74 "What is pattern degradation?" (Transporters - Star Trek)
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This article is from the Star Trek Tech FAQ, by Joshua Bell inexorabletash@hotmail.com with numerous contributions by others.
74 "What is pattern degradation?" (Transporters - Star Trek)
The pattern is probably highly complex. Pattern degradation occurs
because the Annular Confinement Beams aren't perfect, even with the
help of the Heisenberg Compensators. The matter stream comes out of
alignment with the computer's pattern predictions for where things
should be. Obviously, this is a bad thing.
According to the TNG Tech Manual, a subject can be suspended in
transport for up to 420 seconds before the degradation is too severe
to attempt to reform the transportee. They push close to this limit in
"Realm of Fear".
In "Relics" [TNG], we see that by keeping the transport controller
locked in a diagnostic loop, pattern degradation is kept to a minimum
- even with an old-style transporter, only 0.003% of the pattern was
lost after 75 years in stasis.
In "Realm of Fear" [TNG], the most extraordinary development is the
reconstruction of the lost crew, and their appearance as the giant
slugs while in transport. I suspect that the phased-matter "bugs"
which reside in the plasma environment act as a natural ACB,
maintaining the pattern of those "lost" in transport. The computer is
able to use the Biofilter to rebuild the patterns and restore the
individuals.
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