Neutrino

Neutrinos are elementary particles, that have very small masses, and hence travel at close to the speed of light. Although they interact very rarely, a starship's sensor array contains instruments capable of detecting them.

The presence of elevated neutrinos may indicate the presence of a ship – possibly cloaked. The Bajoran wormhole also emitted neutrinos before opening, giving Deep Space 9 a moment to prepare before any ship came through.

References

• Duras accused Mogh, Worf's father, of sending coded neutrino pulses to signal the Romulans, leading to the Khitomer Massacre.

• Timicin, a scientist from Kaelon II, considered neutrino counts among countless variables when he experimented with a way to revive a dying star.

• Geordi La Forge used a neutrino field to isolate the Enterprise's cargo bay when aliens posessed Miles O'Brien, Deanna Troi, and Data.

• Severe neutrino disturbances were one factor that lead Jadzia Dax to consider the Denorios belt as a possible location for the Celestial Temple of the Bajoran Prophets. The crew of Deep Space 9 later recognized that neutrino emissions were an indicator that the Bajoran wormhole was opening.

• Tamal became concerned about a neutrino leak in the port nacelle when Thomas Riker and the Maquis stole the USS Defiant.

• Major Kira Nerys (External Link) identified a Maquis ship by its neutrino signature in the Badlands.

• Data detected neutrino emissions coming from a lake on the Ba'ku planet and, after walking into the lake to investigate, discovered a cloaked Federation holoship.