From: hinson@bohr.physics.purdue.edu (Jason W. Hinson)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.tech
Subject: Re: Subspace Theory 101
Date: 7 Sep 92 22:09:30 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Physics Department

In article <gc3yqvr@rpi.edu> petitc@rpi.edu writes:
>
> (Note:  The technical information was gotten from TNG:TM, and is written as
>Wesley Crusher would hear it from his teachers at the Academy)
>
>  Now, we all know that, in the relativistic universe, it is impossible to travel
>faster than the speed of light.  However, as you're well aware, there is this
>mysterious thing refered to, called "subspace" where this limit does not
>apply, and you can approach an infinite velocity (or, more precisely, the warp
>barrier).
>

(much on subspace deleted)

>  However, please note that when a ship is propelled by Warp drive (which
>essentially pushes the ship through subspace), that the ship is _never at c_,
>since it tunnels through the "c" barrier in less than Planck time.
>

First, let me remind everyone of how (normally) FTL travel emplies a
violation of causality:

Start with two observers traveling SLOWER than light relative to one another.
THEN, give them the possibility of getting a signal to and from one another
faster than light could get to and from them.  Normally, NO MATTER HOW YOU
DO IT, you can create a causality problem.

Now I will repeate myself from another message which tells how to get around
this:

The reason for this comes from the fact that each observer has his own way
of viewing space and time that depends on his speed relative to the other
observer.
 
Enter a preferred frame of reference:  Assume there is some special type
of field (perhaps part of space-time itself) that can be "warped" to allow
for a new mode of transportation. The key to this new mode would be that all
those who travel this way would have the same reference frame as the
"special" field does, REGUARDLESS of their speed.  At first, this sounds
like a complete violation of relativity; however, think of it in this way:
Picking this field to be a particular frame of reference is no problem,
its just like choosing the Earth to be your frame of reference. The
difference is that the special field is the ONLY field that can be warped
to allow for this new mode of transportation.
 
So, anyone traveling in warped space measures time and space just the same
as anyone else traveling in warped space, reguardless of speed. To make things
easy, one would also want to assume that most stars and planets do not have
very relativistic speeds with respect to the "special" field. That way, people
on Earth (for example) would measure space and time in the same way as
those traveling in warped space.
 
The one problem:
While traveling in warped space, you ARE violating the major postulate of
relativity: The laws of physics are the same for all observers.  Because
the speed of light is not the same for all of these travelers, certain
laws of electrodynamics will appear differently to them.  There is nothing
COMPLETELY wrong with this (after all, it simple a postulate); however,
it will likly make the universe itself appear quite differently.
 
 
So, the normal lenght contraction/time dialation of relativity does not
apply when you are talking about travelers in Wapred space.  We should
remember this in future discussions.




So what is so different about this technique?
Well, if EVERYONE agreed to never send or recieve a FTL signal unless they
changed their speed so that it was zero relative to (say) the Earth, then
there would never be a causality problem. But this new technique 
AUTOMATICALLY causes this to happen sence any FTL travel takes place
in the frame of reference of the special field.

NOW, the only way this subspace explanation can work is if all subspace
warping is done in this special field.  Then when you surround yourself
with a subspace field, you change from what ever frame of reference you
were in before hand into the frame of reference of the special field.

Any questions?

-Jay


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