Ánkéo Artificial Gravity is the form of artificial gravity used in the Grand Yarphese Republic. Artificial gravity is desirable for long-term space travel for ease of mobility and to avoid the adverse health effects of weightlessness. However, it is not actually artificial gravity. It is a use of the strong nuclear force to substitute for gravity when gravity, the weakest fundamental force, is scarce. This can be done by choosing a point of attraction, and placing a small capsule, about the size and shape of a sea urchin, with spikes to hold it in place. Inside the capsule is an arrangement of large artificial isotopes of elements such as helium and hydrogen. The gluons within, having less of a pull on each other due to the efficient arrangement, are able to lose the pull amongst each other and transfer it outward, pulling in all protons and neutrons nearby. The arrangement extends the range of the force by up to 88 quintillion times, making it possible to act as "gravity," although it does not weaken with distance. However, the original, strong nuclear force is weakened by the arrangement, as it would likely form a sort of black hole once it acquired much of the mass around it.
Uses[]
There are no current uses of Ánkéo by the Yarphese government, because of the price of the object. However, the Yarphese government plans to use it on Deimos, the Martian moon it plans to terraform. Ánkéo works well because it will not interfere with the gravity of Mars or Phobos, Mars' other sattellite. Also, it is very safe to handle and is easily stored underground, where the nuclear force is intended to be directed. Yarphei is also developing plans to use it militarily, because the "gravity" remains constant within a certain radius from an object, so large amounts of it could draw in certain targets. Nevertheless, the system is too awkward to use conventionally as of now.
History[]
Ánkéo was discovered in 1997 by the Vietnamese Liberation Army, and is constantly undergoing improvement as new isotopes of atomrs are discovered. In 1999, the Yarphese government endowed rights to this technology to Sihanoukville University, National University of Yarphei in Saigon, Kuala Terengganu University, and the University of Singapore. Many of the advances are kept secret to avoid other superpowers finding out and using the technology against Yarphei. As a member of the Asian Free Trade Agreement, the East Asian Federation has been allowed access to the technology, but without complete elucidation.