this post was submitted on 17 Oct 2023
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Polarize the hull plating!
Fun fact: all starfleet ship’s hulls are now constantly polarized, mostly to deflect random space dust, debris, etc. while traveling at sub-light. Not sure if it’s stated in canon when they started doing this, but in a few episodes, before walking on/working with the hull, it gets mentioned that they have to depolarize it first.
Edit: just because the guy below wants to launch an inquisition over the origin of this detail, it shouldn’t ruin everyone else’s fun here.
2150s. No, seriously. That's been a thing since Archer. Hull polarization actually started as the first line of defense before shields became common place and much stronger. The NX Class and the Shuttlepod both had polarized hulls. They even make a mention in one of the episodes that while they've been away from Earth for months that Earths polarization tech has improved efficiency by 12%. But when shields started gaining more ground and traction, hull polarization wasn't needed as much so it slowly slid to the background and was only used when necessary like when Voyager needed more stability or when the Delta Flyer was trying to be located. I remember something else about using it to modulate against a tractor beam too somewhere in DS9.
That being said, I'm not sure where you're getting the information about constant polarization and deflecting space dust. Typically that's what the deflector array was for. I'm not saying you're wrong or anything, it's Star Trek. There's tons of inconsistencies and backups and redundancies. I'm just curious so I can add it to my giant folder of useless Star Trek info that's buried in the back of my brain.
Edit: There is zero source material to back up the claim that the hull polarization reflects space dust and this guy seems to be acting on bad faith. I'm just going to go ahead and take everything he said here with a grain of salt the size of a D'Deridex.
I’m aware of when hull polarization began being used, but one can infer from more recent dialog that it’s now a “constantly-on” feature.
Also, the deflectors are typically for use at warp speed as they project forward from the deflector dish. A polarized hull is useful at sub-light.
The deflectors are vital at warp speed but they're still on at sublight speed. I also cannot find a single mention of polarized hull ever being used to repel dust/dirt at any speed. That's why I asked. Memory Alpha doesn't address it at all and google is returning zero results. I also cannot think of any recent dialog ever mentioning something to that effect. The closest I can think of is the Cerritos but their hull wasn't polarized, it was had magnetic shielding.
I did say “typically” used at warp, not “only”.
Okay, but again, what's your sources for this? I cannot find a single citation to back you up. Memory Alpha doesn't mention your use at all.
Not every line of dialogue has a memory alpha citation, and I’m not going to go rewatch almost a thousand episodes and a dozen films to figure out where I heard it just to satisfy your curiosity.
I’m sorry if that’s not good enough for you, but I think I’ve been reasonably patient with your repeated demands for a citation. This isn’t a court of law. I’m here to have a fun, casual conversation, not to be interrogated.
Actually, every line of dialogue does have a Memory Alpha citation. At least if it has any sort of lore impact. Memory Alpha has articles the most random and niche of stuff, including every line of Treknobabble. I also never asked for you to rewatch all the episodes and films. I asked for a general area of where you heard it. Even a series would have been something. I also didn't demand. I reasonably requested multiple times and then insisted when you outright ignored me everytime. Ignoring someone is not being patient. That is being rude and dismissive. It also heavily undermines your argument because you outright refused to defend yourself when given multiple chances.
This was a fun casual conversation until this random turn. If you had, at any point, said that you weren't sure where you heard it then that would have been something. Instead you refused to even bother to engage with that in the slightest and ignored me on multiple occasions. That's just rude but this backhanded snark is far worse.
I'm just going to go ahead and ignore everything you said about hull polarization. There seems to be nothing to back up your case whatsoever and you seem to have zero interest in backing up your claim. I have zero interest in engaging with someone who acts on such bad faith. Goodbye.
Man, I feel bad that you made yourself this upset over nothing. It really isn’t that important.
Have a better day.
Wouldn't polarizing the hull basically mean magnetizing it? That always bothered me.
I would assume it's an optical polarizer. Like on sunglasses or LCD screens.
They're clearly forcing the shield to be split amongst two opposing ideals.
Out the window you go!
If a big magnet protects spaceship earth from cosmic rays, a smaller magnet should protect spaceship enterprise from death rays.
But seriously, my take was always that there was something like an inner and an outer hull, and by polarizing them with opposing charges you might reinforce them so explosions are less likely to blast the outer hull off. Kind of like a magnetic lock around the entire ship.