic, and any wizard magic that wants to use water has to get around this fact. Spirits and monsters are composed of this Stixm. Constructs composed of Stixm are very vulnerable to fire and decompose when subjected to extreme heat, and they require concentration to maintain. Wizards use symbols as mnemonic devices to help them organize the Stixm in a manner to help them. When a wizard draws a magic circle, he actually is simply outline the circumferance and diameter of a sphere of Stixm that generates the magical equivalent of a Meisner effect, keeping any summoned entities inside.

Danke schön! :D

"Hypermatter", a not-quite substance from another "layer" of the universe is the source of a lot of the Minovsky Physics in my GURPS sci-fi campaign. Compact, lightweight catalyzed-fusion reactors work by using hypermatter to facilitate the reaction. The Reactionless Drive that makes Casual Interplanetary Travel a reality operates by "attaching" unstable hypermatter to the photons thrown out by the "thruster", temporarily giving them enough impulse to act as reaction mass. Hypermatter allows for manipulation of gravity fields (and, to a lesser extent, other forces), producing Artificial Gravity, Tractor Beams and Deflector Shields. And if you get enough hypermatter in one place, the supercritical mass punches through into Hyperspace...the basic principle of the setting's FTL drive.

Most hypermatter used in such devices is produced on-the-spot and highly unstable with a half-life in the nanosecond range, but a Green Rocks form exists as well in Metastabilized Hypermatter, which is one of the most valuable commodities in known space (and can be mined in a few strategically vital locations). MSH allows for all the same fun things as the regular artificial stuff but does so without requiring massive amounts of energy and machinery to keep it stable...

edited 25th Dec '14 6:49:09 PM by MattStriker

The Triton Particle has a limited half life and it's effects work by saturation. The more Particles there are in a room the more "gravity" there is pulling you down.

How does the particle know which direction "down" is?

They don't. I haven't exactly figured out where the emitters are located on ships and stations.

On the floor as the particles rise they pull objects down.

On the ceiling they push down instead.

Where would you suggest?

The particles adhere to flat surfaces and cause something like static cling but without everyone shocking themselves whenever they touch metal.

So the emitters would be located on the ceiling. Distributing the particles down and creating the pseudo artificial gravity.

Sure. It's your setting. It would also eliminate the need for shelves. Everything adheres to the walls.

I'd rather not have everything adhere to the walls but I like the idea.

In my recent sci-fi world I have been trying to work on I have quite alot of various peice of tech I have developed using my AppliedPhlebotinum and MinovskyPhysics. I guess I can use this bit: Their are rare and difficult to manafacture compounds which when subjected to intense electromagnetic fields begin to emit powerful pulses of negitive energy which when used in a controlled manner with fluxuations in the electromagnetic field(s) it can cause a tear in space-time into a other dimention known as the Null Void. Using the correct frequency of electromagnetic fluxuations causes the portal to appear in a similar region of the Null Void. SO while exceptionally energy intensive it is what allows transit between star systems without being able to travel FTL.

edited 25th Mar '15 3:21:35 AM by darkdestinysoul