Memory Alpha
Register
Advertisement
Memory Alpha

The cochrane was the unit of subspace distortion, named after Zefram Cochrane, the inventor of warp drive on Earth. The phase fluctuations in subspace fields were known as Cochrane distortions. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi")

Comparative list of subspace distortion[]

Picocochrane = 0.000,000,000,001 cochranes
Millicochrane = 0.001 cochranes

Millicochrane was one of the vocabulary words listed on the chart "A Tunnel in the Sky". This chart was seen in the schoolroom aboard Deep Space 9 in 2369. The subspace distortion caused by the Bajoran wormhole was measured in millicochranes. (DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets")

Several signs with this warning were seen close to the antimatter storage in the lab. The text was not legible on screen though.
  • 312 millicochranes: According to the Enterprise NX-01 database, when restarting the warp five engine reactor of the ship, the output had to be confined to within 300 and 312 millicochranes to prevent fusion of the dilithium matrix, unless the spatial compression index was greater than 5.62 percent, or the ship was within two parsecs of a class C gravimetric field distortion. (ENT: "Doctor's Orders")
The display graphic supporting this reference gives the abbreviation for millicochrane as being "mC".
The Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 2, p. 42) defined millicochrane as "one one-thousandth of the force necessary to establish a field of warp factor one."
Cochrane
Kilocochrane = 1 thousand cochranes
4077 was a reference to M*A*S*H.
Teracochrane = 1 trillion cochranes
Petacochrane = 1 quadrillion cochranes

See also[]

Background information[]

Non-canon comparative list of subspace distortion[]

Nanocochrane = 0.000,000,001 cochranes
Microcochrane = 0.000,001 cochranes
  • 20 microcochranes: The goal maximum amount of subspace flux differential to be allowed to occur within the habitable volume of a Galaxy-class starship was 0.02 millicochranes, when the development of the class began. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 3)
Millicochrane = 0.001 cochranes
  • 75 millicochranes: The average force field strength of the inertial dampening field of a Galaxy-class starship inside the habitable volume of the ship was 75 millicochranes. (Star Trek:The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 24)
  • 150 millicochranes: The output of the amplifiers used in the inertial damping system of a Galaxy-class starship was 150 millicochranes. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 24)
  • 180 millicochranes: The minimum output goal for an impulse drive driver coil, when operating in the temperature of 10.2 million Kelvin, for the Galaxy-class starships was 180 millicochranes, when the development of the class began. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 2)
  • 250 millicochranes: The output of the amplifiers used in the structural integrity system of a Galaxy-class starship was 250 millicochranes. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 23)
  • 450 millicochranes: The output of the amplifiers used in the main tractor beam emitters of a Galaxy-class starship was 450 millicochranes. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 89)
  • 500 millicochrane: 500 millicochrane impulse driver engine was the classification of a nacelle of the Type 15 and Type 15A shuttlepod. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 160)
This would contradict the energy signature screen from "Descent"
  • 550 millicochranes: The output of the amplifiers used in the navigational deflector of a Galaxy-class starship was 550 millicochranes. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 87)
  • 625 millicochranes: The output of the amplifiers used in the deflector shield system of a Galaxy-class starship was 625 millicochranes. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 138)
  • 750 millicochrane: 750 millicochrane impulse driver engine was the classification of the nacelle of a type-16 shuttlepod. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 160)
Cochrane
  • 1 cochrane: Under the conditions where a 1 cochrane warp field achieves warp factor 1, approximately 20 gigajoules are required to create the field, and only 200 megajoules to maintain it.[1] (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 1.25 cochranes: 1,250 millicochrane warp engine was the classification of a nacelle of the Type 7 shuttlecraft. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 161)
  • 2.1 cochranes: 2,100 millicochrane warp engine was the classification of a nacelle of the uprated Type 6 and Type 7 shuttlecraft. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 161)
  • 2.15 cochranes: 2,150 millicochrane warp engine was the classification of a nacelle of the type 9A cargo shuttle. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 162)
  • 2.175 cochranes: 2,175 millicochrane warp engine was the classification of a nacelle of the uprated type 9A cargo shuttle. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 162)
  • 3.35 cochranes: The subspace field generated to some computer core elements of a Galaxy-class starship to allow FTL data processing was 3,350 millicochranes. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 49)
  • 3.594 cochranes: The subspace field generated to the Starfleet computer core elements of Deep Space 9 to allow FTL data processing was 3,594 millicochranes. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual, page 49)
  • 4.325 cochranes: The intended minimum level in the upgrade to the subspace field generated to the Starfleet computer core elements of Deep Space 9 was 4,325 millicochranes. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual, page 38)
  • 9.583 cochranes: The level of subspace distortion around the mouth of the Bajoran wormhole was 9,583 millicochranes. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual, page 6 okudagram)
  • 10 cochranes: Under the conditions where a warp field of 10 cochranes achieves warp factor 2, approximately 3 terajoules are required to create the field, and only 20 gigajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 39 cochranes: Under the conditions where a warp field of 39 cochranes achieves warp factor 3, approximately 59 terajoules are required to create the field, and only 590 gigajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 102 cochranes: Under the conditions where a warp field of 102 cochranes achieves warp factor 4, approximately 610 terajoules are required to create the field, and only 15 terajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 214 cochranes. Under the conditions where a warp field of 214 cochranes achieves warp factor 5, approximately 4.3 petajoules are required to create the field, and only 150 terajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 392 cochranes. Under the conditions where a warp field of 392 cochranes achieves warp factor 6, approximately 24 petajoules are required to create the field, and only 1.2 petajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 656 cochranes. Under the conditions where a warp field of 656 cochranes achieves warp factor 7, approximately 130 petajoules are required to create the field, and 13 petajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
Kilocochrane = 1 thousand cochranes
  • 1.024 kilocochranes. Under the conditions where a warp field of 1.024 kilocochranes achieves warp factor 8, approximately 610 petajoules are required to create the field, and only 100 petajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 1.5 kilocochranes: 1,500+ cochrane warp core was the generic classification of many Federation starship warp drives capable of maintaining speeds of warp factor 9.2 to 9.982 for 12 hours. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual, pages 151-158)
  • 1.516 kilocochranes: Under the conditions where a warp field of 1.516 kilocochranes achieves warp factor 9, approximately 3 exajoules are required to create the field, and only 1.2 exajoules to maintain it. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 55)
  • 1.65 kilocochranes: When the development of the Galaxy-class began, 1.65 kilocochranes was the sustainable field output level that was to be exceeded by the warp core of the the starship. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 1)
Megacochrane = 1 million cochranes
  • 1.2 megacochranes: 1,200,000 cochrane-hours was the goal life cycle of the primary warp coils of a Galaxy-class starship between refurbishments, when the development of the class began. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 1)
  • 2 megacochranes: 2,000,000 cochrane-hours was the goal life cycle of the secondary warp coils of a Galaxy-class starship between refurbishments, when the development of the class began. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, page 2)

Notes[]

  1. According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (pages 54, 55) in the context of warp drive, the total amount of distortion in all the energy layers put together that form a warp field is the distortion of the warp field. Depending on a multitude of spatial conditions the cochranes required for a given warp factor varies. Megajoules required per cochrane decrease after an integer factor (1, 2, 3, etc.) is established by a ship.
Advertisement