SciFi Lingo - Tach and Tard?

[ParanoiA]

I don't actually read much sci-fi. But I'm reading the The Gap series and Donaldson continually refers to "tach" and "tard". I have no earthly idea what these are supposed to mean, and he offers no definition, so I'm guessing I'm supposed to know this already.

 

Anyone have any ideas on what tach and tard are supposed to be?

 

Here's an exerpt for some context:

 

In addition, the interaction of those elements was ruled by the gap drive's hysteresis transducer, which controlled the extent to which the drive's effect lagged behind its cause: too much lag, and the ship never went into tach; too little, and the ship never resumed tard. As a result, tiny fluctuations in power or hysteresis, or minute miscalculations of mass, became large shortfalls or overshots.

 

While we're at it...

 

What's this business about internal spin? Donaldson actually makes a distinction between internal spin, and the danger of losing it resulting in the entire ship spinning. Sounds like a cylinder within a spinning cylinder, which I'm assuming would simulate gravity, although I'm not sure I understand how.

 

I thought you had to be standing on the object spinning in order to be effected by its spin.

 

None of this is really important to the story, but I just wanted to know. Geewiz kinda stuff.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I presume they're taking the names from particle physics: a tachyon is a hypothetical particle that travels faster than light, and a tardyon is any particle that travels slower than light.

[D H]

What's this business about internal spin?

Just off the top of my head, this is most likely a demonstration of science fiction obeying the laws of fiction rather than the laws of physics.

[ParanoiA]

I presume they're taking the names from particle physics: a tachyon is a hypothetical particle that travels faster than light, and a tardyon is any particle that travels slower than light.

 

Ah, I see. That makes a little more sense I guess. At least now I have a clue of what he's trying to say. Thanks.

 

Just off the top of my head, this is most likely a demonstration of science fiction obeying the laws of fiction rather than the laws of physics.

 

Probably. I've heard there are a couple of known subtle physics blunders in this series, apparently upset Donaldson since he paid an 'expert' to guide him. He doesn't normally write sci-fi. Maybe this is one of them.

Edited June 12, 2008 by ParanoiA
multiple post merged

[iNow]

Agreed with Cap'n.

 

Even in the medical field, a patient with a fast heart rate is described as being "tachycardic."

 

I presume that patients with slow heart rate are called "bradycardic" since "tardycardic" sounds rather funny.

[Aeternus]

I presume they're taking the names from particle physics: a tachyon is a hypothetical particle that travels faster than light, and a tardyon is any particle that travels slower than light.

 

Strangely it seems they are from different roots (one from greek, one from latin)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_and_Latin_roots_in_English

[Sisyphus]

Not that there's much context to go on here, but "internal spin" could be some kind of gyroscope set-up, where ship orientation is controlled by manipulating an internal spinning mass (like they use on the ISS and satellites). Or, if some kind of "gravity" is implied, it could be what you're guessing. If you have, say, an inner hull and an outer hull that can rotate relative to one another, you can spin the inner one to simulate gravity with the centrifugal effect, while still keeping the outside non-inertial. If you suddenly got some unexpected friction between the two or something, the outside would start spinning too.

[swansont]

A Tachtard would be someone who doesn't know how to operate the hyperspace controls.

[ParanoiA]

Not that there's much context to go on here, but "internal spin" could be some kind of gyroscope set-up, where ship orientation is controlled by manipulating an internal spinning mass (like they use on the ISS and satellites). Or, if some kind of "gravity" is implied, it could be what you're guessing. If you have, say, an inner hull and an outer hull that can rotate relative to one another, you can spin the inner one to simulate gravity with the centrifugal effect, while still keeping the outside non-inertial. If you suddenly got some unexpected friction between the two or something, the outside would start spinning too.

 

Interesting. What would be the advantage to having an outer and inner haul over just one haul?

 

From the way the book reads it sounds like what you're describing here. They actually have a situation where internal spin is being threatened - some bit about inertia - causing the whole craft to spin which jeopardizes navigation through debris.

[Phi for All]

A Tachtard would be someone who doesn't know how to operate the hyperspace controls.

Seriously, you cost me several hundred dollars a year in spit-out coffee and monitor wipes.

[bascule]

Heh, the Gap Cycle rules...

 

As I understood it in context (having read the series some 12 years or so ago) "tach" and "tard" merely referred to acceleration and deceleration, although of a sort that could only be performed by the Gap drive, or whatever....

[swansont]

Seriously, you cost me several hundred dollars a year in spit-out coffee and monitor wipes.

 

Now you understand my investment strategy.

[Sisyphus]

Interesting. What would be the advantage to having an outer and inner haul over just one haul?

 

Well, presumably so you could have artificial gravity (of a sort) without having to spin the whole ship, which might make stuff like maneuvering and docking more difficult. Or so I would imagine - my experience piloting starships is sadly pretty limited.

[ParanoiA]

A Tachtard would be someone who doesn't know how to operate the hyperspace controls.

 

That would likely explain the present exigency then.

 

Heh' date=' the Gap Cycle rules...

 

As I understood it in context (having read the series some 12 years or so ago) "tach" and "tard" merely referred to acceleration and deceleration, although of a sort that could only be performed by the Gap drive, or whatever.... [/quote']

 

Yeah, I'm really enjoying it. I like Donaldson though, so even if it was a book on penny nails I'd probably read it. You might be interested to know the film rights have been optioned by Fully Loaded. I know, I know, movies are an outside-in medium and hollywood usually screws it up, but if The Gap is even being considered, then they must have some admiration for the content.

 

Well, presumably so you could have artificial gravity (of a sort) without having to spin the whole ship, which might make stuff like maneuvering and docking more difficult. Or so I would imagine - my experience piloting starships is sadly pretty limited.

 

Yeah, my weekends are pretty full too. But thanks for taking the time to share. I think I can follow this a little better now.

 

Sci-fi just turns me off, generally, since I'm never sure if an author is going for a more hard-science theme (as I'd prefer), or a Star Wars approach. I'm not sure, but it seems like Donaldson might be leaning toward a hard-science direction. I have no way of really knowing.

[Phi for All]

I like Donaldson though, so even if it was a book on penny nails I'd probably read it.

I'll have to revisit him. I've never read any of his Sci-Fi. I got so tired of waiting through six books for Thomas Covenant to grow a pair and stop whinging about his leprosy. To be fair, though, I guess if he did grow them they'd just fall off again in the next book.

[ParanoiA]

I'll have to revisit him. I've never read any of his Sci-Fi. I got so tired of waiting through six books for Thomas Covenant to grow a pair and stop whinging about his leprosy. To be fair, though, I guess if he did grow them they'd just fall off again in the next book.

 

Probably. But now we have Linden whining and questioning herself endlessly...I'm ready for Tom to come back. The Gap is fairly brutal in comparison though. The majority of the significant characters are heavily flawed, criminal types. If you had any difficulty getting past Lena's rape, don't even bother. Angus makes Thomas look like a saint.