Zero Point Module

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Zero Point Module (ZPM)
Zero Point Module (ZPM)

A Zero Point Module, abbreviated ZPM, is a power source device in the fictional Stargate universe. They are based on the concept of zero point energy.[1] ZPMs extract vacuum energy from a small artificially-created region of subspace time, and are used to power the technology of the Ancients.

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[edit] Destructive power of a ZPM

There have been various discussions of the destructive power of a misused Zero Point Module. Camulus offered one to the SGC, who eventually learned it had been tampered with. Tainted with a material which was highly explosive when exposed to electrical current, the destructive power of it was said to be able to devastate the entire solar system similar to the detonation of the Lantean's Arcturus power source. Another time the destructive power of the ZPM was shown was when the Trust used an operative to sabotage Atlantis's ZPM by planting a program to activate systems that would require so much energy it would overload the ZPM. This would have resulted in an explosion capable of destroying the planet. Atlantis normally has failsafes in the event a ZPM is forced to draw too much power, however, these were overridden as part of the sabotage. Finally, the Asuran City ship was equipped with three ZPMs which McKay rigged to overload in the same way the Trust had done previously to Atlantis, however, its destruction in the Lantean system simply caused a large explosion in orbit, but otherwise no damage to the planet itself. Certain theories suggest that perhaps additional failsafe features were incorporated within the city ship to prevent such a disaster.

[edit] History

SG-1 first discovered the technology when Col. Jack O'Neill, having downloaded the Ancient database into his mind for a second time, led the team to the planet Proclarush Taonas and retrieved a ZPM from an abandoned Ancient outpost. SG-1 brought the device back to Earth and found the Ancient outpost in Antarctica, where the device powered the Ancient Drone Weapon that destroyed Anubis's attacking fleet.[2] The module was later used to power the Stargate for the Atlantis expedition's long-distance journey to the Pegasus Galaxy.[3]

SG-1 later went back in time to ancient Egypt and stole a ZPM from Ra.[4] This ZPM was used to send reinforcements to Atlantis[5] and, just afterwards, was sent to Atlantis on board the Daedalus to power the city's shield,[6] This ZPM was depleted by the Atlantis expedition to close an interuniversal matter bridge.[7]

Later, Atlantis was invaded and captured by the Asurans, who installed ZPMs in the city to power its stardrive. When the Asurans were destroyed and the Atlantis expedition reclaimed the city, three ZPMs were recovered.[8] One was kept to power the city, while the other two were sent back to Earth for use in the Ancient outpost in Antarctica and the battlecruiser Odyssey.[9]

Atlantis was launched into space through use of its single ZPM and its geothermal station. However, it ended up in an unspecific region of space where it went nearly dead in space. Using the prototype hyperdrive on a Jumper, the Atlantis team was able to procure only one ZPM from the Asuran(Replicator) homeworld to land Atlantis on a new planet with its two ZPMs (one nearly depleted and the other partially full).

[edit] Known ZPMs

Listed by the order in which they were found.

Found Quantity Status Current Location Notes
Proclarush Taonas 1 Depleted Earth or Ba'al's planet. Taken to Earth and used to power the Drone defense system in Antarctica.[2] Used to send the Atlantis expedition to Atlantis.[3] Later either it or the original depleted Antarctic ZPM was exchanged with Camulus' original ZPM and then taken to Ba'al.[10]
Earth (Antarctica) 1 Depleted Earth or Ba'al's planet. Found on Earth inside the Ancient Outpost where they had used it to power the Drone defense system in Antarctica.[2] It was already depleted when the outpost was found by SG-1. Later either it or the one brought from Proclarush Taonas was exchanged with Camulus' original ZPM and then taken to Ba'al.[10]
Atlantis 3 Depleted Atlantis Kept the city's shield up for 10,000 years.[11]
M7G-677 1 Almost depleted M7G-677 Powering the planet's EM shield.[12] Dialog within the episode indicates it could only power Atlantis' shield for a few hours, but it could power the EM shield for several decades.
Dagan 1 Full Unknown Also known as the Potentia. It was found by Sheppard and McKay, but the Brotherhood took it away to hide since they believe the Ancients will return at some point.[13]
Unknown planet in Milky Way 1 Unknown, but at least 50% full Earth Tampered with by Camulus, so it could destroy an entire solar system if switched on. Retrieved by SG-3.[10]
Earth (Ancient Egypt) 1 Depleted Atlantis Found by SG-1. Sent to Atlantis to power up the city's shield.[6] Drained by Dr. McKay to save alternate Rod.[14]
Sanctuary Unknown Unknown Cloister Powering the time dilation field.[15] Given the comparably rapid depletion of a single ZPM in Unending[16] there is presumably a significant stock of ZPMs within the Sanctuary.
The Tower 1 Depleted The Tower Used by 'The Lord Protector' to protect the local village, until completely depleted on purpose by McKay to dethrone the corrupt leader.[17]
Genii Stronghold 1 Depleted Destroyed Discovered by a Genii operative and filed away for thousands of years in Genii archives. Offered as bait to the Atlantis expedition, and destroyed in a nuclear explosion.[18]
Asuras City Ship 3 Full Destroyed Powered the Asuran city ship, all three ZPMs exploded due to sabotage in order to destroy the city ship. [19]
Asuras Unlimited Full Asuran Homeworld (Destroyed) Powered the remainder of the Asuran homeworld[19] until the Asuran homeworld was destroyed by McKay. Dialog within the episode indicates they have "many", and apparently have the ability to manufacture them.
Tria 1 Unknown Atlantis Brought to Atlantis by the Ancients that were on board the Tria when they returned to Atlantis.[20] Following the activation of the city's stardrive combined with damage inflicted by the Asurans, this ZPM has nearly been depleted. [21][22][23]
Asuras 1 Full Earth (Antarctica) Brought to Atlantis by the Asurans when they captured it and later given to Earth by the Atlantis Expedition to power the Ancient outpost in the event of an Ori attack on Earth.[24]
Asuras 1 Mostly full The Odyssey Brought to Atlantis by the Asurans when they captured it and later given to Earth by the Atlantis Expedition to the Earth vessel Odyssey to defend against the Ori[24]. It was nearly depleted to power the Asgard time dilation device for 50 years. But when the field was reversed, the ZPM returned to its previous state[16].
Asuras 1 75% full Atlantis Stolen from Asuras by the Atlantis Expedition to replace the ZPM drained by the hyperspace jump after the Asuran attack on Lantea.[23]
Asuras 1 Destroyed Asuran Atlantis copy/destroyed Stolen from the other Asurans by Niam's faction[25] to power their copy of Atlantis. Dialog within the episode states it was too depleted to power the shield. Most likely destroyed when the copy of Atlantis was destroyed by the Replicators.
Asuras 3 Unknown Wraith cloning base Stolen from the Asurans by Todd's Wraith hive ship to power the cloning base.[26] Unknown what happened to them after that the cloning base was destroyed.

[edit] Pronunciation

Most of the Atlantis characters, being American, pronounce ZPM as Zee-P-M (the American way). The team's Canadian scientist, Rodney McKay, on the other hand, pronounces the abbreviation in the Commonwealth fashion, Zed-P-M. Most of the aliens encountered pronounce it Zee-P-M. Actor David Hewlett stated in an interview that when he was cast as McKay for Atlantis, he talked with the producers how to set his character's Canadian origin apart. In his opinion, there is no such thing as a Canadian accent despite a few differences in pronunciation, which is mirrored in the show in the pronunction of ZPM as "Zed-P-M".[27]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Zero Point Energy goes Hollywood!. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.
  2. ^ a b c "Lost City". Stargate SG-1.
  3. ^ a b "Rising". Stargate Atlantis.
  4. ^ "Moebius". Stargate SG-1.
  5. ^ "The Siege, Part 2". Stargate Atlantis.
  6. ^ a b "The Siege, Part 3". Stargate Atlantis.
  7. ^ "McKay and Mrs. Miller". Stargate Atlantis.
  8. ^ "The Return, Part 2". Stargate Atlantis.
  9. ^ "Echoes". Stargate Atlantis.
  10. ^ a b c "Zero Hour". Stargate SG-1.
  11. ^ "Before I Sleep". Stargate Atlantis.
  12. ^ "Childhood's End". Stargate Atlantis.
  13. ^ "The Brotherhood". Stargate Atlantis.
  14. ^ "McKay and Mrs. Miller". Stargate Atlantis.
  15. ^ "Epiphany". Stargate Atlantis.
  16. ^ a b "Unending". Stargate SG-1.
  17. ^ "The Tower". Stargate Atlantis.
  18. ^ "Coup D'etat". Stargate Atlantis.
  19. ^ a b "Progeny". Stargate Atlantis.
  20. ^ "Return". Stargate Atlantis.
  21. ^ "First Strike". Stargate Atlantis.
  22. ^ "Adrift". Stargate Atlantis.
  23. ^ a b "Lifeline". Stargate Atlantis.
  24. ^ a b "Echoes". Stargate Atlantis.
  25. ^ "This Mortal Coil". Stargate Atlantis.
  26. ^ "Spoils of War". Stargate Atlantis.
  27. ^ Wilson, Mark (March 2007). Interview: David Hewlett. scifi.about.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-14.

[edit] External links

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