As per the request of Captain Virgil Ulam, assistant director of CIRC, this report outlines the recent warp engine problems (now resolved) on board the USS Deborah Sampson, Lt. Adalaxia Zeen commanding.
On Stardate 88301.145, the ship’s warp engine efficiency dropped 0.7%. The assistant chief engineer noted this decrease, but took no immediate action to correct it. His oversight was corrected when the chief engineer returned to duty. A full diagnostic of the warp engine and all related secondary systems was run.
The cause of the efficiency drop remained uncertain. Within 9.7 hours, efficiency returned to 100%. 13.4 hours later, it dropped again to 98.1%. Subsequently, it fluctuated as detailed in the attached data file, A-5449. At no time did this reduction pose any danger to the Deborah Sampson or hamper its ability to achieve its mission. Nevertheless, a special working group, authorized by Lt. Zeen and led by the chief engineer, was formed to address the problem. All possible actions were taken, short of disassembling the warp core, but no cause was found.
In consultation with Starfleet Command and ARC-SPAR engineers, it was determined on Stardate 88323.114 that the Deborah Sampson should make port at Vulcan, where technicians from the Vulcan Science Academy would aid in diagnosing and repairing whatever problem existed in the warp system. A thorough examination of the ship’s warp engine by the Deborah Sampson’s engineering crew, members of the Vulcan Science Academy, and ARC-SPAR engineers serving on Starfleet facilities orbiting Vulcan began on Stardate 88331.951.
A series of initial steps were taken to understand the basis of the problem, as detailed in the attached data file, A-5450. After a controlled burst test, in which the warp core output was raised 200% over a period of 15 nanoseconds, nominal efficiency returned to 100% and remained stable. Analysis of the test results indicated a small misalignment of the theta-matrix compositor. Earlier diagnostics had not indicated such misalignment. Its cause was still unknown.
It was determined that the only remaining course of action was disassembly of the warp core. It was discovered that the entire dilithium articulation frame was misaligned by 15.4 nanometers. The reason that earlier diagnostics did not indicate this problem was that the frame actuators were in fact properly positioned. The frame itself was distorted, showing small tension fractures along its length. The most dense area of fractures suggested, by their pattern, that some piece of physical material had become wedged into the area between the frame boundary and its housing. No trace of this material remained; it was most likely vaporized by the burst test.
The reasons for concern in this matter are obvious. Given the novel production methods involved in refitting the Deborah Sampson, it was always possible that rogue nanobots might have been responsible for the ship’s problems. 15nm is, however, much smaller than any of the nanobots used in the Deborah Sampson’s refit. An extensive scan of the ship revealed no other signs of system malfunction or undestroyed nanobots. The material that caused the misalignment of the dilithium articulation frame may have been inert debris from terminated nanobots but, in that case, poses little threat either to the ship or to any other ships or structures that the Deborah Sampson comes in contact with.
Recommendations are as follows: (1) Other CIRC ships should be examined and monitored for similar problems. Their commanding officers and chief engineers should be briefed. There is no reason for serious disruptions in their operation, however. (2) Changes should be made in the diagnostic routines and equipment within the warp core. Other means of determining the orientation of the dilithium articulation frame should be added, including a simple interferometer.
At present, the Deborah Sampson is meeting or exceeding all normal benchmarks of operation.
Brigid's Log 