Created by Captain Michael Turlogh Kane on Aug 16, 2016 @ 1:48pm

WARP SPEED LIMIT

Malmium subspace emitters are a special component of a starship's warp engine, invented forty years ago following the imposition of the WARP SPEED LIMIT across the Federation.

In the late 24th century, scientific evidence emerged that the subspace (specifically, thoron radiation) emissions of warp-capable starships were cumulatively causing the formation of subspace rifts across the Federation. In turn, this necessitated a warp speed limit to be imposed on all starships travelling through the most affected areas.

Thoron (also known as radon-220) is a naturally-occurring radioactive isotope created when the element thorium decays. It is a gas at room temperature, but is also produced as a by-product of starship warp engines. Normally emitted into space in a starship's wake, it was Hekaran scientists who first proved its effect on the formation of subspace rifts.

This caused a knock-on deleterious affect on Federation shipping, and efforts were immediately begun to design a new subspace emitter for all Starfleet vessels. New technologies were quickly rolled out, such as the variable warp pylon of the Intrepid-class starships, but the problem persisted for over a decade.

In the 2390s, Starfleet began testing a new type of subspace emitter that created particles known as anti-thorons to counter the radiation emitted from a starship's engines. Anti-thorons can interfere with transporter operations, however, so the project needed to find a way to artificially modify these anti-thorons to prevent such transporter interference, while still retaining their ability to neutralise regular thoron particles. By binding the anti-thorons with an artifical actinide dubbed Malmium, the project was ultimately successful. The project leader, Doctor Richard Malmros, was awarded the Zee-Magnees Prize for Chemistry in 2396, and at the turn of the century, the Federation Council finally repealed the warp speed limit.

Since 2432, Malmium subspace emitters have been installed as standard in all warp engines, and have an excellent safety and operating record.