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February 23rd, 2007
 | 11:47 am - Canon equipment question about the Stargate's iris
This isn't for a fic or anything, it's just been bugging me as I read various Stargate fics lately. It's not even something I see as a canon problem, just something I'm trying to resolve in my own mind.
The Stargate' iris, iirc, is some kind of really strong titanium alloy. It covers the 'Gate opening a few millimeters from the event horizon, preventing any matter from re-integrating upon passage through the wormhole. It is, of course, retractable (and very cool-looking).
Here's my question: do we know what SGC protocol about the iris is? Ie, do they often or usually put up the iris when there is an unscheduled off-world activation?
The one thing I'm pretty sure they don't do is keep the iris closed at all times (we always see the 'Gate standing "open" when we get shots from the control or briefing rooms). For one thing, if the iris was closed when a wormhole activates, that expensive piece of equipment would be vaporized just like any other piece of matter.
Thoughts? Input? Episode/scene references?
Current Mood:  curious
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I don't have any references off the top of my head since I'm at work, but I believe the procedure is that as soon as the kerwhoosh! is finished whooshing, they slam it home. (It used to be made of just titanium, but during the episode where the Earth gate was locked to a black hole, that one got destroyed; now, it's mixed with trinium, I think. That's the fictional metal they were looking for in that psuedo Native American "Spirits" episode).
After the iris closes, they wait for the incoming people to use their GDOs (Garage Door Openers, that always cracks me up) to transmit a valid IDC. If it checks? They open the iris again. If not? Whoever's incoming goes *splat*. The offworld allies that they don't trust with an IDC, they give one of those boxes with a particular metallic composition; after it goes *thunk* they detect the residue it leaves behind on the iris and let them through. (I think they did that with the people in the Land of Light, and early contact with the Tok'ra? You'd have to look up references).
They don't leave it up at all times, no, but they definitely use it on every incoming wormhole unless something's preventing them from doing so. Just because they know the address the wormhole originates from doesn't mean it'll be friends coming through. Good point. It's probably managed automatically by the gate software. I love the acronyms on this show. It took me a while to separate the Farscape DRDs from the Stargate DHDs, though. ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/34758181/3797258) | | From: |  izhilzha |
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| Date: | February 23rd, 2007 09:36 pm (UTC) |
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Yeah, that's mostly what I'd figured. Thanks for the confirmation. :-) You're welcome! Nice to be able to use the random vault of fandom storage in my head to help someone else, for a change. =) (I think they did that with the people in the Land of Light, and early contact with the Tok'ra? You'd have to look up references).
It was the people on Cimmeria (Thor's Hammer) and the first contact with the Tok'ra. The boxes had a particular radioactive signature.
After the whoe Retu situation they installed a Palm scanner to insure the person opening the Iris really was a person not some creature.=)
I think the iris is closed by Walter by default, right when he starts hollering, "Unscheduled wormhole activation!" over the intercom. Because the next bit is always the general, etc., rushing up behind him, getting an update on the situation, and either firmly pressing their lips together while they listen to things thunking against the iris, or saying, "Open the iris."
I am totally pulling for Walter whenever I see him on the screen. He is so awesome. Like that Sgt. Corwin on Babylon 5. You totally know the two of them get together for drinks. You totally know the two of them get together for drinks.
LOL! ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/23754944/3797258) | | From: | izhilzha |
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| Date: | February 23rd, 2007 09:37 pm (UTC) |
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I am totally pulling for Walter whenever I see him on the screen. He is so awesome. Like that Sgt. Corwin on Babylon 5. You totally know the two of them get together for drinks.
Hee! I would read that fic. I'll have to file that one away for a rainy day. :) It's possible for the iris to be closed when the Gate kawooshes - apparently something about it being "a few micrometers from the event horizon" prevents it from getting vaporized. We've seen it activate with the iris closed on several occasions, and remember "100 Days" when Jack was stuck on Edora when the Gate got buried and a "natural iris" formed over it and they had to melt it with a particle accelerator?
It seems the iris is always closed when the Stargate activates offworld. Couldn't give you a confirmation, though. | | From: | izhilzha |
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| Date: | February 24th, 2007 05:49 pm (UTC) |
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It's possible for the iris to be closed when the Gate kawooshes - apparently something about it being "a few micrometers from the event horizon" prevents it from getting vaporized.
Oh, Stargate, your inconsistencies never fail to amuse/appall/annoy.
That makes absolutely NO sense, given that they established the vaporizing power of the "kawoosh" early on. I honestly don't see how they could build an iris that wouldn't be damaged by an opening wormhole. But yeah, I think we have seen it happen. *tears hair* |
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