Matter Transmutation

[garak45]

I am SURE its been discussed before, but is there a section on matter transmutation for Traveller on this website? I have searched and found nothing. Several of my worlds in the Urbanos sector have tech levels approaching TL20 (one actually breaks thru to TL22) so I need to come up with a formula for matter transmutation. I am specifically looking for the range between TL16 and TL18 or so, since I see in Marc Millers new monstrously HUGE book at TL19 matter trans become global and can carry large loads. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this subject. Maxx

 

[Whipsnade]

I am SURE its been discussed before, but is there a section on matter transmutation for Traveller on this website?

As you've already guessed, T5 is your best bet for finding any information.

 

[garak45]

As you've already guessed, T5 is your best bet for finding any information.

Hmm, I have it, its an ABSURDLY huge book to paw through. I will just create my own, since I use MegaTraveller anyways. Thanks!

 

[Whipsnade]

Hmm, I have it, its an ABSURDLY huge book to paw through.

A little bit of work is never worth it.

Thanks!

Don't thank me.

 

[mike wightman]

Transmutation as in changing one element into another or transmission as in teleportation?

 

[Whipsnade]

Transmutation as in changing one element into another or transmission as in teleportation?

It's changing one element into another.

T5 has matter transmission - as opposed to teleportation - achieved at a TL of 19 and then improved in range at TLs 20 and 21. True teleportation and "portal' systems are achieved at higher TLs.

A typical matter transmitter is also in the book along with a description of it's operation:

This device is a transporter; rather than a teleporter. The object is converted to energy and transmitted to the desired location, where it is converted back to raw matter: a raw dust of element granules.

While the transporter is converting matter to energy and vice versa, it doesn't seem to be converting - or transmuting - one element into another. You put in a carbon block in the transmitter and you get the same mass of carbon granules at the receiver.

Transmutation of elements should certainly be part of the setting. After all, we can transmute elements now, we just can't transmute all of them or do so economically.

 

[mike wightman]

I was just wondering if he really meant transmutation...

Current transmutation involves smashing stuff together in the hope some of it results in what you want.

I can see high TL transmutation developing from damper technology, including the ability to make antimatter.

If you can manipulate the strong nuclear force then it stands to reason that at high enough TLs and an order of magnitude of four energy higher then manipulation of quarks becomes a thing.

TL 20+ you can add extra nucleons to build the structure you want, you can even turn protons into neutrons or neutrons into protons if the need arises.

 

[Whipsnade]

I was just wondering if he really meant transmutation...

Beats me. He's writing up a setting with many worlds at TL 19, still others on the cusp of TL 20, and one even at TL 22 but he can't be bothered with the only Traveller rules set which covers those TLs.

Go figure.

Current transmutation involves smashing stuff together in the hope some of it results in what you want.

I've been to the Chalk River Labs reactor in Canada which makes something like 80% of the medical isotopes used worldwide. It's an absolutely fascinating operation.

If you can manipulate the strong nuclear force then it stands to reason that at high enough TLs and an order of magnitude of four energy higher then manipulation of quarks becomes a thing.

Exactly. Strong force finagling damper technology first appears at TL 12, gets better quickly, and eventually leads to the disintegrator. Considering what the game's damper and disintegrator are suppose to do, manipulating quarks at higher TLs would be the next plausible advance IMHO.

TL 20+ you can add extra nucleons to build the structure you want, you can even turn protons into neutrons or neutrons into protons if the need arises.

IMHO, the damper would already allow you to add nucleons. It can weaken or strengthen the strong nuclear force depending on the position of the nodes and anti-nodes. If you strengthen the strong nuclear force, a given atomic nucleus would be more likely to "capture" a passing neutron or proton.

Much like the NRU core at Chalk River with it's dozens of very specialized capsules containing very specialized compounds precisely located to utilize a certain flux, an element could be placed in a damper's node and then subjected to separate streams of protons and neutrons.

Again, just as at NRU, the questions of just how long the element would be under flux, how strong the flux should be, and all the rest would be relatively simply probability equations. You'd know the element should be exposed to X flux for Y time to create Z percent of the transmuted element you want. After that it's just a matter of separating what you want from the remaining of the material by centrifuges, gravitics, chemical means, etc.

Of course, whether this would economical is a completely different question.

 

[Condottiere]

If heavy elements are created during supernovas, a technology that could recreate that on a smaller, controlled scale in your garage.

 

[garak45]

Trans-stuff

So thanks for the feedback. There is no need to be rude. Traveller does NOT cover things being converted from one thing to another, nor Repicators, in an detailed manner, nor teleportation. I know, I have been a fan for 30 years now. I am working with higher tech levels 18-22 but am having a hard time conceptiualizing these since Traveller didnt go above TL16 in any detail when it came to technology. I see T5 has long distance teleportation of mass objects (AU distance) at TL19 so I figure that surely there should be SOME lower tech and distance achievable before that tech level. 3D printing is what I am more after, not true Star Trek-style replicators (which most likely show up after TL20 from what I understand about Travr tech). I guess I will muddle through, I will post here what I discover/invent. Cheers, Maxx