Synthetic Black Hole
The apex of portable power generation, an artificially-created small black hole manufactured by causing a wormhole to collapse in on itself. Energy is derived by capturing the Hawking radiation given off as it sheds mass, making it an effective matter-to-energy conversion method.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Synthetic black holes are smaller than an atomic nucleus despite massing on the order of 100,000 to 1,000,000 metric tons, and radiate across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. If observed from a distance while it floated free in space, it would resemble a bright star. A close approach would be ill-advised due to the copious quantities of gamma rays emitted.
History & Usage
Industrial Use
The most common use of synthetic black holes is in power generation. As the black hole loses mass in the form of Hawking radiation, this can be captured (e.g. by surrounding it with advanced solar cells) and harnessed for energy. Power output is an inverse function of mass, meaning a smaller black hole will produce more and more power until it finally ceases to exist in one massive surge. To keep a black hole's mass constant, it must be "fed" matter which it consumes and then radiates as energy. In this way, synthetic black holes can be harnessed as direct matter-to-energy conversion power plants.
Hazards
The primary disadvantages of black holes as power sources are the expense of production, large mass, and inability to switch it off once it has been created. Moving a black hole installed aboard a starship requires complex electromagnetic control since it cannot be pushed or pulled with material objects, and powerful engines to overcome the huge mass.
In the event of containment loss, the black hole's subatomic size and energy output will cause it to tear out of any material housing and risk becoming lost. On a planet or other large celestial object it will simply sink down to oscillate around the core, however it will not grow to world-eating size (it is simply too small to bump into and consume enough atoms to sustain its mass). If not recaptured, the black hole will over a period of a month to a year decay with its energy output exponentially increasing until it dissipates in a massive explosion.
In the event of containment loss, the black hole's subatomic size and energy output will cause it to tear out of any material housing and risk becoming lost. On a planet or other large celestial object it will simply sink down to oscillate around the core, however it will not grow to world-eating size (it is simply too small to bump into and consume enough atoms to sustain its mass). If not recaptured, the black hole will over a period of a month to a year decay with its energy output exponentially increasing until it dissipates in a massive explosion.
Rarity
Rare, highly regulated
Density
Infinite
Comments