Weapons and Shields

[Jon]

Does anyone have any idea how exactly the system works on Starships when a phaser or torpedo is fired? I would assume the shields are lowered as this happens to allow them to pass through, or is it a different matter?

[Crazedwraith]

I've always assumed that shields like tsimilar to those in SG-1's evolution, they let things out but not in.

All though some books i've read would agree with the shield dropping thing, i don't think its been described thus in canon.

[brianeyci]

This is where phase and frequency finally come into play. If they use a frequency and phase coherent weapon such as a phaser, and they match it to their shield frequency (precisely 180 degrees out of phase), then it would theoretically pass right through with minimal impedance. The principle is similar to early fighter aircraft, which linked the firing rate of their machine guns to their propellers so the bullets would pass between the propeller blades. This allows them to fire phasers without dropping shields, but it also gives enemies a potential Achilles Heel to exploit. The same applies to torpedoes; they must incorporate some kind of device to locally neutralize an area of the shield on their way out, and it would presumably do so by producing a small mini-shield at 180 degrees out of phase to the main shield, to cancel out a small hole (this would explain how the Klingons fired through the Enterprise-D's shield in Star Trek: Generations, and it would also explain how Borg drones can walk through Federation forcefields2).

[Jon]

Thanks, Brian.

[drachefly]

There is a relevant supplemental theory presented in the thread titled "Shield Frequency Issues". Though it doesn't solve all problems, it has more or less reasonable answers to certain of the questions that that explanation leaves unanswered.