9.2 Long-Range Sensors

The current inventory of active and passive long-range sensors comprises 473 Cardassian subspace scanners and 109 Starfleet and Bajoran instruments of various types. Most are high FTL devices that operate at warp 9.9997 in active scan mode, and operate in passive detection mode at a somewhat lower warp-equivalent velocity coupled to distance and emitted-signal strength. Broad-beam active scans are authorized only during specific crisis situations, in order to deny signal intelligence to threat detectors either on Cardassia or in the surrounding space (see 10.8, 10.9). It must be continually emphasized that Cardassia is close by, at 5.25 light-years. Narrow-beam active scans emitted from the station are configured with look angles designed to avoid most threat territories. All other study targets are first filtered through the strategic and tactical processors to perform a standard risk-versus-gain assessment; this is a requirement even for those targets chosen for purely scientific reasons.

Primary long-range instruments include the following:

• Broad-beam active subspace scanner
• Narrow-beam active subspace scanner
• All-sky passive subspace interferometer network
• Tunneling neutrino-emission detector network
• Warp-to-sublight ion deceleration detector
• Low-frequency subspace seismicity sensor
• Warp activity detector/threat analysis preprocessor

All defense-related sensors are coupled to stage-3 and stage-4 EPS taps and are controlled by the ops science station. Most defense-related sensors, particularly the warp-activity detector and subspace seismicity sensor, are triply redundant and operate on the SOP rotating schedule of "two on, one off," ensuring twenty-six-hour coverage and the required periodic maintenance downtime. In the case of networked multiple sensors, the specific networks are split into rotations of fifths, where one-fifth of the operational units are on-power at any one time. Most of the networked sensors are in semipermanent external installations that make EVA swapouts difficult. The fractional rotation insures that adequate coverage will be available. As added protection to all cryogenically cooled or rare surface material sensors, small EPS-powered force-field generators have been installed to minimize sensor blinding and physical destruction during periods of hostile action.