111 "What are Tetryons and Verterons?" (Warp and Subspace - 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.
111 "What are Tetryons and Verterons?" (Warp and Subspace - Star Trek)
Subatomic particles mentioned in "Force of Nature" [TNG], and a number
of other episodes. These seem to be some of the particles associated
with subspace fields, just as photons are particles associated with
electromagnetic fields.
A verteron mine is used to disable the Flemming, a Ferengi ship, and
the Enterprise in "Force of Nature". Verterons somehow manage to
disable all devices which use subspace. Simplest explanation - they
inhibit interactions with subspace, causing massive overloads and
feedback which damages equipment.
Picard suggests using them to mask a subspace resonance signature in
"The Pegasus" [TNG], although Data points out that their artificial
nature would preclude their use in that circumstance - masking a warp
core for several hours.
In "Caretaker" [VOY] , Voyager is scanned by a coherent tetryon beam
before being transported across the galaxy.
Verterons also infest the Wormhole near Bajor. In "Playing God" [DS9],
a proto-universe intruding into our own c/o subspace was kept
contained by an energy field, but verteron pockets in the Wormhole
threatened to release it, destroying a Runabout and perhaps even the
Wormhole. Verterons and subspace do not mix well.
They also allow vessels to travel through the wormhole under impulse
power ("In the Hands of the Prophets" [DS9]), and they appear in a
display in Keiko's classroom on DS9 as the verteron membrane at the
outer boundary of one side of the wormhole.
Tetryons are particles which are stable in subspace but unstable in
normal space. They appear to be the main mediating particles of
subspace interactions with normal space. They were introduced in
"Schisms" [TNG] but they've shown up in "Force of Nature" [TNG], and a
tetryon field is the result of an metaphasic shield interaction in
"Suspicions" [TNG].
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