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Security Level 2 - Confidential
TO: LCDR Throk Fozka
CC: N/A
FROM: ENS Sorik
SUBJ: Silithium/Verteron Study Proposal
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Lieutenant Commander,
Per our conversation on Stardate 95483.4, please see below for an updated research proposal.
Utilizing Verteron Particles to Synthesize Pure Silithium: A Research Proposal
Background:
Silithium is a relatively rare mineral in the galaxy, found only in small quantities in inconsistent locations, such as within comets. Project Slethi, proposed by 38th Fleet engineering, has requested the procurement of large quantities of pure silithium for use in defending against weaponized verteron beams as used by the Confederacy of Azed. Attempts to locate large deposits of silithium, and to synthesize silithium using traditional lab chemistry have been unsuccessful and would be impractical for large-volume production. However, silithium's interaction with verteron particles may give clues as to how silithium may be synthesized.
Research Question:
Can Silithium be synthesized by reverse-engineering its interaction with verteron particles? Can the study of such an interaction shed clues as to the exact conditions under which silithium is destroyed, and thus provide a method for creating it instead?
Research Methodology:
Before verterons can be used to create silithium, I will need to study the exact nature of their interactions so I can understand the chemical and physical conditions under which verterons destroy silithium. This can be accomplished on a small scale in the lab, which has already been attempted, but it was not high enough energy or large enough to yield accurate data. By utilizing the Bajoran wormhole, a known source of verteron particles and a documented (and stable) verteron-silithium interaction, to measure interactions, I should be able to create enough data at high enough quality to produce an accurate model for the interaction, which can then be used to reverse the reaction.
Plan of Work and Time Shedule:
Phase I of the project would include establishing lab space on Deep Space 9 and gathering equipment and materials. Estimated time: 1 week.
Phase II would consist of observation and measurement of the wormhole, especially its verteron output, to establish a baseline profile in terms of energy levels and consistency. Estimated time: 2 weeks.
Phase III would consist of exposing samples of silithium to the wormhole's energy and observing the reactions. In order to gather sufficient data, estimated time for this phase would be 1 month.
Phase IV would consist of utilizing the wormhole's verteron energy to attempt to synthesize silithium based on the data from Phase III, though further data collection of interactions from Phase III may continue to refine results as well. Estimated time: 1 month.
If the project is a success, then further steps must be taken to adapt our methods to an industrial setting for bulk silithium production. This should be done in conjunction with, or by handing the project off to, the engineering department. Also recommend collaborating with engineering to determine feasibility of maximizing efficiency to make it possible to utilize DS13's resources to produce silithium rather than relying on the higher-energy Bajoran wormhole.
//SIGNED//
Ensign Sorik
Geologist, Deep Space Thirteen
