Beam emitter

A beam-emitter is a Forerunner device or a structure that, as the name implies, emits beams of energy. There are several types of beam-emitters on Forerunner installations.
==Description==
Beam-emitter towers are large delta-shaped structures with a cleave down the approximate center. They fire unknown beams upwards - in the case of the Halo installations to the center, and in the case of the Ark up into space. They are likely used to transport energy for the activation process of the Halo rings or used, as mentioned in the book Halo: The Flood, to somehow keep the rings together, or to get rid of excess energy. It is also possible that the beams seen on Installation 04 are simulated firings of Alpha Halo.
Around Installation 00's Citadel, three barrier towers resembling beam-emitter towers are used to project an energy barrier that surrounds the Citadel.
In Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the beam-emitters also have a spinning fan/wheel on the side that appears to charge the beam like a dynamo would, spinning faster as the point of firing approaches. They also seem to act as cooling vents like those of the plasma rifle, opening immediately after firing and closing again after a few seconds.
==Continuous beam emitters==
This type of beam-emitter is usually seen in different types of activation structures.
*The Control Rooms of the Halo installations also possess a type of beam-emitter. Instead of single bolts of energy, this type of beam-emitter fires a continuous beam from the depths of the Control Room to the top of the structure, and into the center of the ring when the Installation is activated. In case the firing sequence is canceled, like on Delta Halo, the beam collects into a large bolt of energy, which is fired into the center of the ring.
*The Ark Portal in Kenya also has this type of beam-emitter. It's fired when the portal is activated.
*The Apex site of Shield 0459 also possessed this type of beam-emitter.
*The Phase Pulse Generators on the Halo Installations are an example of this type of beam-emitter.
==Trivia==
*If you manage to stand at the top of the chute in which the beam shoots from, the beam can either kill you, sending you over a hundred feet in the air, or completely pass through you. When you are killed by the beam, it will say "(Player) was killed by the Guardians."
*In Halo PC, the beams coming from the beam-emitters will usually kill you, but if you have multiplayer settings on that increase health and shields, the beams will severely deplete them. However, in Halo 3, the beams coming from the beam-emitters (such as in Valhalla) will kill you, no matter what. This is most likely due to gameplay reasons.
==Gallery==
File:Ark_Beam.jpg|A barrier tower on The Ark.
File:HW12.png|The Apex site's beam emitter.
File:Ark2.jpg|A type of beam emitter, as seen on the Ark portal.
File:Pulse generator.jpg|A phase pulse generator, as seen on Installation 04.
File:Tempest.jpg|A beam emitter on the Multiplayer map Tempest.
File:BeamEmitterAnniversary.jpg|A beam emitter on Installation 04.
File:H4-MP-Ragnarok-Aerial.jpg|A beam emitter on Requiem.
==List of appearances==
Beam-emitter towers appear in the following levels:
Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary)
*Halo
Halo PC
*Infinity
Halo 2
*Relic
*Delta Halo
*Regret
*The Great Journey
Halo 3
*Valhalla
*The Covenant
Halo Wars
*Labyrinth
Halo: Reach
*Forge World
*Tempest
Halo 4
*Ragnarok
Category:Buildings and structures
Category:Forerunner
Category:Scenery