Exploding tricorder

[morf]

The recent news of exploding pagers in Lebanon reminded me of Spock's exploding tricorder in "Arena".

Spock and Kirk could have lost their lives or limbs from the size of that blast. But what could have been the source of the explosion?

I assume the tricorder is made up of microchips and circuit boards. But those are hardly explosive material. Spock said, "They fed back my own impulses and built up an overload." Would that be electric impulses? The parts might overheat and get fried and become too hot to handle. But explode?

I didn't find Spock's explanation completely satisfying.

Unless the tricorder had been tampered with, by someone inserting explosive material into the tricorder, the only thing that I can think of that might explode would be the tricorder's battery. What kind of battery can explode with that amount of force, alkaline? lithium (did they have lithium in the 1960s that the writer may have had in mind?)? Or perhaps the tricorder was powered by a miniature nuclear or matter antimatter reactor of the future. Those, I think would surely blow up.

I understand that Trek devices function according to the needs of the plot. The plot called for an exploding tricorder so that is what happened. But I am trying to think of an in universe explanation.

If Starfleet tricorders can be so easily hacked and made to explode, that means Starfleet personnel who carry around such tricorders would be unknowingly carrying a potential bomb. If the Tal Shiar or Klingons got wind of this vulnerability, think of the possibilities.

I hope future Star Trek writers work this into their story. It was interesting that the SNW animated crossover episode made a reference to how the tricorder of that era was susceptible to explode. I think it was, but I am not sure if that reference was a callback to the incident in "Arena."

 

[ngc7293]

Lithium Ion Batteries CAN explode. Also there have been the Samsung phone batteries that have "exploded". But this is a long time in the future. I don't know the episode but seen enough Trek to imagine. Frankly, not knowing the technology, you could just make it up. I remember TNG used a Phaser and a Tricorder to make a bomb. TNG handbook says the Medical Tricorder uses a "Sarium Krellide" power cell. I suppose if a "model day" battery can be made to blow up, then one of those can be too.

 

[blssdwlf]

Something interesting about that scene is that Spock first uses his tricorder to lock onto the Gorns so he presumably has an active sensor beam ("impulses") which is pinging and returning back to the tricorder. The Gorns have some kind of countermeasure that transmits back an identical beam but at a power level that overloaded the tricorder's ability to safely buffer or dissipate the energy.

SPOCK: Locked on to the enemy, Captain. They're moving toward the high ground. (fizzing sound and smoke) They've locked on to my tricorder.​

(He throws it away and it goes bang)​

SPOCK: Very ingenious. They fed back my own impulses and built up an overload.​

If it is like any other TOS system or device, a tricorder can be overloaded and explode if enough energy is pumped into the device's energy chamber. We've seen phasers set to overload in TOS ("The Cage", "The Conscience of the King") where it isn't the power pack that explodes but the build of energy in the discharge buffer. The same also is true for the impulse engines in "The Doomsday Machine" where it isn't the fuel that explodes.

So, a tricorder could explode under these conditions:
1. the Tricorder is actively scanning a target so it is transmitting and receiving
2. the enemy is able to analyze and send back sensor energy that the tricorder will accept and at a rate or energy level that will overload the tricorder before it can safely stop receiving or dissipate.

I would imagine that Starfleet updated their tricorders afterwards to not have that vulnerability.

YMMV

 

[morf]

I wasn't completely satisfied with Spock's explanation why his tricorder exploded. I was going to write it off as serving the need of the plot.

Something interesting about that scene is that Spock first uses his tricorder to lock onto the Gorns so he presumably has an active sensor beam ("impulses") which is pinging and returning back to the tricorder. The Gorns have some kind of countermeasure that transmits back an identical beam but at a power level that overloaded the tricorder's ability to safely buffer or dissipate the energy.

SPOCK: Locked on to the enemy, Captain. They're moving toward the high ground. (fizzing sound and smoke) They've locked on to my tricorder.​

(He throws it away and it goes bang)​

SPOCK: Very ingenious. They fed back my own impulses and built up an overload.​

If it is like any other TOS system or device, a tricorder can be overloaded and explode if enough energy is pumped into the device's energy chamber. We've seen phasers set to overload in TOS ("The Cage", "The Conscience of the King") where it isn't the power pack that explodes but the build of energy in the discharge buffer. The same also is true for the impulse engines in "The Doomsday Machine" where it isn't the fuel that explodes.

So, a tricorder could explode under these conditions:
1. the Tricorder is actively scanning a target so it is transmitting and receiving
2. the enemy is able to analyze and send back sensor energy that the tricorder will accept and at a rate or energy level that will overload the tricorder before it can safely stop receiving or dissipate.

I would imagine that Starfleet updated their tricorders afterwards to not have that vulnerability.

YMMV

I wasn't aware that tricorders had a discharge buffer. It's an interesting idea.

If I understand your theory, it was the discharge buffer in the tricorder that exploded. And it exploded because the Gorn caused the tricorder's impulses to reverse direction back to the tricorder and the excess impulses overloaded the capacity of the discharge buffer and hence the explosion. That sounds like a workable theory.

But if the "impulses" are electromagnetic, I still don't understand how electromagnetic impulses explode. Wouldn't some sort of explosive chemical element still be needed for an explosion to be possible, unless the discharge buffer contains those explosive elements which were ignited by the impulses?

Anyhow, there definitely is a vulnerability somewhere in the TOS tricorder.

Regarding phaser overload, it is interesting that the phaser overload in "The Conscience of the King" blew up, but the phaser overload in "The City on the Edge of Forever" didn't explode, but instead vaporized itself and the hobo who was holding the phaser.

 

[blssdwlf]

I wasn't completely satisfied with Spock's explanation why his tricorder exploded. I was going to write it off as serving the need of the plot.


I wasn't aware that tricorders had a discharge buffer. It's an interesting idea.

If I understand your theory, it was the discharge buffer in the tricorder that exploded. And it exploded because the Gorn caused the tricorder's impulses to reverse direction back to the tricorder and the excess impulses overloaded the capacity of the discharge buffer and hence the explosion. That sounds like a workable theory.

But if the "impulses" are electromagnetic, I still don't understand how electromagnetic impulses explode. Wouldn't some sort of explosive chemical element still be needed for an explosion to be possible, unless the discharge buffer contains those explosive elements which were ignited by the impulses?

Anyhow, there definitely is a vulnerability somewhere in the TOS tricorder.

Regarding phaser overload, it is interesting that the phaser overload in "The Conscience of the King" blew up, but the phaser overload in "The City on the Edge of Forever" didn't explode, but instead vaporized itself and the hobo who was holding the phaser.

Actually a discharge buffer has never been said in dialogue... it is just a theory of mine that overloads happen in TOS on things like circuits, chambers and engines that can transmit, store or generate energy so a tricorder probably has something that can overload too. According to dialogue, tricorders have mnemonic circuits (from the time Spock pulled his recordings from in "City on the Edge of Forever"). It looked like the circuits recorded an incredible amount of sensory data that was not in some digital form that could be easily accessed without another (crudely) built circuit. Hypothetically then, the tricorder isn't dealing exclusively with EM impulses that get translated to data but also directly storing the received energy.

The Phaser-2 overload in "The Conscience of the King" took more than a minute before it detonated. In "The Cage" they were able to stop the old-style Phaser pistol overload around 50 seconds in. The Phaser-1 death in "City on the Edge of Forever" happened 6 seconds after pushing the dial so I'm not sure if it was an overload, a delayed trigger action that vaporized the user or just that the small phaser has a tiny explosion radius. We do know in "The Wrath of Khan" when Terrell phasered himself his phaser vaporized with him so I'm leaning towards the idea that the guy in "City on the Edge of Forever" triggered a delayed firing action and vaporized himself along with the phaser.

YMMV

 

[morf]

The Phaser-1 death in "City on the Edge of Forever" happened 6 seconds after pushing the dial so I'm not sure if it was an overload, a delayed trigger action that vaporized the user or just that the small phaser has a tiny explosion radius. We do know in "The Wrath of Khan" when Terrell phasered himself his phaser vaporized with him so I'm leaning towards the idea that the guy in "City on the Edge of Forever" triggered a delayed firing action and vaporized himself along with the phaser.

What made me think it was an overload was the high pitch sound that emanated from the phaser after the man pressed one of the buttons. It appeared to me that the sound was the indication that an overload was in progress.

I recall there was also a phaser overload incident in "That Which Survives". What was unusual about that incident was that the phaser overload was activated remotely. That is what I assumed since no one manually set Kirk's phaser to overload.

As far as I know, phasers don't have a transmitter or receiver, like a tricorder. Tricorders can be hacked into, as the Gorn did to Spock's tricorder. I assumed it was Losira who set Kirk's phaser to overload in "That Which Survives". However I don't know how she managed to do it remotely. But Losira was full of surprises.

 

[blssdwlf]

What made me think it was an overload was the high pitch sound that emanated from the phaser after the man pressed one of the buttons. It appeared to me that the sound was the indication that an overload was in progress.

I recall there was also a phaser overload incident in "That Which Survives". What was unusual about that incident was that the phaser overload was activated remotely. That is what I assumed since no one manually set Kirk's phaser to overload.

As far as I know, phasers don't have a transmitter or receiver, like a tricorder. Tricorders can be hacked into, as the Gorn did to Spock's tricorder. I assumed it was Losira who set Kirk's phaser to overload in "That Which Survives". However I don't know how she managed to do it remotely. But Losira was full of surprises.

That's right - "That Which Survives" Losira fuses Kirk's phaser controls when she overloads it which prevented Kirk from stopping it. Only took 10 seconds go by before it exploded. The "City on the Edge Forever" phaser had the pitch but not the explosion though. Either the guy triggered the phaser and killed himself or he triggered it before it could explode or the phaser-1 just has a tiny overload compared to the phaser-2.

 

[drt]

I always thought because there wasn't an explosion that the bum just phasered himself. The sound effect does lean more towards an overoad, but the sound design on TOS was never 100% consistent.

I guess that means it's one of those things that you can interpret how you want, lol

 

[BK613]

That's right - "That Which Survives" Losira fuses Kirk's phaser controls when she overloads it which prevented Kirk from stopping it.

Which is a small scale version of what she did to the Enterprise's emergency bypass circuit—also remotely.

 

[Ronald Held]

Should we think SF field equipment has a self destrict mode, to prevent enemies from analysing it on capture?

 

[blssdwlf]

Should we think SF field equipment has a self destrict mode, to prevent enemies from analysing it on capture?

Good question. A phaser pistol overload seems to be useful for also killing everyone to prevent capture ("The Cage") and as a powerful explosive. Not so sure about tricorders...

 

[Unicron]

Exploding Tricorders is the redshirt band.

 

[FredH]

Should we think SF field equipment has a self destrict mode, to prevent enemies from analysing it on capture?

Comes standard on most bridge consoles.

 

[blssdwlf]

Comes standard on most bridge consoles.

Has there been anything that Star Trek met that cannot be overloaded?

 

[morf]

Exploding Tricorders is the redshirt band.

They probably play very loud music. Boom boom boom. Blow out your eardrums.

Should we think SF field equipment has a self destrict mode, to prevent enemies from analysing it on capture?

That could be a double edge sword. As Losira demonstrated, an adversary or anyone out to cause trouble, could potentially hack a SF device and activate the self destruct. She used Kirk's own phaser against him.

It may make sense for big-ticket items like a starship to have a self destruct option. But it may not be worth it to have a self destruct option for other equipment.

Has there been anything that Star Trek met that cannot be overloaded?

But does all overloads have to result in an explosion?

 

[blssdwlf]

That could be a double edge sword. As Losira demonstrated, an adversary or anyone out to cause trouble, could potentially hack a SF device and activate the self destruct. She used Kirk's own phaser against him.

Interestingly, Losira (the computer) chose roundabout ways of destroying the Enterprise and Kirk's phaser as it had incorporated too much of Losira's personality. The Kalandans are so far up on the tech scale that this vulnerability actually gave Kirk's crew time. Imagine if there was no vulnerability and Losira the computer then just opted to destroy them outright.

I don't think any peer adversary like the Klingons could exploit this easily to overload ships but we see more easier attacks like in "Generations" where the E-D uses a pulse to disable the BOP's cloaking device or the Maquis in "For the Uniform" using a particle beam to disable the Malinche's helm control.

But does all overloads have to result in an explosion?

Depends on how and why something is overloaded. Generally if you overload your engines you could blow yourself up or burn it out and get stranded. Circuit overloads can result in overpowering some obstacle or control panels exploding/burning. Handheld Phaser overloads could result in an explosion unless you can turn it off. Ship Phaser overloads seem to burn out control circuit or engine circuits.

"City on the Edge of Forever" - Control Circuits Overload from the turbulence
"Metamorphosis" - Power Overload resisting the cloud creature
"Mudd's Women" - Mudd's Ship Engine Overload
"The Enemy Within" - Transporter Overload transporting unsual ore
"The Enterprise Incident" - Chance of circuit overload
"Balance of Terror" - Phaser Overload Control Circuit
"The Galileo Seven" - Transporter Power Overload
"Arena" - Overload Power Transmission Systems
"Mudd's Women" - Enterprise Engine Overload
"I, Mudd" - Overload Norman's Control
"Breads and Circuses" - Overload to cause blackout
"The Paradise Syndrom" - Overload Engines
"The Cage/The Menagerie" - Phaser Overload
"The Conscience of the King" - Phaser Overload
"Arena" - Tricorder Overload
"Space Seed" - Engine Overload
"Doomsday Machine" - Impulse Engine Overload
"That Which Survives" - Phaser Overload
"That Which Survives" - Emergency Overload Bypass fused, leading to Engine Overload

 

[morf]

You did your homework.

This brings me back to my original post. Why did Spock's tricorder explode? What was the exact cause?

I am going to repeat the relevant part of what I posted:

"I assume the tricorder is made up of microchips and circuit boards. But those are hardly explosive material. Spock said, "They fed back my own impulses and built up an overload." Would that be electric impulses? The parts might overheat and get fried and become too hot to handle. But explode?"

The innards of the tricorder might overheat and then burn and melt as a result of the impulse overload. But what would have caused the explosion?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I wasn't completely satisfied with Spock's explanation why his tricorder exploded.

Given that they were under fire, I don't believe that Spock thought they had time for a seminar.

 

[morf]

The reason I started this thread was to ask the question: what would have caused Spock's tricorder to explode?

Let me put it this way. Let's say Spock filed an after-action report after he got back to the ship, whether it be in the form of a science officer's log, or whatever is appropriate for him.

Would do you speculate would have been his full complete explanation (in universe explanation) as to why his tricorder exploded?

He would have had plenty of time to write up an explanation after the episode ended, and perhaps he even would have had time to give a seminar to SF tech people about exploding tricorders and how to fix the problem.

Or as I wrote earlier, perhaps the best explanation for the explosion was that it served the needs of the plot?

 

[blssdwlf]

The reason I started this thread was to ask the question: what would have caused Spock's tricorder to explode?

Let me put it this way. Let's say Spock filed an after-action report after he got back to the ship, whether it be in the form of a science officer's log, or whatever is appropriate for him.

Would do you speculate would have been his full complete explanation (in universe explanation) as to why his tricorder exploded?

He would have had plenty of time to write up an explanation after the episode ended, and perhaps he even would have had time to give a seminar to SF tech people about exploding tricorders and how to fix the problem.

Or as I wrote earlier, perhaps the best explanation for the explosion was that it served the needs of the plot?

You did your homework.

This brings me back to my original post. Why did Spock's tricorder explode? What was the exact cause?

I am going to repeat the relevant part of what I posted:

"I assume the tricorder is made up of microchips and circuit boards. But those are hardly explosive material. Spock said, "They fed back my own impulses and built up an overload." Would that be electric impulses? The parts might overheat and get fried and become too hot to handle. But explode?"

The innards of the tricorder might overheat and then burn and melt as a result of the impulse overload. But what would have caused the explosion?

I think you already answered part of your own question?

Given that microchips and circuit boards are "hardly explosive material" then shouldn't you rule those components out?

​

SPOCK: Locked on to the enemy, Captain. They're moving toward the high ground. (fizzing sound and smoke) They've locked on to my tricorder.​

(He throws it away and it goes bang)​

SPOCK: Very ingenious. They fed back my own impulses and built up an overload.​

And since we do not know what kind of impulses the tricorder sends out and receives then you cannot limit the type of energy for the impulses to just ones that can overheat and fry electronics.

So what you have left for an explanation are components under the right conditions that can be overloaded and explode, like those present in a phaser or engine or even a TOS circuit (not circuit board), and energies that can build up such an overload to cause an explosion... both would be consistent with what has been shown in TOS